Well there is 2 days of surf to report here. So I will try to keep it short. Went out on Wed. and Thurs. This week. Both days surfed Blackies. Wed... wish I stayed at home..
Nice swell.. but FAST, No lulls, and dirty as all heck, Red Tide made an appearance as noted in the following link:
http://beach.orangecounty.com/2012/03/07/surpise-swell-wednesday-with-a-touch-of-red-tide/55099/
My friend Laura could not get outside for quite some time. She is a very good surfer and she had power paddling gloves on. So that should tell you something. I kept trying and gave up. Then I went to other side of pier and tried there. Got outside 2 times and caught Nada! I was so worn and tired when done and it got WINDY! I just got some paddling time in so I guess I cant complain.
Thursday MUCH better.. still not idea conditions BUT a lot better for me. Picture posted is of Thursday.
So after much debating on what to do on Thursday. Hubs had a surprising day off work since his boat was offline. SO We finally ended up with the decision to go surfing. He ran some errands in the morning and called and said Yeah lets hit Blackies. AT first he did not want to go in the dirty water. But I did the previous day. SO what does that tell you? ( I'm the diehard surfer in the family) I threw all our stuff in the Tahoe and waited for him to come home. We did our 37 mile trek to Blackies. I love when he goes with me.. CARPOOL LANE!
We get there about 9:15. We go and look at the surf. I took the picture. Said lets go in. MUCH better than yesterday. We see a few friends before we hit the water and one is not surfing too cold.. ANOTHER just got out and he was freezing. His teeth were chattering as we spoke to him. That was not an enticing sell to get in. But I said let's just go. We walk to the South side and it had some surf as well. Hubs still likes to surf away from people till he gets a bit more comfortable. We decide to suit up. He is pulling out the wetsuits from the bags and goes. UM.. where is mine. I said right here, He said that is an O'neil, I have a bodyglove. I was OH SHIT! I grabbed our daughters wet suit without looking. BUT IN MY DEFENSE it was hanging where he always hangs his. HE was a bit upset with me.. RIGHTFULLY SO. I said you can use mine. He just gave me a look. I said ok lets go see if Rick has an extra. We could not find Rick. So we went to the place we usually rent from. CLOSED. Then we get back..He says just go in. I will watch. I feel terrible. But I started to suit up. We see Rick and ask if he has an extra wetsuit. He says no but knew a place around the corner to rent one. THEY left I got in with MO and tried to surf.
I get outside...just North of the pier. I don't catch anything. I see Brian suited up and stretching on shore, I paddle in and ask if he wants to go S of pier. He said yes. We paddle out. AWAY From each other. WE do not want any injury's like last time.
Get outside and see some dolphins. Water is still dirty and fricken COOOOOOLD.
I paddle for a few waves and catch nothing. I decide to paddle and try to catch a wave I scoot up closer to my nose while paddling hoping that helps. Catch one and pearl. I am still trying to figure Mo out. Not quite like Tallulah and really these waves were not great. Brian is just South of me trying and trying I see him catch waves, but wiped out a few times. He never even got to pop up. I finally catch a wave on MO..a right.. and It felt weird. I didn't even realize I had the wave I was saying to myself "oh It caught?!".. so I popped up and Mo dropped down, I felt like I was floating. It was a close out and it was odd I was up and felt like I was floating on the closed out white wash an still a drop and then a push and the power of the current took me right. It was odd. BUT FUN and FAST so a bit short..I jumped off before I got too far inside. SMILED at hubs. Went back out. After that I caught nothing. Took some white wash in on my knees. As I was walking on shore. I see hubs catch some white wash and finally did the best pop up I had seen him do to date. Unfortunately it was at the end of the ride and he was just at shore. BUT he got it.
We decide to go to the North side of pier. He wants to rest. I say OK.. I am watching the Ocean and see it is getting a bit smaller. I say HEY let me take the 9'6. I do paddle outside. I cannot believe how much easier it was than Mo. WOW!! GO after and caught a wave without much effort at all, another right, a nice lil corner, it was all about the rights that day. I pop up and enjoyed a long cruising ride to shore. I was whoaaa that was easy.. I paddle out again. I get outside and again catch wave & pop up. I ride in while look at my husband on shore I throw my hands up and YELL how can you NOT catch a wave on this thing? It is a Beast and does all the work for you.!! I see the BIG difference between an 8'0 and the 9'6, I notice the people who had smaller boards were not catching much of anything. THEY paddled but nothing. ALL the 9'0's and bigger were catching wave after wave.
I go in and tell hubs. I am so glad I did that. I was questioning my surfing skills and beginning to think I forgot how to surf for a minute. I realize that was not the case.. it is a new and smaller board and surf conditions were not right for MO.. and I need more experience with him. We are still getting use to each other. I guess as with ALL things it will take time. The wind was really starting to pick up now. SO I was OK we are done.
I was happy with the day. I wanted one more ride. But I was getting tired plus the windy conditions. I can't seem to go past 2 hours. Hubs said I came in at around 11:30.. Yeah there was my 2 hour mark. HOWEVER if I had the big board the whole time I would have not been so worked. BUT I gotta build up to MO!.. Mo still is a lot easier than I was expecting. I just need the right conditions and patience.
Well I have come to the conclusion I am really a surfer ! Because A year ago, I would not have went in that water, with it being that dirty and cold, or even in those conditions. BUT I did..
ALSO All I do is talk about surfing... even today I came to work and anyone who listens.. gets to hear about my surf days. As a matter of fact a young surfer here at work, just told me I was the most stoked person when it comes to surfing. I think he thinks I am crazy. If you ask me about surfing, it is like turning on a light switch and I LIGHT UP AND JUST DON'T SHUT UP!.. ..Yeah.. I'm a Surfer!
