Hmmm I can not post all of what happen this weekend ...on what is turning out to be our yearly pilgrimage to San Elijo State Beach..But I will post what is relevant.. HA!
YES we were at Cardiff by the Sea.. and NO sadly I did not see Rob Machado. I did have a Linda Benson sighting AND...I did get to meet one of my fellow blogger...From the blog,(Eat Surf Love). She is such a sweety and a good surfer. AND she brought us donuts to share. Thanks SO much V! I don't know if she wants her "name out there for the world to see, So I will just refer to her by V." I was very happy to meet her! I was a little preoccupied however with my daughter being out in the surf with us..She got brave and decided to venture out past the white wash this time. SO I feel a tad sadden I did not get to focus on my new friend as much as I would have liked. That maternal worry wort instinct is very powerful and it put most of my energy on making sure my daughter was OK. It would be good to surf with you soon Ms. V!!!
I have so much to post..WE had a great time! We got to Encinitas Friday before we were allowed to get into the campsite. So my daughter and I decided to treat ourselves to Starbucks, low and behold Linda Benson walked in. (We surfed with her on our trip here last year) I was gonna go up and say hi, but she walked in looked at something and walked out just as fast as she came in. I was not about to chase her down and verify it was her,I saw her drive away in her Surfher van. So I do know it was her. It was nice just to see her. SHE is amazing and looks Great!
I was excited to get in the campground to set up and surf, Surf report said 1-2 feet..but there were definitely some bigger waves than that out there. NOT much bigger but I feel there were some 3 footers. WHICH is what i like. However by the time we got in and set up it started to get a little windy and we just decided to have a few glasses of wine and relax instead. Actually a lot of fun things happen, the comradery with these women is priceless. We definitely covered the eat, drink and be merry portion of our trip the first night.. that is for sure!! IT was a blast! It is wonder we woke up the next morning early to surf and be in the water around 7:00sh..
BUT WE DID!!!Again surf was i say 1-3 and it was OK. This is when I met V, I paddled out to the break and I hear.. Michelle is that you? We set up this meeting a while back, when she post pix of Swamis and informed me she lived out that way. I was so happy to meet her and how exciting to meet face to face on surfboards! As I said my daughter was out and I was very distracted by that.I did a lot of paddling and caught 3 waves. .BUT My legs kept cramping, my foot cramped up so I try to pop up and it didn't work. One wave I just don't know what the heck I was doing with my feet my brain was thinking one thing.. but my feet obviously didn't listen.. So I did not have the best first session surfing. HOWEVER my daughter was out,was just shy of getting all the way to the break and caught a few good lil rides, one was about 2' and she rode that puppy in, but only popped up at the end. Technically her first wave! The biggest thing she ever rode. I was sooo proud of her., I kept telling her do you know that was a wave? Do you know how big that was for you? SHE had never been out of the white wash. She has only been out to the line up on flat days at Blackies, when I would have her work on her paddling. ANY how She did Great. She went in a bit after that.. THEN I was done.. and walked up the 100 stairs(my estimated guess on how many stairs)carrying my board and she was heading back out again with one of the WK gals. WOW what a trooper.. then SHE had one more session, SHE begged me to carry her board for her, before we all went out for a 5 PM surf! I think she may be hooked like her mamma! I took some pictures of just her then. The other times,it was so nice to be out there bonding with my youngest in the water.
We all came up and got cleaned up, relaxed ate lunch, then I took a nap on the beach.
Right before dinner we all decide it looks great and glassy and head out again. My daughter this time gets all the way out to the break and hangs out with us. SHE got a few and her first wipe out. But she was OK. I paddled my little heart out for waves.
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I could not catch anything. I did so much paddling, They were not easy to catch. I finally get ONE ride and I felt so good, I rode it in jumped off in about knee deep water and twist my foot. SO I sit out a bit. NOT long though, I got right back out there..I again paddled and paddled and paddled.. I did not catch anything. Well we went in. Climbed up the 100 stairs carrying my 9' board. Between paddling, walking up and down those stairs a few times and with a board. I have to say I got some serious exercise in. Plus camping and sleeping on a cot in a tent. I am S O R E.. my legs, calf's, arms, shoulder, neck and back. But it is a good sore. I would not trade it in if you paid me.
We made a pot luck spaghetti dinner and watched the sunset, we notice something floating in the distance..seem like everyone was watching it at one time or another and we let our imaginations run wild with what it could possibly be..
THE creepiest and of course least likely thing was a head..It finally washed up on shore.. and we all ran down the 100 stairs(again with the stairs)to see what this mystery thing was. I just said "If it is a head I am going to scream" It was just a Balloon.. that said Happy Birthday..So I think we were all relieved and yet disappointed at the same time it was not a head. HA HA!.. We do know the chances of that were very slim..but um lots of wine was involved
After that we sat around the campfire talking, laughing and having a great time. Before I knew it, it was time for bed and we all thought we wake up the next morning to surf.
Next morning... wake up to what look like a giant lake...not even a ripple of surf. So we pack up and it starts to drizzle. We get packed and surf is actually starting to look better. BUT we all basically were tired,sore from 2 sessions in one day, and had long drive homes. Plus the rain factor..The decision made, was to just go home. So one by one we all start saying good bye and pulling away!
We had 4 completely booked campsites. I met a few more WK gals. We have a rather big club, so it is nice to be able to meet members you hear about and get to put a face with. ALL these women are just amazing. I cannot say enough about them. I am so glad I started surfing, and I joined this club. FUN was had by all..
My daughter and I stopped at Swamis Cafe for Acai bowls..,.(they are the bomb) and it started to drizzle. On the ride home she kept saying how sore she was. I said welcome to the club.. you are officially a surfer!
What an amazing fun weekend, with some amazing fun people... Can't wait till next year!
This is such a nice picture, I thought it was perfect to end the blog with!
