I heart Church

Awesome morning today.  Forecast called for poor conditions with NW winds in the morning, but it didn't happen.  It was another perfect fall morning, clear skies and glassy conditions.  We noticed a ton of high schoolers parking up top and decided to hit church.  Great decision.  There were only 3 of us out at the north point until 7.  The waves were waist high with the occasional chest high set, relatively consistent and really really fun.  Perfect funboard day.  Watched Richard drop in on a perfect chest high set and do this killer wrapping round house on the fishcuit.  It got a little busy as the sun popped out at 7:15, but still was manageable.  My bike rack broke on the way down the lowers trail so I had to carry the 7'2 back with my injured arm; still more than worth it.  Back at work for our 9 AM category meeting, life is good.

3 to 30. Again

I'm tired.  Met Richard up top at 6 and the crowd was light, maybe 10 cars.  We both packed up our beards and made the decision to hit Uppers.  We were foolish thinking the crowd would be light.  The conditions were beautiful again, lined up rights, about chest high with great lighting and warm water.  Richard and I paddled out first but were alone for about 20 seconds.  By 6:30 there were at least 25 guys out and by 7:30 probably close to 45.  I can't get over the crowd volume compared to last year at this time, where the waves were the same quality but the crowd was half the size.  Or even less.  Anyway, I sat in the bay and wide swinging waves made their way through, and they were really good.  I got my fair share and was surfing really well on some waves and pearling on others.  Richard went the opposite direction towards Cottons and I saw him catch a few in a row, but like a herd of sheep the crowd migrated towards what they were seeing.  All good though, we still had fun and it was a great morning to be outside.

Slow it down

Got to the trestles parking at 6 and it was packed.  I almost wanted to go back home, knowing that the same time yesterday there were only 2 cars.  Richard was equally frustrated, when will these summer crowds go away?  He rode over to my car with his fishcuit so I grabbed my funboard and we hit Church.  It was freezing at the bottom of the trail, a good sign that it really is fall and today may be an anomoly.  We got to Church with 1 guy paddling out into what looked like 2 ft surf.  Richard was still on edge from his surf at Lowers yesterday, while the waves are good its just too aggressive of a spot and puts you in a negative mindset.  Church is relaxed: from the vibe in the water to the shape of the waves, and we always catch plenty of them.  Today was fun, waist to chest high with some flurries of head high sets.  Glassy and beautiful fall like conditions, and the waves were nice and soft and perfect for slowing it down and enjoying the ride.  Exactly what Richard and I both needed.

Today was the day

Air 80, water 66, winds light nw, and swell was a 2-3 ft north/south combo.  Lina let me escape at about 2:30 today and i raced down to trestles.  Everything was going right for me, no traffic, light winds, low tide, and a swell that was bigger than forecasted.  I took the funboard to church expecting it to be 2 ft but when I got down there I saw a couple head high sets work through the light crowd of maybe 5 guys.  Today was the day that i dream about taking my kids out on, where the whole fam comes down to Church for the day and I teach them how to surf.  Waves weren't all time, but they were plenty good and fun and not having to scrap with anyone made it better.  I can't wait for more days like this with Coco and Billy.

Feels like Fall

Thermometer in my car read 58 degrees this morning.  Finally, its fall = offshore winds, combo swells, cooler weather, and smaller crowds.  Yes!  Arrived at Trestles parking at 6, and there were 8 cars there, max.  I toyed with the thought of lowers, i knew Matt was there, but my previous experiences kept me away.  Knowing the tide was high, i packed up the funboard and carried the beard down with me.  Arrived at uppers right when it was getting light and saw John take off on a perfect chest high right.  YES.  While the tide was a factor the sets were good, long and lined up with crisp off shores and awesome clouds at the edge fo the horizon.  There ended up being 6 of us out and the beach remained empty.  I caugt a couple waves where the beard's tail completely released on a turn and it felt effortless.  Finally got out at almost 8 when the tide maxed out and the waves shut down.  But, all in all it was an awesome fall day.  The pics don't do it justice but you can see the clouds on the horizon, beautiful morning.

Slow Morning at Uppers

Buoys said 2.6@14 which sounds awesome, thought it would still be pumping. The crowd was light up top today so Richard and I hit uppers. We paddled out in the dark with 4 other people, already a bad sign, but the crowd never got out of control. The waves were few and far between but the occasional chest high set plowed through and Richard and I both caught some of them. I had a lot of fun on the beard and I'm learning how to turn it pretty well. Its getting light out so late, it was probably 6:30 before you could really see well and my watch said 7:15 way too fast. Tide is fat this week in the morning so we'll play it by ear for surfing, may have to try gravels. Haha, screw that!

Funboard Friday

I love surfing my funboard at Church.  I love being able to surf any wave big or small there, and run up to the nose or try to do a big turn.  Only problem today was I decided to bring my fish.  The waves were pretty good, lined up waist to chest high and the fish handled the waves fine.  But I sucked.  My timing was off and I either fell or almost fell on every turn, i felt like a beginner.  Just one of those days i guess.
Then I went riding at lunch and crashed off the drop gap after the tire latter.  Hyperextended my elbow and it hurts but is healing fast.  Hopefully I'll be strong enough for Funboard Monday.  Yeeeow.  No pics, forgot my camera at work again.

Happily back to Church

Got a late start today, didn't get down to Church until about 6:15.  Buoys said 2.1@14 which usually means funboard but I thought I'd give the beard a shot out there.  Tide was low and this swell has been pumping.  I got there and only 2 people were out, its such a good feeling to know you don't have to scrap with a ton of aggressive guys.  As I was paddling out these good size waves were grinding through the inside and I kept takeing them, chest high with great shape and pretty ripable.  The beard was perfect and I caught about 5 in a row.  Then the sets stopped coming, and about 10 people paddled out.  Some smaller inside waves came through but the beard couldn't handle the softness, I kept wishing I had the funboard.  I need to figure out a way to bring 2 boards down there.  Got out about 7:10 after catching a really fun chest high wave that had pretty decent pop and I smacked the lip a couple times.  Love that.  All and all a fun day, I just wish Surfline would forecast 2-3 and fair conditions to keep the crowd down. 

Frickin' Lowers

I got a stinging reminder of why I don't surf lowers. Today was like a stiff kick in the nuts, while the waves were tremendous again, the crowd was thicker and it was a little less consistent.  Richard, Matt, and I all paddled out in the dark at 5:50.  I sat inside and caught about 5 rights in a row, all excellent and I was amping.  About 40 minutes in I felt claustrophobic and you look around and can't believe there are enough waves for what feels like 1000 people.  Plus you feel like you are going to be decapitated on every set wave since there are 25 people paddling for them.  And some waves you feel like you rip and other waves you can't get your feet set.  Argh, so frustrating.  I'm going back to Church.

Lowers in the dark

Swell was pumping this morning so Richard and I wanted to get a head start on the crowd.  Even though it doesn't get light until 6 at best, the moon was full and skies were clear so we met up top at 5.  After noticing the crowd at Uppers has been thicker than lowers, we decided to try lowers.  Paddled out at about 5:20 with 8-10 guys already out, and it was really, really dark.  The moon was lighting up the left OK but the right's were pitch black.  So hard to surf.  But the second it started getting light out Richard and I were catching these inside waves, one after the other.  Then the swell really picked up and sets were bombing through, enough waves for the crowd of 50 to all get something.  I caught one of the best waves I caught all year, head high screamer where I raced the first section then carved up the open face on the inside.  Lowers is so crowded we almost never go and can forget how good it is, but when you get it consistent with a reasonable crowd there is no better wave around.  Today was ALL TIME, it really did look like the second pic...  And the first pic too, haha.