Nap time at Uppers

Both kids went down at about 10 AM on Sunday so I snuck out for a quick surf.  It was cold and foggy today, about 25 degrees colder than yesterday's 85 degree heatwave.  Trestles parking was really light, so I took the funboard and my old yellow lost fish to uppers.  South wind was on it a little, but there were only a few guys out and some decent chest high waves were lining up pretty well.  I took out the Lost fish and was shredding that old board pretty nicely on the subpar waves.  Ended up having a great hour long session and caught a ton of small waves and got my shoulder drop on.  Got home and played with Coco the rest of the day, ended up being a great last day of TG vacation.

SUP surfing

I've been wanting to try this for a while. Saturday's conditions were ideal, warm weather for November (85 at my house), a decent sized southswell lingering on its third day, and light NW winds that would be protected at Doheny. Lina let me slip away at about 3:30, I wore my short sleeve full which was perfect, and there were a quite a few beginners out surfing and several SUPers catching lots of knee high waves. Turning the boards while standing up is impossible, and I sucked donkey balls. I couldn't figure out how to turn the board fast enough to catch waves, so I had to lay down and paddle in to them, then pop up and surf them. The 12'1 actually handled well once i was in the waves, and I could run up and down and turn it pretty easily. I really really liked it, but was struggling with the getting the board in position and paddling into the wave. I need to spend more time out there on some one footers. Super close to home, I'm all about it.  Check out the old pic of killer dana before the harbor was built.



Where was everybody?

Surfline forecasted 4-6 with Good conditions.  Combo swell was peaking 2.5@15 from the south and 2.6@13 from the west.  I figured there would be good waves, even with the high tide, and Lina wanted to go shop at 9 so dawn patrol was the call instead of riding san juan.  I expected the crowd to be as big as yesterday, so I brought both boards and went to church.  Super thick fog this morning, it was hard to see on the drive there and the ride down.  Started on the fun board since the waves looked to be breaking close to shore.   Brandon, Jim, and another guy paddled out at the same time as me.  I caught the first wave, chest high and thumping.  I rode it to the sand and switched boards immediately.  The waves were pumping on the sets, overhead and powerful, but a little challenging to turn on.  I caught a couple mid sizers with steep faces and shredded the crap out of them, but others I struggled to drop my shoulder and hold the rail.  I made friends with Jim, he's out there all the time.  Him and Brandon call me "see Will go" because I'm always catching waves, i like that nickname.  It was EMPTY, 1/4 the crowd with way better waves.  Surfed the beard for about an hour 45 minutes then switched up to the funboard for a couple.  Caught an EPIC insider that let me stall and cheater five at high speed for about 20-30 yards.  So fun, Richard scored Stands and Matt scored Oceanside, great day to be a surfer!

Thanksgiving

Had to get out today because I knew the rest of the day was filled with driving, eating, and family time.  Richard and I met up top at 5:30 and based on the crowd decided to hit church.  We got there right at light and Brandon was out there, otherwise it was empty.  Waves were OK, some sets were lining up but the combo swell really hadn't filled in yet.  Started the session on the beard but as the crowd filled in I switched to the funboard.  Caught a lot of 2 ft waves that I could never surf on the beard but were down right epic for the funboard.  I could stall, cheater five, run back to the tail and get a floater at the end.  We stayed out until 7:30 and had enough, the crowd was getting thick since the whole country had the day off.  Over all it was fun and very worth it.  Another clear, sunny, glassy beautiful morning.

Drop your shoulder

While Matt went to Lowers, Richard and I decided to hit Uppers today.  I really wanted to surf the beard instead of my fun board so I could practice getting my left shoulder out of the way on cutbacks.  Richard  brought me a new SG5 4/3 in exchange SGXero that didnt't fit. I love it, no sense in getting those super technical suits, its not that cold here.  Anyway, both Richard and I were grumpy because the crowd was thick and time went by a lot slower than yesterday.  But we both caught a few really fun waves and were practicing our shoulder drops, what a difference.  I felt like I was ripping, and turning back that hard sets you up perfectly for the next turn.  My last wave I hacked with 2 deep cutbacks and an off the top, felt really good.  Got out really happy, here is a pic of Richard shredding a left...

Double the fun

Finally we got some swell, was supposed to be a combo but felt really West.  Was inconsistent but sets were head high and pretty solid.  Richard and I were the first two on the north point at Church, waves were slow but a few solid sets came through.  I started the session on my neckbeard which was awesome on a couple of the bigger waves I caught.  But I noticed a lot more inside sets rolling through so I switched to the fun board.  Caugth twice as many waves and was loving it, but wish i had some sunglasses.  You have to surf using brail once the sun pops up.  I got a new suit from Richard today and it was too small and too stiff, really uncomfortable and just moving was very labor intensive.  Just found out Richard can exchange it, yee haw!  Anyway, today was pretty fun and warmer than expected.

5 guys at Lowers

Richard texted it was too small to go so I went back to bed. Then one of Coco's toys started randomly going off down stairs so I got up to turn it off. I took it as a sign that I should go and surf Lowers if its not busy up top. I rushed and got to the parking lot after 6, it was already light out. 1 car there. I briskly threw my suit on and packed up the beard and sprinted down to lowers, I saw a nice waist+ set come through with only 2 guys on it. A couple more guys paddled out while I was out, but there were never more than 5 guys and 3 of them were all going left, so it was more like 2 guys. It was inconsistent, but I got several really fun, glassy, waist+ high sets that I could get a couple turns on. The water was so clear you could see the cobble stone bottom below, and there were high clouds so the sun was never a factor. Man did I have fun. Forgot the camera though...

Too Offshore to Paddle

I packed up my car last night and was ready to go for a paddle before work.  Got up at 5:40 and was at Aliso Creek by 6.  It was the weirdest thing, I didn't notice any offshore wind until I got to Aliso Creek, where the winds were howling offshore and the temp was about 50 degrees.  Everytime I tried to get out of my car to put my suit on, I got cold feet and went back into my car.  Watch the sun rise at the beach and drove to the harbor to check it.  Snapped a pic and felt the wind was pretty strong there too.  In hindsight, I regret not trying and will go no matter what next time.

6 ft high tide

It was a lot colder this morning, air was about 45, water dropped to 59; but it was clear and really pretty out.  The tide was insanely high and usually the only place that works is lowers.  So Matt, Richard, and I all went there.  By 6:15 there were already 20 guys out and it was only 2 ft., so Richard and I got out and ran to Uppers.  No one was out but the wave doesn't work on that high of a tide.  You could get about a 15 yard ride then it would peter out.  At least there were just 2 of us, but at 7:00 five highschoolers paddled out and about 10 more were just getting there.  Forgot today was a holiday for them.  No memorable waves, just the memory of shoving my bike with 2 boards on it like a sled in 6 inch deep while wet in 45 degree weather.  No pics of the waves today, just babies!

Wish I slept in

I knew it when the forecast posted 3-4 and good.  The crowd would get thick at Uppers because its a NW swell, and the waves would be inconsistent.  Always a chance that it would be going off so I decided to go, the tide will be high next week and I probably won't go at all.  Got to the parking lot at 5:20 and there were only a couple cars, not what we expected.  We packed up and rode down to uppers where John was paddling out and only a couple other dudes were on the beach.  A set came through and we were excited.  The waves ended up being super inconsistent and I swung down to the bay to surf by myself as the crowd was getting thick.  Caught 3 or 4 waves but then it stopped working and more people were paddling out and sitting right in front of me.  I would say it was worth it but after the past 2 awesome days it wasn't, and it was foggy and dreary out.  Oh well, got home early to hang with the kiddos.  Better luck next time.

2-3 Poor to Fair = Gold

Another awesome way to start the day.  Richard and I hit uppers again and were in the water at 5:45AM.  Same flawless conditions as yesterday, waves were slightly less consistent but about the same size and length, really fun and perfect for the funboard.  Although, Richard surfed  his fishcuit out and it looked really fun.  I have to get a sweet potato to replace the funboard, even though I had a couple of great noserides today.  Air was a little colder so I wore my 4/3 and booties, but the water is still nice for so late in the year.  Super stoked again as there were half the people with perfect conditions and fun small waves, what we've been waiting for!

Early Start

First day back after the time change in Fall is awesome.  We were in the water by 5:45 today, vs. 6:45 last week.  That's an extra hour of time to either surf more or go home and kiss the kiddies before work.  Matt went to Lowers today and Richard and I took our barges out to Uppers again.  The conditions were unbelievably perfect today: air was pretty warm for November, water was about 65, winds were either brisk off shore or nil, and waves were lined up.  But really small and eventually a little crowded (go figure).  Still, fun for the barges some good ones came through the inside and I was by myself for a while.  I love just being in the water this time of year, life is good.

Will's Corner

Haven't surfed in 2 weeks and today just kind of worked out.  Regardless of how small it was, Richard and I were going.  Well, it was small and crowded at uppers, a combination that doesn't sit well with surfers.  But I brought the fun board and Richard brought his mini longboard and we scored some fun waste highers.  Richard got sucked up into the crowd at one point and I sat in the bay (Richard calls it Will's Corner, its my escape from the crowds and I end up there by myself sometimes).  I caught a ton of small, fast rights that were perfect on the funboard.  I actually had an awesome time today, and Richard caught a few too but his mini longboard doesn't seem to work very well.  Here are some pics from John's blog: