Talk the Talk

Wetsand's assessment of yesterday's waves wasn't a good one: Today (Sunday) is yet another small day for surf along the California coast. Luckily, I didn't see that forecast until after my session.

I ask but one question: what have I done to deserve the good luck of finding small but decent waves two days in a row? Am I reaping the benefits of the good karma I try to exude everywhere I go? (I don't always succeed at the karma thing. I dare say I'm better than most in that department.)

Two straight days behind the Orange Curtain. Two straight days of happiness. I didn't expect much out of Sunday's session. I was somewhat sore and none of the surf reports suggested that good things might happen in the water. Since Saturday was good, I was down for returning to the scene of the crime to try for more. At first glance, it looked horrible, horribly flat, flat flat. Still, I was there with three people in tow (CYT and the Soul Brothers). Paddling out was a given. I can only provide highlights of the session since my memory, as I've said before, is so bad.

— I felt like a bona fide longboarder. I spent my first few waves warming up by finding trim and enjoying the rides. After that, I was walking. I managed to pull off several successful Cheater Fives. Since I know my walking when going backwards is questionable, I decided to stop—for once—working on style points. Instead of walking, I shuffled. Cross step up, shuffle back. My goal was to stay on the board. And that I did. I know the shuffle will eventually morph into a cross step while going backwards.

— This was the first time I rode a wave that I knew was perfect for getting 10 toes over. Mind you, I didn't hang ten. I was too busy analyzing what was going on. Still, I knew what was happening. I've seen it in videos. I've never had it happen to me. This was a good sized wave, maybe shoulder high. (I say "good sized" since the reports suggested the waves would be ankle to knee high.) I got into this wave and looked down. I realized the nose and the outside rail were completely out of the water. The inside rail and the tail were in. And when I say "in", I mean locked in. I couldn't believe it. I thought this kind of thing only happened to the good surfers, the surfers in videos. I guess I thought they somehow knew how to make it happen. This wave showed me that a good wave is a good wave. Period. A good surfer knows how to work such a wave for all it's worth but the wave is the same whether you're a good or mediocre surfer. If I ever get a taste of a wave like that again, I'm going straight to the nose. No fear.

— I love side slippin' (a la Herbie Fletcher). One of my favorite waves involved me side slipping past two guys who were paddling out. As I headed back to the line up, they gave me my props for that move.

— Walking the board gets easier with each session. Now that I'm making myself do it, I'm not self-conscious about trying and failing. If I keep it up, walking will be second nature. I won't think about it, worry about it, hesitate, etc. I want to get to the point where I just do it.

— I can't say enough good things about swimming. The soreness in my shoulders didn't keep me from surfing hard on Sunday. In fact, I swam today as well. Today, I got in during our lunch break and just swam. I used to do a few lengths and then rest. Today, I swam for a good 15 or 20 minutes before stopping to check the clock. I was surprised to see I only had 10 minutes left before we'd have to make a mad dash back to work. What's happening to me? Was I a fish in a previous life?