A still-in-bed check of the tides this morning confirmed that Harbor would likely be much better than Pier due to the low tide. I hemmed and hawed about paddling out given that it was a Sunday and crowds would be a major factor. Eventually, I went for it as I didn't want to miss out on the dwindling swell, especially considering the relative flatness we're in for followed by the storm system that will waste the waves it brings.
It didn't feel cold in the alley as I pedaled away from my back gate, but men did my fingers and toes scream in agony as I picked up speed on the downhill portion of my journey.
Once I'd decided where in Harbor I was going to surf I looked down and saw some grisly purple-ish toes. I couldn't wait to get in the water because I knew it wouldn't be nearly as cold as the air.
I had a nice dry-hair paddle out and spent the vast majority of the session paddling around for waves. The waves were big and a little fat, surprising considering the dropping tide, but they were easy to get into. For me at least; I faded off of several shoulders of waves on which paddlers with right-of-way just weren't able to make it happen. I saw others take off blatantly on others so as not to let any gems go unridden but I don't have that in me.
I caught two waves of note. The first was a left I descended gingerly, reset my footing and came up and did a nice pocket snap. I came back down and for some reason bobbled and lost it as I was about to b-turn again.
On my last wave of the session, I caught a right that turned into a speed demon. I got a few pumps in and finished it off with a flourish, a sweet off-the-lip. I went in after about ninety minutes of water time, the most since I became a dad.
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