Surfboard

Well I was planning on hitting the beach today.. it is my typical Friday routine almost. But my 12 year old talked me into taking her and her sister Ice skating.. we are contemplating that thought now. Since it is going to get very hot were I live, about 107 today.. oh but yet cooler than yesterday when it reached 109.

I dream of being able to live by the beach one day.. and just be able to grab my board whenever I want and hit the ocean....aaaaaahhhh one day.

Any way.. I have decided I have spent enough money renting a board. I think I am pretty much addicted to this thing called surfing. SOOOOO I am looking into (for a beginner) buying a 9' board. I was thinking of getting one of those so called Costco foam boards..but when you research them....they seem to be pretty much hated by the surfing community for a number of reasons.. Don't want to list them all...but basically, moral, safety, and environmental reasons.
So since I am just entering into this community of surfers...last thing I want to do is piss anyone off.

So I have been looking on line at used and new long boards.. range from $200 on e-bay..into the $800's.. wow.. I think I am looking for something a bit more in the $200 range for my starter board.. But it gets soooo confusing. Fun board for a beginner, long board's of all different makes. I thought a fun board was a long board. I am at awe at how many styles and sizes of boards there really are.. It is really quite interesting.

Anyway... if anyone locally.. in the Orange County, Ca area.. has any leads on a decent used board for a beginner 40 something old Grandma.. I would love to know about it. I would also appreciate any advice on buying a used board. What to look for, etc. etc.. I will also need a type of surf rack for a Jetta.. since my hubby does not like me taking the Tahoe all the time.
My budget is a bit tight...So I don't know how much of a reality this will be...... However as Natalie pointed out.. I probably could've bought a board with how much I am spending on renting one almost every week.

So that is my cry out to the surfer community... help and guidance please!

I am planning on getting out in the ocean sometime this weekend.. Maybe Sunday morning. I will see.. I know I have to get out there.. I just cant stand not being in the ocean and trying..it is all I want to do.. I don't know why..but I guess there are worse things I could be addicted too.

In other non related surfing news.. I just received an E-mail from my son in Iraq.. who is packing to come home....Not only is he returning to the states from his deployment.. he is coming home, here to Cali ..In November..he sent me his flight itinerary.. he will be here with my daughter in law and my Grand baby... I am the happiest surfing grandma around. I just had to share..because I am soooo excited.

Any how.. I will update on my status if I get out this weekend.. but if anyone can respond to this blog with much needed advice.. I would be so grateful..

What would you call today?

Well.. I headed out early today.. Surfboard.. check.. Bathing suit.. Sunscreen.. check.. wetsuit.. check.. Beach.. check.. Waves.. um waves.. hello where are the waves??? what waves?? More like ripples. I seen lakes with more waves. For all intentional purposes, I set out to surf today, I did bring the wrong board, just in case the surf report was right.. and it was.. But was willing to rent a foamy if need be. Not worth it!

So what would you call what I did today.. Paddling! Yep I basically was out in the ocean paddling. I worked on other things too.. like trying to catch a so called wave. Funny for as flat as it was..I am not sure why, it got crowded in the "surf" by 9AM.. But some people (not all) were catching what waves came their way. I told a lady I was more interested in what her and another lady, about my age were doing. I was watching them, and their form. I figure watching was part of learning, and I would learn more from females my age, instead of the 10 year old surfing girl & her dad who dominated the surf. Even though they were entertaining to watch. Any way, she was nice. She did inform me I had the wrong board.. I did know that. I just thought,I bring it out and paddle and what the heck. Again, it just was not worth going to rent a board. Maybe I should have.. but I decided to just play in the ocean.
It felt nice to go out past where everyone was waiting for some sign of surfage. I paddled, got some exercise even just laid down on my board. It was peaceful to just do that.

The good News, I am not tired, or worn out, or sore.. But for some reason.. I still got bruises on my knees, as always, and my arms.(who thought surfing without really getting to surf would still be so brutal?)
Even though, I was on the noticeably wrong board for me.. (which I am beginning to think, screams kook, more than a foam board, )I caught 2 waves. First one is not worth mentioning, I caught it tried to pop, and off the board I went. Second one I actually rode in...crouched..not kneed, of course I did not stand either. I was happy with that. Not to shabby for my 6th time out and only surfing for a whole month as of this week.

The weather was nice it was sunny in the morning, the water was perfect. Clean, not to cold, refreshing.. but Ironically when I decided to just rest on the beach. It got black balled, before 10 AM on a Friday, and the weather was starting to change.
I went and got some breakfast, walked the pier...Started to head home around 11 AM. Then I get a call from my Hubby (who works on the Fishing boats around the corner) he called me to meet him for a drink,So I did.

By the time I met him.. it was getting overcast and looked like it would drizzle. Perfect timing.

So all in all, not too bad of a day, I did get some exercise and alone time, I was in the Ocean on a surfboard....

But I wouldn't call it a Surfing day.

Taking this Weekend off

Hey all..
Well I have to say, I decided to take this weekend off. I really hurt my back last Friday. So I think I need to recover a bit. So what exciting things did I do this weekend???? Take my Daughter shopping for back to school.. and got caught up on things around the house.
ALTHOUGH...passing the sticks in my garage.. It killed me to walk by and know I wouldn't be on them =-(...even though there is only one I would consider getting on.. (my friend swears he has yet another board for me to try, bigger.. Because this one is really not the right one... But I trust and have faith in my Natalie who will point me in the right direction where a board is concerned, she feels I am not ready to wean off the embarrassing foamy now).... I only been out 5 times.. so I am not too concerned about it just yet. I do see others on foam boards..so it is not too bad.

I was even thinking of just taking the board in my garage out past the break and practice on my paddling..but I guess I will give it a rest for the weekend.. but plan on going out next weekend.
Hopefully I will have more to report then!

Thanks for reading and all the support.. I am actually very surprised at everyone who reads this...quite a few people...WOW..they don't all comment or are followers. But I get shocked every time someone talks to me about what I post.. and I am flattered when they ask, so when is your next post going to be? Thanks everyone!
I will do my best not to let you down!

Surfing on a real board...ouch!!

Well I surfed today.. and my friend and "Free" and very much appreciated surf instructor Natalie came out with me. I learned a lot!! I feel like I was totally beaten up today by the waves. ALL new experience for me today. I was in 3 foot waves.. on a real board.. with wave after wave after wave. the sets were coming in fast. Last week I was waiting for waves today.. just too many.
I ended up renting a foamy.. more familiar and comfortable. May not have been so bad if the waves were not as big and they just never stopped coming. I feel I spent most of my time in the water jumping on coming waves than surfing them.. if that makes sense. I really feel the ocean beat me up today.. LOL. I messed up my back and have so many bruises.
Well it was a whole new experience on a real board..not the right type for me. The board was not familiar..it was lighter, and it was shorter than I was use too, and I was not comfortable on it..and the beach/ocean was a lot different today than the last couple times I went out. That made for a whole new experience.
I did learn how to wax a board,,and that there is different types of wax for water temp. and you need a base coat and a top coat..........and it is a lot of work to just do that.
I learned balancing on a real board is harder and different. I tried though....and I tried.. but I needed a foam board, I was getting beat up and tired. I can't believe how many bruises I have. LOL
I also learned why my pop up sucks..I was doing more of a lounge and putting a lot on the back of the board.. I think I got it now.
Good news .. My new wetsuit was perfect.. It felt OK and better than the rental.
So today ....tough the surf ate me up and spit me out...LOL. but I learned a lot more... It was only my 5th time out...so I guess I am on track..
I didn't die. Just a bit bruised sore and very tired.

Don't know when I will get back out maybe in a week..But as hard as it was.. I am definitely doing it again!!!

Miss me

I know I said I would blog every day or there about...But I have been busy, last weekend went to San Francisco to help out with 2 bus loads of foreign exchange students. I will Blog tomorrow night.. I am going to attempt surfing on a "real board".. So if I survive.. I will let you know about the experience...
I am sure tomorrow will be an entertaining blog.
till then..