Well I had 3 days off this past week. Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I needed to surf. It was raining on and off the past week. BUT a window of opportunity came to me on Friday. It had been about 48 hours since a good rain, and it was the only day off I had with no rain. SO I went surfing!
Now as you know I am not the most experienced surfer. I want to tell you how I felt Friday and how I saw things. Because now after looking at pictures. It may not have been as bad as I thought. OH I have so much to share. This might be a 2 post story.
Lets start with the back and forth communication of me and my friend Laura. It consisted of: should I come down to surf?(remember 37 miles from my surf break for me) How is it looking? It is so cold, do we really want to go? What about the tide? When is the rain due to arrive today? Is it windy yet? Should I or should I not make the trek? I have to drop kids off at school, and Laura had to wait for some stair repair people..BUT we decided to meet and take our chances. Laura called it something like a surf addict day. Not any of our other friends replied to going out too. I usually like to go out with a group. Especially on a day like this. Took a lot of thought to go but I went!
I did however decide to invest in a pair of surf booties, not the surf socks I got before, But real split toe booties to keep my feet warm. I rather surf barefoot, and always thought I would, but I have so many friends who use booties in the cold water, so I though why not? I had a gift card and decided to use it. I am so happy I did.. GREAT INVESTMENT!
Now when I pulled up it was already pretty windy, but the waves looked good, a bit bigger than I was use too, but I was getting more confident in my surf ability. After all I can stand on a surfboard now. A storm was coming in from the North and a wind from the South. There was this "king tide" issue too. Which was more hype than anything, but the tide was odd and the undertow was strong.
It was cold, which prevented Laura from going in, but when I got in, didn't seem that cold too me after all. I am sure the booty investment helped with that! But I am kind of happy Laura didn't go in, because she took a lot of pictures of me. These pictures helped me learn a lot about that day too.
I went in, as I was trying to get outside, I was getting so beat up. The water was not that cold and, that is what I thought I was going to have the most problem with...WRONG.... The current was pulling me and the waves were pushing me. Not from one direction either. I was getting pushed from the waves coming from the left and waves head on. I had the hardest time getting out past the break. The set kept coming too. One time I counted 10 wave breaks before I could put my board down and paddle and as I was paddling I see another swell coming. I felt I just was not given time to even get out!(totally caught inside)These waves seem so HUGE and had so much power behind them and the water in general was choppy. It was not calm seas for sure. As I looked out past the break I saw little white caps peaking up. It was rough! I was wondering how these people got out there.
I did manage to get out 2 times. But I was so afraid of how big the waves were. I was afraid if I did take one, I was going to wipe out for sure. I hate the fear factor that messes with your mind when you are out there sometimes. To me they might as well been anywhere from 6'-10'. When I was on my board paddling out and kept looking up at a wave coming at me I was oh shit! What am I going to do? I turtled 2 times, something I am not very good at. BUT hey, at least I got to practice. I can spin my board and let the wave go over, however, I cant get back on right away. One time I turtled, wave went over, and I tried to get back around, as I pop my head up.. crash another wave came pounding down. Yep I got me a mouthful of some sweet salt water, I was praying that it is not infected with hepatitis,or anything else. SO much to worry about when surfing, most people think the Shark factor is the most scariest.. HA! I seriously felt so nausea all day because of swallowing the water. IF you never have taken a big gulp of sea water, I do not recommend it, But if you have you know what I mean by feeling sick and nausea. I am sure every surfer at one time or another has done it.
I still would like to know,how you get out on a long board. IF there is any other special trick when a wave is coming right at you and breaking? Turtling is not so fun or easy.
Any way I would not have gone out on a day like this. But I really was getting more confident, and more anxious when I have not been out in at least a week. I am taking more chances and I am glad I did.
I stayed inside and played in the white wash most of the time. Was in the water for about an hour. Stood up a lot. Still working on that pop up. I took a lot of breaks, especially after the chugging of salt water. Instead of paddling back over to where I was, I got out and walked my board. A lot easier. I was so beat up and bruised and tired. It felt like I just got into a fight with the ocean and it won.
Now the reality of most of the day. YES it was rough, YES there was a strong undertow. My husband works on fishing and whale watch boats right off the shore I surf. THEY had to come back in because of how rough it was. SO I feel a bit validated. HOWEVER the waves were only 2-3' with some 4' sets OR 3'-4'. When I look at the pictures Laura took. It really didn't look that bad. It look like it should have been a lot easier out there. AGAIN.. when you are out there it is always different then what you see from the shoreline, I have to keep telling myself that.
In the long run I am happy I went out. As I always say. I learn more and more every time I go out. I need to go out on all different type of days. How boring if I don't. I am getting better and I am getting Braver. I have only been doing this a year and a half, I feel I have come A LONG WAY.
I will do another post regarding a few things I have learned on this day. I will post my major "KOOK" pictures too. I just feel this post is long enough.
