I had to talk myself into making the trek north on this day. Harbor wasn't doing much of anything and had its usual pack so I was over that. I parked at my usual spot at Wisconsin Street and eventually talked myself into surfing in front of Seau's former house, just as I had two mornings earlier. The surface of the water was a bit bumpy, but the waves still seemed worth the paddle.
Paddling out just before me was a guy on a longboard and his buddy, a body-surfer. I guess opposites do attract!
The bodysurfer caught three quick waves outside of me, waves that would have been mine if I'd been positioned better. I am a fast learner, and quickly usurped his superior spot while he was swimming back out. Apparently, he wasn't interested in trying to reclaim his spot, as he stayed put inside of me.
Despite my efforts and mental chess moves, it still took me some time to catch my first wave.
It arrived about fifteen minutes after I made my move, though there were a lot of waves I was just inside or just outside of, titillating me to no end. It was a chest-high left. I pumped twice before figuring out this wave was going to pass me by. Rather than giving the bodysurfer an opening to re-claim his spot, I kicked the board out and paddled back out.
My second wave arrived about eight minutes later. It had an open face, so instead of doing my usual initial pump, I went straight into a bottom turn. As I cruised up the face, I felt the bodysurfer's eyes on me. Please make this, I implored, I don't want him to think I'm not worthy of the alpha position and have him take his spot back.
I leaned too far back and wasn't even close. Luckily, the bodysurfer remained where he was.
My next wave was a much quicker left. I did two quick mini-pumps then rose up to meet the lip. I slashed it ok, then descended again. The wave I was on was fizzling, but there was a right just behind it. I attempted to transition on to it and went VERTICAL to its lip. Unfortunately, I wasn't ready for such a steep approach and my board launched up into the air.
My next wave was a solid shoulder-high one. I was salivating over its wall and ended up PEARLING on it. Even while I was mid-flight, I didn't break eye contact with the shoulder.
My next two waves were both pump-fests which ended with no payoff.
I bailed soon thereafter, I was firing on no cylinders and was pretty eager to pack it in.
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