A few things.. Surfing, Surf Related, Feelings and also Japan.. not necssarily in that order!

SURF RELATED:.. I would like to start with a gift my daughter gave me. It is a beautiful surfboard necklace and matching earrings with Plumeria flowers. I have a lot of jewelry that represent the ocean, and Hawaii. But this is my first piece of "surf" jewelry. I love it and wanted to share! I am not a big person for diamonds, Tiffany or any other designer anything for that matter. I am more about the simple stuff, unique stuff and the meaning behind it. SO THANK YOU MIKALA.. I love it! I just had to share, I thought it was so beautiful..and she earned it helping out at a trade show that is related to fishing and other outdoorsy stuff with a good friend of ours. Instead of getting herself something she got me something. I think that is so sweet. OH but don't fret.. she also got paid monetary compensation as well.

SURFING: I surfed yesterday Sunday. My home break. Yep it was crowded of course because it was a decent surf day. I say it was 3'-4' but my friend who knows way more about surfing than I said it was a 3' set day. So lets go with her take, she is more the expert.
Any way... I did good, I think I did anyway. Caught a few good waves one yucky wave but did paddled for a lot more in between.
My first wave of the day, I caught rode it nicely and decided to turn..and I did..my first planned out and accomplished turn. I think that was my favorite part about yesterday. I have turned before. But this turn was completely 100% orchestrated.
My main goal this time out, was to work on my pop up. I am trying to POP UP.. not crawl up.
Another wave I caught and rode in..pop up could have used some work, not as fast as the other. But I will take it. It was still a fun ride, and I feel I had a bit of control.
Yet another wave, I totally wiped out head first. wwwwoooosh bash slam..Pearled!!! Yep. BUT as I was doing it. I knew what I was doing wrong. I caught the wave, was not looking forward but down,(you are gonna go where you are looking so never look down) I keep getting told this, but for some reason don't always obey it. Also I was positioned too forward on my board. Well as I started to pearl I thought I could fix it. As my nose headed down, I tried to scoot back on my board and look at the shoreline..but it was too late. Over I went, remembered to cover my head, and swam up and found my board. No injury's. YEAH! BUT at least I realize what I am doing wrong. I love learning and acknowledging I am learning. So maybe next time I will not do it. Yeah right!!.. We will see. LOL
I was starting to get tired and weak.. I wanted to get out and worked hard to get outside with all my friends. ONE time I was paddling and turtling and finally was hands length to my friends wave broke, I turtled. Came up. Saw another wave with my friend coming right at me on it. I said. F- - -!!!(fill in the blanks) I think she said the same word. I just plopped on my board turtled again and hoped for the best. Nothing happen. THANK GOD! Then before I could get to my friends, I was pushed back again So close to them, but yet so far. I was so exhausted I turned around and took a wave coming at me. Hit a kids board. WHO always seem to be in the way yesterday. I was over it. LOL
And my last wave, I caught on the inside. By now my arms were like limp spaghetti, I had no strength at this time. The paddle out seem longer and harder than normal that day. It was a lot of work for me. I did get out past the break a few times. Seem like the sets just kept coming,and were fast and had lots of power,and as I got one foot forward I would get pushed 2 feet back. I turtled a lot yesterday, getting over my fear. BUT I still cant swing back over. I can turtle, hold the board wave goes over and then pop back around. BUT I can never magically be right back on top of my board. I have no idea how that is even possible?? But I guess that is how it is suppose to be done??? I of course one time turtled come back up just to be hit with another wave. I hate that because you come up for air, take a deep breath, wave hits..and mouthful or more of salt water. Yuck yuck yuck! WHICH always makes me sick and nausea for the rest of the day. ANY way My last wave I was shaky my arms had no strength. Caught a nice lil wave, tried to push up .. NO strength in my arms...my body fell right to the board I had no choice but to ride it in like a boogie board. I so did not want to be done. The waves were fun. I wanted to stay..BUT my body said. YOU ARE DONE! I was feeling nauseated from the "Salt Water cocktail" I again consumed. Mind you also I had to wake up an hour earlier (first day of daylights savings time) so I was up at 5:30 which technically was 4:30AM. I had to paddle harder yesterday, and I think that, along with the combination of possibly being dehydrated..according to my friend in the medical field. I also cramped up in my right side of my ribs while taking off my wetsuit, which could also be a sign of dehydration. All played a roll in my weakness. So who knows??
I surfed an hour and a half. I had an overall great time and of course was in GREAT company. Had a few of my surf club girls out there with me. Even though I have to admit the rest of the day I was sore, sick from the salt water, and exhausted and at the point I really could not see straight and just flat out spent. I would not have had it any other way.

FEELINGS:I also wanted to comment on a few other feelings I have about surfing. Yesterday when I was done and finally able to soak in a hot bath. I think about my day,what I learned that day. GO over and over each wave I caught and what I did, what surfing has done to me in general, how it has changed me, Who I am now because of it. I thought a lot about what I wanted to put in my next blog post. But since this one is so long. I think I will save some of that for another post another day. Also I wish I wrote down some of my thoughts yesterday to share, because now I don't remember some of the good ones.

JAPAN: On my mind and in my heart ever since I heard the news. I have no real words to express my feelings. I am at awe regarding ALL the devastation they are going through. It seems so unreal to have that much destruction in such a short time.I feel like I am watching a movie when I see it all on TV...but it is real life and really happening. I still can't wrap my mind completley around it!

Biggest Earthquake we have ever seen!!
The most devastating Tsunami in our time!!
Nuclear Power plant on meltdown!!
No power and don't know when they will get any!!
People have lost lives!
Love ones have lost love ones!
Not just home but whole villages gone, erased away. People lost everything..
NOW they have the weather and below freezing temperatures to deal with.
Basic food, water, shelter and medical care.. scarce.
THE clean up. HOW do you clean it up? There are freight liners washed up so far inland.
The uncertainty of it all!

ALL I can do is offer positive energy, thoughts and prayers to all who have been touched by this tragedy.

I want to end this post with a quote I read,It was posted by BuddhaGroove, in regards to Japan..

"Nobody can do everything, but everybody can do something." -Unknown

My Love affair with surfing trumps the Break I dread going to!

This is a picture of the infamous break..BUT not taken yesterday.BUT it looks a lot like our day yesterday SO I thought it would work!

I was able to get in the water yesterday. I surfed a break that is not one I enjoy.. I have never had anything good happen to me there. It is a longer paddle out, Usually windy, Usually closes out and almost always breaks on shore. Not a sandy break, if i don't wear booties(which I rather not if I don't have to)my feet get a bit scratched up, rocky and broken shells. Need a state pass or belly up the $15 fee. But I usually carpool THANK GOD FOR FRIENDS WITH PASSES!

First time I surfed there. I was actually sick and didn't really know it till the next day. So trying to surf when you are sick is not fun I had no energy, kept feeling nausea and just needed to be in bed.. Then the other time I tried. It was too big and I could not get outside. I was a real beginner and it was too much, and I was scared to death of these waves. Then one time drove down and it was breaking on shore and it was so bad, we just took a walk instead. One time I went with a friend and any time I got a wave..if I did ,I wiped out..but The sting rays were every where and when I wiped out I as so afraid of them I just kicked madly not to touch the bottom. Then one time it was foggy and it freaked me out so I didn't want to go in. Just never fun times.The waves are different there. I can't explain it but This Break just rubs me the wrong way..THE GOOD THING about it is, it is not as crowded as my home break. A lot of people say it is a good begginer break..but I dont see how?

BUT it was the only surf in town. So we decided to check it out.
There was 6 of us and we sat and watched the waves, as we waited for the tide to go down. Regardless we were going in. I had a friend who already came and went and said it was not so great. BUT when you need a fix. You take what you can get. The last time I surfed was two weeks ago. I remember when I didn't even surf that much..I was OK with surfing when I could BUT NOT NOW. I have to try at least every week.. and if I have to go about 2 weeks without it, I get antsy!

So we waited for the tide to go down suited up and went in. Water was freezing but the day was sunny and warm. Paddle out was not so bad, the swell seem like it was trying to produce some big waves, but they never broke and when they did it was on the shore. That was a bit intimidating to see a swell coming and this is how I think "oh wow this is gonna be big, I don't know if I want to try this.. I am still afraid of bigger waves"... but most of them just never performed. Just rolled right by or you paddle and nothing, never breaks... Part relief, part disappointment. But some did break..I only caught 3 of them. 2 wipe outs both times I pearled. I HATE THAT!! one wave I caught and just boogie boarded it in. Not enough time to stand. some of the other girls caught a few rides. but they were few and far between for them.The rides were short too.

I did stay out in that break the longest i have, so I take that as an accomplishment. I would really like to work on a few things. Especially since seeing my pictures from last time.. like not popping up like a grandma, and remembering to stay low. I get a bit discourage, when I can't work to improve myself. BUT ALL IN ALL.. I did get some exercise, paddling work out and I got wet..Also It was a nice sunny day and I was in good company.

Even though this was not my BEST day surfing.. but as for this Break.. it was probably the best time I have had here to date, I will give it another chance one day... But it is still not on the top of my list!

Gas Prices Putting A Wrench In My Surf Time

So I always thought that surfing was a relatively inexpensive sport.. My impression when I started was all you needed was a board and wet suit... but, I didn't take into consideration you need more than one wet suit and want/need more than one board,(Currently I have one 4/3 and one 3/2 and two spring suits and a foam board(totally grew out of, but my daughter uses it) and Tallulah my pink and purple 9' Goddess)Am looking forward to getting an 8' board in the summer to add to my quiver and a surf mat.. (I am hearing FUN things about these mats lately)

Anyway... I thought the Ocean is free..also, didn't take in consideration usually you have to pay for parking, or buy a state pass, that I still cannot afford. Plus you know extras like booties, leashes, racks, wax, sunscreen.. etc etc.. all in all it is still more affordable than other sports..and as I say is so much more than a sport.. BUT when you live 37 miles from the beach and gas prices are reaching $4.00 a gallon and you drive a Tahoe...finances lately are not what they use to be, Thanks to this great recession..THIS ALL is making me a bit nervous as to WHEN and how often I will be able to surf.. this does not make me happy.. I was already having a difficult time getting my surf on.. just one more thing to make it that much harder!

See this surfing thing is not only an addiction.. It is also my stress release,my favorite exercise, also helps with my spiritual growth... Surfing is so much more than just surfing, It makes me an all around better ME! SO I feel I am being Challenged with these gas prices here.. I already have to work around a full time job, kids, husband, living such a long distance from the Ocean, Not to mention the weather and surf conditions..NOW this!?

I always heard if you want something bad enough, you can get it!! IF there is a will there is a way! and to quote NIKE.. just do it! I am not a quitter! SOO I am determined not to let this stop me. Even if I have to Beg, Steal or Borrow.. OK well maybe not steal, I don't believe in that! REGARDLESS........
.....I WILL PREVAIL!!!!

CAN YOU SAY "KOOK"

SO.... one of the things I learned on Friday..I need to pop up sooner.. my pop up is more of a 2 step crawl up...and sometimes by the time I pop up I am in shallow water..When you pop up on shallow water.. as in these pictures.. .your fin can sink into the sand like a brake was put on..feels like someone yanks you backwards..and what happens????? YOU FALL FACE FIRST INTO SAND!!!

I was cracking up laughing when this happened!

OK I dont think anything I have done in the past screams KOOK more..
But hey!!!! If I can't make fun of myself.. and laugh at myself..who can?

I am getting braver!

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.

Bad Surf, But Great Surf Day

Basically what surf looked like yesterday. HA! Not my surf break..just want to show what FLAT means!


OK so what would you name this post?
All I have to say is that yesterday was my only day off..I had not surfed in over 2 weeks. The surf was flat or if there was any surf from Newport to Seal it was closed out or windy or just plain non existent. That was the reports I was getting from my surf buddies up and down the coast. They were looking at web cams and also driving to check them out and getting back to me. I was getting a bit discouraged, because ONE, of course I really wanted to surf. It was such a beautiful sunshiny Southern California day and again.. MY ONLY DAY OFF THIS WEEK.. and TWO.. I was getting better at this thing called surfing and I wanted more, and to see if it was just a fluke or if I was really getting it? The more you do it, the more you want it!
Last time I surfed, it was the day after I took a fall, if anyone recalls from the last post. I was so sore and ran out of steam fast. But I did still manage to catch and ride 2 waves. But I was still not convinced I "got it" yet. That day was not as good as the time before.
Now I have recouped somewhat..still sore from my lovely fall.. but hey honestly,as you age,it takes longer to bounce back. But I was jonesing to get back in the water. Plus, if I don't get my bath in the refreshing pacific ocean on a regular basis.. I get a bit grumpy... and I have some added stress these days, and I need my stress relief. So, I was debating on what to do.
I thought well regardless, I will still go and paddle around, get wet and an upper body workout. I am not letting this day go to waste!
I decided to go for a run first, while waiting to see if maybe later surf would pick up. So I did I ran from Balboa Pier to Newport Pier and back. When I got to Newport, I checked out the surf a bit. The Jetty was getting a bit of action, not anything to write home about, but there were some sets coming in, but a lot of close outs, still surf though. OF course that is where everyone was, who was in the water. Then I noticed the South Side of the pier. HMMMM some wavage there too..Maybe a few random 2footers, but something. The waves were pretty much closed out there too. A surf team of about 30 teenagers showed up also, which didnt make me happy. Because of course they are gonna dominate the little bit of surf that was there.
So I ran back to Balboa and waited to see what everyone else was doing. I heard one of my friends took a nap on the sand at Bolsa, another said Bolsa was windy, closed out, and just not good. Cliffs, pretty much like Bolsa. I heard Seal was bad from one person, but another said they had a fun time at Seal. I could have drove up and down and checked this all out myself..but I didn't want to waste the gas.
So I decided I would go and if anything get wet and paddle around Blackies. My decision got confirmation when another friend driving down from Long Beach informed me Bolsa was No Bueno for sure. SO she met me at Blackies and it was basically flat. It didn't get better as I waited, like I hoped.
We saw some form of life on the south side of the pier, so that is where we headed.
Now when I say form of life..I mean ripples, ankle biters with an occasional random 1to 2 foot close out wave. BUT ehh it was something. Even though there was not much power behind them.

I came to the conclusion even bad surf is better than no surf and what is bad for one may not mean bad for another.. you ask why I came up with this?....

WELL... I got ride after ride after ride..Even though they were "short rides" because there was not much umph to them. Some of them were just the wash from the closed out wave.. It was still a ride. I only rode 1 all the way in yesterday. BUT .. now here is the good part. NOT because I couldn't do it...but because there was not a lot of push from the wave. What I am trying to say here...is I actually know how to catch a wave and pop up without a second thought. SO it is not a fluke!!I DO GOT IT! After standing up and riding 5 times, I lost count how many times I did this. I even turned once. I still can't believe it. I surfed for 2 hours. I wanted more and thought maybe 30 more minutes, but, I was starting to get sore and tired. When after the last couple waves I just couldn't get my balance and was losing my mojo, I knew it was time to go in.

I know there is so much more to surfing than just popping up and and riding..but I am totally happy with where I am.. and I am happy with staying here for a while...don't get me wrong, I am also looking forward to learning more and getting better. But for now I WILL HAPPILY TAKE THIS!

So when most surfers would have scuffed at the thought of going in on a day like that, I am all too glad I did. NO crowded surf, just me and 2 of my friends, and..
.. a GREAT day surfing.

Just Because

New Look!!! OK I was searching other blogs and thought mine needed a little upgrading. Even though.. I feel my blogging is not about the cosmetic aspect of it and how it looks, more about what is written. I still thought it may be time for a change. It is good to mix things up a little now and then. RIGHT?
So I want to know if you like this better with the ocean in the back ground. I was trying to post my own picture in the back ground...but was having difficulty. SO I just chose this picture from the selection "blog spot" gave me.
OK what do you think?