Kelp Dusting with RS

I don't heart hyped swells and over-crowded breaks. I find that as I become older on land, and more experienced in the water, my need for peace and quiet increases. I don't want to share waves with 20 of my new best friends.

I do enjoy getting far enough out of the city to find a wave or two that isn't under surveillance.

My favorite mat spot has no cam. If you want to truly know the conditions from one day to the next, you have to drive up there and see them for yourself. Each and every day.

So, for two straight days, while most surfers in L.A. were frenetically invading the city's most convenient point breaks, acting as if they'd never seen waves before and would never see waves again, I headed for one of the last places where I can usually surf in peace.

It was there that, much to my amazement, I spotted someone else on a mat, someone whom I didn't know.

Well, he and I braved the small crowd at this spot for two days, snagging what we could and sharing waves with each whenever it was possible.

RS, I'm glad to have finally met you! I thought we'd probably run into one another some day. Thanks for letting me steal "kelp dusting". I don't know what it means, but I love this phrase!!