The dreaded 1'+/1-2'/Marginal (or Bad) readings on the forecasts had bloomed beautifully into sexy 2'-3'/Rideable as of yesterday. Yesterday's surf check revealed nothing about which to get excited, so I went home dry.
Today was barely better. It had been nearly two weeks since my last session and I had to get out there. If you surf often, you'll know the feeling I'm about to describe. You're getting your fill of waves (not necessarily good ones) for days in a row and then the ocean cruelly stops producing sloping walls of water, leaving you (not so) high and (mos def) dry.
I've tapped into a methadone-y fix: skimboarding. The skimboarding in Oceanside can be excellent. The sand slopes down towards the water, allowing the rider to pick up speed as he runs, drops, and slides. The shorebreak is almost surfable, sometimes 3', usually closing out. The water is so shallow there though, that a successful ride can lead to an unsuccessful attempt at keeping your board in one piece.
I paddled out at Minnesota, just north of Junior Seau's old house and place of death, after spotting what appeared to be rideable waves.
My first wave was a right on which I faded after about six seconds (would have taken three on my last board).
I caught a left and kept my weight forward. Eventually, I made the connection as the wave made its with the sand below. There wasn't anything to hit, so I hopped over the shoulder.
The meatiest wave was a relatively juicy one, and I was on it! I put my weight forward, going so far as to choke up on the board by shuffling my feet up towards the nose. I got a burst of speed as I descended the wave. I pumped up, then had to force the board down. I repeated that again annnnnddddd the wave was over.
The water was colder than it should be for this time of year, thanks to the upwelling caused by the remnants of the tiny WNW windswell absolutely no one enjoyed.
There is talk of a decent swell (3+' WHOA) that should arrive first week of September should the storm spinning off New Zealand continue to develop. Stay tuned...
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