Giving Thanks for Good Waves

The stars aligned, the heavens opened up, the angels commenced to singing and lo and behold we were treated with stellar conditions at the home break this week. Somehow the offshores, fat morning tides and windswell combined to make our normally closed out beach break do a damn fine imitation of a point break. It was a wonderful thing, a thing for which I will be thankful today, tomorrow and for many more days to come.

Don't believe me? I have photographic proof. Observe.

On Tuesday, the shape was fantastic. Shoulders would pop up and keep going. The waves were about chest high on the sets.


On Wednesday, the waves got even bigger! I had not expected that. Frankly, I'd left a lot out in the water the day before, thinking I wouldn't see those conditions again. I surfed for about three hours. When I got to the beach on Wednesday, it looked a bit messy. Still, the wind was offshore. I truly believed it would clean up, so I waited for a sign (from heaven, from the ocean, from wherever). After about 15 or 20 minutes, I noted that the waves were beginning to crumble upon impact. That was all the sign I needed. While others stood in the lot like doubting Thomas, I paddled out. I just knew that someone somewhere had put a quarter in the home break wave machine. In fact, that person probably put in two quarters. Why do I say that? Well, see for yourself. The waves were just about head high! And the shoulders remained. Total and unequivocal score!


I went back today, but somehow I knew it was over . . . even before I got to the beach. All was back to normal—small, closed out, crowded.


I am nonetheless thankful for those two amazing days as well as any other day I can surf, regardless of the conditions.