Surfing Ruined My Life

August 2025 Surf Sessions

8-31-25 AM Session: 3-4+ ft, The Hotel
Time in Water: 1 hr 45 min
Waves Surfed: 20
Miles Driven: 12
There was a bit more swell in the water courtesy of the Inconsistent long period south swell.  I had a look at Hollywood but it was smaller than I’d like and a bit funky.  The Hotel was my next stop.  I heard the south end of Shores had waves but was a zoo.  Just south of the Hotel I saw some solid chest to head plus sets rolling in.  I ran down the beach and paddled and quickly learned that there was bad drift.  With in minutes of paddling I was swept way down the beach.  With sets very inconsistent this made positioning very difficult.  Rather than burn myself out fighting the current I just drifted catching as many waves as I could till I was north of the Hotel than walked back and did it again. I did three drifts and on the last I ran into Ryan.  Though tough there were some really heavy double ups that were sucking up some throaty barrels with high tide.  I managed a couple of tubes and had a few really shitty beatings.  My afternoon was spent working a small wedding in Santa Barbara.

8-30-25 AM Session: 2-4+ ft, Hueneme
Time in Water: 1 hr 15m
Waves Surfed: 20
Miles Driven: 12
Today was the start of a fresh long period south swell.  Considering the tide I had a look at Hueneme.  From the Pier everything looked a bit stretched but with plenty of size.  Hoping there was enough to make Hollywood worth while I drove over.  Maybe if the tide were getting lower I would have paddled but as it stood I was looking at soft wonky inconsistent waist to chest high surf with more guys out than usual.  I asked my wife what she would rather film, weak, weird, burgers or chest to head high dumpy close outs at Hueneme. We chose the latter cause at least there was the chance of getting barreled.  Back to Rockside we went cause it’s always a little more peaky than the Pier.  I set the tent up for my wife and son and paddled.  Though walled there were some lefts that were being crossed up enough by the riptides to pull into a quick in and out tube.  I found the odd ball section to hit as well.  It was just another day of crossed up close outs at Hueneme but for whatever reason the surf gods were smiling on me today.  In the afternoon my wife and I plus our baby had a family party to attend in Goleta.  It was to be the first time for the little guy to my be presented to my wife’s family.  We never made it. The Jeep decided to brake down on us just after Rincon.  I did a bit of tinkering under the hood and managed to get it running again.  We turned back hoping whatever magic I made happen would last till we got home.  Luckily we made it. Talk about another annoying incident that is life. 

8-29-25 AM Session: 2-3+ ft, Hueneme
Time in Water: 1 hr
Waves Surfed: 21
Miles Driven: 2
My time window was rather short this morning as I had to work a private catering gig in Carpinteria.  Being that it was a holiday weekend I usually try and stay in Hueneme just to beat the crowd.  I paddled the dumpy semi walled closed out corners on Rockside.  There were some racy tubes to be had that made the surf worth while.  I had my wife and baby on the beach attempting to escape the hot weather we have been experiencing lately.  The gig I worked was the fancy art unveiling at this mega estate I actually regularly work at in Carpinteria.  As usual it went off with out a hitch. 

8-28-25 AM Session: 2-3+ ft, Zeros
Time in Water: 2 hrs
Waves Surfed: 22
Miles Driven: 41
Ventura wasn’t doing it, no surprise there.  Biz and I met up with Zach to film at zeros.   It was chest plus and glassy, there was a bit of a crowd but definitely plenty of waves and spread out enough to be manageable. We got on a tear and ripped everything that came our way.  Some of the waves were a little stretchy but I still got mine.  I even found the rare Zeros tube on the inside.  By the end of my session the crowd got pretty intense making lining up a wave nearly impossible.  At that point I decided to call it a day.  I had plenty of glassing work to do all afternoon anyway.

8-27-25 AM Session: 2-3+ ft, Zeros
Time in Water: 1 hr 45 mins
Waves Surfed: 23
Miles Driven: 54
I finally got rid of this P.O.S. boat that Pat and I have pretty much left rotting in dry dock on the Silver Strand side of Channel Islands Harbor.  For three years we had been holding onto this thing with wishful thoughts to get it sea worthy once again.  There was a time when we used to go out to the islands on it.  Since Pat moved to North Carolina the odds of that boat ever being sea worthy at our command was just about zero.  We finally gave it away to some stoked dude from LA on FB Market Place.  After signing the pink slip over I made my way over to Hollywood hoping that it might be getting some of the new south swell.  It wasn’t and the Hueneme sucked too.  Ultimately I ended up meeting Zach at Zeros where we found relatively uncrowded chest high rip-able lefts.  I definitely got on a tear.  My afternoon was spent glassing surfboards.

8-26-25 AM Session: 2-3+ ft, County Line
Time in Water: 1 hr
Waves Surfed: 17
Miles Driven: 34
Once again for the hundred time this summer we woke up to junk onshore wind at all the Oxnard and Ventura beaches.  Zach claimed Zeros looked fun and I cruised south to meet him. Upon looking Zeros was a bit too crowded and tide getting too high, climbing to a 5.5 ft at 11 am.  Taking all of that into account I decided to go back to County.  There was a small waist to chest high waves forcing its self down the very inside of the reef courtesy of the high tide.  One guy was on it ripping and there was just enough waves for me to join him.  For about forty five minutes we were absolutely destroying this meager wave.  I suppose we made it look too much fun cause a pack of guys all kooks came and sat directly on top of us.  They packed us in so close that it was hard to even set up a wave without someone in the way.  I wasn’t having it and paddled over to the beach break.  The tide was just too high.  I lucked into a set wave and went in.  When I was back at my car I watched all the guys that ruined my good time just literally going straight on waves I could have ripped.  The time of the kook is for real.  I had a wedding to work in Santa Barbara in the afternoon.

8-25-25 PM Session: 2-3+ ft, Malibu
Time in Water: 2 hrs
Waves Surfed: 28
Miles Driven: 70
One thing about when you have a child always expect the unexpected and have the ability to be flexible.  Luckily for me my entire life plays out like that therefore the transition had not been as shocking as it could be.  I received a message that my nanny was unavoidably detained and couldn’t make it till noon.  This meant daddy day care for me til then.  In that time the wind had come up forcing me to head south.  Ultimately I ended up at Malibu where I surfed second and the Kiddie Bowl.  The wind was on it but the crowd was light and it was somewhat peaky for that zone with inconsistent chest plus sets.  I had a fun enough time and the water had to be 75F.  The tide was dropping fast and towards the end of my surf I was paddling back out after a three turn right through Kiddie Bowl and when I ducked dived the wave sucked all the water off the reef and I shaved my knuckles on the barnacle covered cobblestones.  At least my fins and board didn’t hit the bottom.  Being a scrappy kid growing up bloody knuckles has never been that big of a bother to me. On the walk back my feet got all cut up by these cheap sandals I’ve been using.  Good times at the ‘bu.  I didn’t get home till after five and had to cook dinner and settle into my usual end of the day chores.  That’s life when you have to be responsible.

8-24-25 AM Session: 2-3+ ft, Port Hueneme
Time in Water: 1 hr 15 min
Waves Surfed: 26
Miles Driven: 2
Some wind swell mixed in with the south west swell that’s been lingering all week. The combo didn’t do anything for size but it did add a bit of cross up to the faces.  It  also allowed the south side of the pier to do its suck up right bowl off the pilings, which was where I focused my efforts.  The surf was surprisingly fun even with the NW wind already up on it.  I actually think Hueneme is more rip-able with a bit of side shore wind. I was having a blast till the life guards showed up for their PT break and enthusiastically clogged the line up on their soft tops.  Kook Pandemonium ensued.  One of them decided to burn me on a solid set wave.  He paddled back out completely naive of his actions to my utter frustration.  I looked him square in the eye, this barely twenty year old Gen-Z and sternly told him not to do it again.  Luckily their PT break is short and the guards decided to cut it even shorter to go play volleyball.  I surfed another half hour in peace before heading in to hang with my wife and son on the beach.  We try and make Sundays family day now and went to breakfast and took a long walk with Adagio in his stroller around Channel Islands Harbor.

8-23-25 AM Session: 2-3+ ft, Port Hueneme
Time in Water: 1 hr 15 min
Waves Surfed: 20
Miles Driven: 2
The south side of the pier looked fun enough and I was ready to paddle. When I walked back to my car there was this LA looking five pack that piled out of a Rivian pick up truck.  Their stoke level was almost as high as kook level.  There were already four guys out and there was just enough room for me.  This five pack made me nauseous.  Over it I went over to Rockside and paddled with the rest of the salty locals. It was peaky enough to hold my interest for twenty waves.  I had my family with me again.  My wife is champ taking care of the baby and still stacking my clips.  The rest of afternoon we spent chilling at home cause that’s basically what you do with an infant.

8-22-25 AM Session: 2-3 ft, Port Hueneme
Time in Water: 1 hr 15 min
Waves Surfed: 20
Miles Driven: 2
Fridays have sort of become a special day for my wife and I to enjoy.  We started off our morning taking our son with us to the beach.  There was a small inconsistent south swell in the water and a rather high tide.  A handful of guys were out surfing the South side of the Pier and rather than crowd them I opted to surf the North Pier where there were some fun looking peaks.  It was very slow out there.  As a result when a set did come it was rather difficult to be in the right spot. Then like yesterday the life guards decided to crowd me.  Due to lack of waves this forced me to paddle up the beach where there was a right that I had to myself.  I did my twenty waves and headed in.  Since the water was so warm my wife and I brought Adagio to the waters edge and dipped his feet in the ocean.  He absolutely loved it.  It was a nice morning at the beach.  We went home, left Adagio with the Nanny and got some lunch.  We ended the afternoon with nine holes of golf at the Sea Bee golf course.  I shot a 65.

8-21-25 AM Session: 2-3+ ft, Port Hueneme
Time in Water: 1 hr 15 min
Waves Surfed: 15
Miles Driven: 2
I joke about it all the time but at Hueneme if you see that it’s good then you’re probably too late.  This morning I saw some bangers off the south side of the Pier.  Stoked I parked and walked up, but as soon as I paddled whatever I had seen was gone. Instead I found myself waiting for the odd ball inconsistent pier bowl right that was basically the equivalent of hunting for a unicorn.  Then the life guards paddled out ten strong on their soft tops for their PT break and decided to sit right on me.  Frustrated I took a chest high close out and pulled in for the glory.  I ended up going over the falls with my board.  My back foot hit my center fin and ripped my bootie. Not that I even needed boots since the water has to be 72 F.  I spent my afternoon doing ding repair.  It was also Adagio’s two month birthday.

8-20-25 AM Session: 2-3+ ft, Zeros
Time in Water: 1.5 hrs
Waves Surfed: 23
Miles Driven: 42
I got up early this morning and had to put the finishing touches on a board I was delivering to a customer at Zeros later the same morning.  It was just some minor touch ups.  Bizarro and I headed south to Zeros to do our usual meet and greet and filming session with customers when they get a new board (provided time and schedules allow of course).  Today it happened to all fall into place.  Zach was out, which isn’t a surprise since the guy basically lives at Zeros.  We got a bunch of water clips and the customer was stoked.   Building surfboards consumes a great deal of time and effort and yields a minimum profit.  Most days the only thing that actually keeps me going is the stoke of watching surfers enjoy my boards.  If it wasn’t for that I think I’d probably give it up. It was a fun session with just us and a handful of guys out.  The water was warm and it was a remarkable beach day.  I could have surfed the day’s entirety but I needed to get home to watch Adagio.  My nanny had to leave early this a responsible parent I became till my wife got home at 3:30.  Once she arrived I left the baby in her care and adjourned to the garage to handle some ding repair. 

8-19-25 AM Session: 2-3 ft, Port Hueneme
Time in Water: 1 hr
Waves Surfed: 15
Miles Driven: 2
When I pulled up to the Pier I saw lots of broken up peaks over on Rockside.  I paddled but unfortunately the dropping tide closed the window very fast leaving me stuck with dumpy drained close outs.  Like I always say if Hueneme looks good while you’re checking it then you already missed it.  I didn’t waste too much time on surf as I had a full afternoon of sanding surfboards.  

8-18-25 AM Session: 2-3+ ft, Santa Clara River Mouth
Time in Water: 1 hr
Waves Surfed: 20
Miles Driven: 20
Hueneme was barely knee high and I was about to throw in the towel for the day.  Jeffery was desperation paddling the Knoll.  I had to go pick up a board at my container and decided to bring my stuff just in case Jeffery sold it to me.  Upon checking that zone I was pleasantly surprised to see chest high wind swell that was kind of pumping (for the day) with the exception of being a little bit stretched.  I saw some lefts down by the Rivermouth and walked there with my firmed Chris and his son.  For a solid hour I got some really fun waves on a day I hadn’t expected to even surf. Then like a light switch it completely turned off.  If I had shown up at that moment I wouldn’t have believed how good it actually was.  Somehow we just happened to luck into a magic window.  After the surf I spent my entire afternoon sanding surf boards.  If you’re waiting on a board I promise you I’m on it I’m just still playing catch up from my son’s birth.

8-17-25 AM Session: 1-3 ft, Port Hueneme
Time in Water: 1 hr
Waves Surfed: 15
Miles Driven: 2
Another small day had me debating whether I should even bother paddling out.  The Pier looked deplorable but I did see some peaks over on Rockside.  I surfed the first set of flags making the most out of the very weak meager offerings.  To make matters worse there was this small short period wind swell that was just adding too much chop to the south swell instead of crossing them up.  I fought the good fight but definitely came away wanting.  After the surf my wife and I went out to brunch with Adagio followed by a nice walk by Channel Islands Harbor. My afternoon was spent glassing surf boards.

8-16-25 AM Session: 1-3 ft, Port Hueneme
Time in Water: 1 hr
Waves Surfed: 16
Miles Driven: 2
The surf really dropped off today leaving me definitely on the grovely side, but luckily small waves are the only time Hueneme doesn’t close out.  Add to it a morning high tide and you have a viable wave to surf. The south side of the Pier had a bowl albeit very inconsistent. Every so often a solid chest high south set would roll in that would close out.  It was on such a set that I decided to pull into a close out barrel upon which I went over the falls with my board.  In the chaos I kicked my foot against my right fin and pretty much knocked it loose. My foot also took a nasty bruise.  I caught a few more but ultimately went in due to the extensive damage to my stick.  I got home ate a quick lunch then ran over to my container to do a bit of glassing before heading up to Santa Barbara to work a cocktail party in Hope Ranch.  I got to the house and no one was there.  Not sure I was at the correct address I rang the gate.  Apparently I was the first one there.  Time went by and still no catering van.  They showed up a half hour late leaving me only an hour to build a Chucuterie table and make the food for the buffet.  I over came the adversity and got everything done on time and perfect. 

8-15-25 AM Session: 2-3+ ft, Port Hueneme
Time in Water: 1.5 hrs
Waves Surfed: 28
Miles Driven: 2
My wife and baby decided to come along with me to the beach this morning. There was a decent amount of NW wind swell to go along with fading south swell which made the south side of the Pier really do its thing.  I got on a froth and put down some solid clips. My boys AJ, Rob, Chris and Jeffrey paddled and all were stoked to meet Adagio.  After the surf we met up with my parents as it was the final day of their visit.  We did lunch, they said their good byes to Adagio and we all headed to the Regan Library to see the Dead Seas Scrolls exhibit since it is closing at the end of the month and my wife and I had been trying to find time to see it.  To be honest I was a bit let down as I was expecting the actual scrolls to be on loan.  Instead it was just some scrapes of paper on display from the least complete of them, reproductions and some time period pieces that depicted life during that time period.  It was put together well and until the exhibit I actually didn’t know the significance of the discovery.   I suppose it was my own naivety that led me to believe they would let the actual scrolls out of Isreal.  Nonetheless I’d say it was worth the visit.  After the viewing we bid my folks adieu for they were heading to LA and then back to the East Coast and us back to Hueneme. 

8-14-25 AM Session: 3-4+ ft, Zeros
Time in Water: 2 hrs
Waves Surfed: 23
Miles Driven: 52
It was another morning where I struck out at Hollywood.  I cruised south once again and met up with Zach over at Zeros where it was chest plus and decent lines with broken up bowls courtesy of the wind swell.  The inside double ups were doing the their thing and I was frothy in there.  At some point I ended up burning this kid who was in my opinion too deep to really do anything with the wave meanwhile I was in the perfect spot so I went. I blasted the wave twice and when I went to kick out I noticed the kid was still trailing in the white water.  Why he decided to waste his time back there considering his portion of the wave was already spent is beyond me.   I started paddling back out and the kid yelled at me, and called me a kook for burning him.  Now if there is ever a four letter word in surfing to instigate a fight that is the one.  I wasn’t about to let this Gen-Z twenty something’s kook entitlement get the better of me.  I told him just what I thought of the situation and he had the nerve to call me out to the beach.  I turned around on the next white water and followed him in at which point he took off up the stairs.  I was left dumbfounded as to why one would challenge another to a fight then flee when said protagonist showed up.  I guess that’s kids today.  I paddled back out, had a good laugh about it with my friends and surfed another half hour or so.  I think it’s pretty sad that a surfer of his standing would try and call out a surfer of mine.  I guess that is the state of surfing today.  After the session I met up with my parents who were already at my house chilling with Adagio.  We cruised over to Ventura Harbor and did lunch at Le Petite Cafe.  They do a splendid French menu and have a nice outdoor patio overlooking the Harbor.  Minus the fact that you now have to pay for parking due to the Harbor’s new policy I’d say it’s worth your patronage.  I had to shape a board real quick in the early evening.  For dinner I served up beef fajitas for my folks. 

8-13-25 AM Session: 3-5+ ft, County Line
Time in Water: 1.5 hrs
Waves Surfed: 22
Miles Driven: 44
Ryan called me from Hollywood.  He was on the fence about paddling.  I showed up and it was borderline, but with the tide getting higher and onshore wind already creeping up we both decided to walk on it.  I headed south down the PCH where my first stop was County Line.  I heard nothing but good things from the place the past few days and sure enough the entire beach from the reef to the beach break looked like a peaky skate park in the chest to head high plus range.  It was a little inconsistent but definitely enough waves to crowd ratio to coax me out there.  I started on the beach break where I found a left running back to the reef with no one on it.  After I caught three really fun ones about a dozen or so guys came and sat right on me.  Sets were inconsistent with only a few waves in them.  Not interested in dealing with my new “friends” I paddled over to the reef where there was a bit more opportunity since it was also getting some of the minor wind swell in the water.  I had a blast.  It may have been the best summertime County I have ever surfed.  After the surf I met up with my parents and we took a walk up to the Port Hueneme light house and hung out over by the port entrance for a bit.  Then for dinner we cooked up some salmon.

8-12-25 AM Session: 3-5+ ft, Hollywood
Time in Water: 3 hrs
Waves Surfed: 28
Miles Driven: 10
This morning I was pleasantly surprised with clean conditions and solid head to over head peaks at Hollywood.  I didn’t hesitate to get out there.  Once in the line up I realized I failed to take into account the speed the waves were moving down the beach and how shifty the peaks were as a result.  Positioning was very difficult. Ryan and Evan paddled joining me in the struggle.  There were some heavy tubes to be had and I came out of a few caves.  The whole time I was waiting on Bizarro to come film.  He finally showed up towards the end of the surf right as the wind began to come up.  Jeffery also paddled at that same time.  I forced out a few clips despite the steadily deteriorating conditions.  After the surf I ate lunch then took my Dad over to Camarillo Springs for nine holes of golf.  I was willing to get a cart but my 75 year old father wanted to walk it.  Golf is one of the few things my dad and I have been able to do together over the years and I’m always happy to play a round with him.  We were both a little let down with the disrepair the course was in.  Some of the greens were completely trashed.  It made me sorry I didn’t take him to River Ridge.  The setting at Camarillo Springs is different than any back drop he plays on the east coast.  We had a blast.  I shot a 66 and he shot a 71.  

8-11-25 PM Session: 3-5+ ft, Leo Carrillo
Time in Water: 1.5 hrs
Waves Surfed: 9
Miles Driven: 40
My morning was cooked thanks to an early doctor appointment for Adagio to get his first round of immunizations.  Of course it was also the first day of a decent run of south swell.  Adagio took his shots like a champ and the doctor said he is in excellent health.  Stoked my wife and I brought him home and met up with my parents.  They were headed to the Sea Bee Museum on the Hueneme Navy Base.  Since we had our Nanny my wife and I cruised to Leo Carrillo.  When I first paddled it was super consistent with overhead sets and though crowded most of the guys out were of a lower level giving me free reign on the bombs.  For thirty minutes I was getting good wave after good wave.  Then every ripper from Ventura showed up and clogged the place.  I didn’t think those guys ever left the proximity of New Jetty, Ventura Point and Emma Wood.  On top of that a crew of Malibu guys showed up as well making it a full on cluster fuck out there.  Around this time the sets got super inconsistent too.  Talk about a miserable combination.  I waited my turn out the back and just focused on set waves rather than scrapping with the VTA kids.  For my last wave I was sitting out the back for a solid half hour waiting my turn.  Finally the wave I was waiting for came my way and as I was setting up this idiot on the inside was trying to back paddle me for it.  I told him to back off and he still took off behind me.  I faded him off the bottom then hit the lip.  When I came down dude was right under me.  I landed on him and we both went down. I lost it on the guy.  A barking match took place.  There were a few Oxnard guys out that had my back and a few ‘bu guys that had his back.  Twenty years ago a brawl would have probably ensued.  Instead the whole thing dropped and I was given the next set wave, which I happily rode to the beach and went home on.  That evening I had conveniently scheduled the nanny till 8pm.  Taking full advantage of the situation my wife and I took my parents to this new Italian restaurant that opened up on the water off Victoria called Portofino.  I must say we were all pretty satisfied with the food, price, service and atmosphere. 

8-10-25 AM Session: 2-3+ ft, Oxnard Shores
Time in Water: 2 hrs
Waves Surfed: 20
Miles Driven: 12
This morning was the start of what poses to be a very solid south swell.  Stephen hit me up early that Shores had a chest high wave and was the best of everything in Ventura.  I took his word for it and began loading up. Lo and behold who was sleeping in his truck outside my house? The god father of Clarks Surfboards, Gabriel Clark himself fresh off his gnarly road trip down to mainland Mexico for the past two months.  I lent him a board and wetsuit and he came along, as did Bizarro to film.  Once on the dunes we were pleasantly surprised with stretched but rip-able chest plus south lines and it was clean.   Of course that didn’t last cause as soon as we hit the water the wind came up.  Gabe and I got frothy with it and managed some fun rides.  After the surf I spent the afternoon hanging with my wife, parents and Adagio. I was finally able to get in some family time. 

8-9-25 AM Session: 2-3+ ft, Port Hueneme
Time in Water: 1 hr 15m
Waves Surfed: 18
Miles Driven: 2
My window was very short being that I had to be in Santa Barbara at 2pm for a wedding. The south side of the Pier had some sort of NW windswell/ south swell thing going for it making the waves less dumpy than usual.  As I was walking back to my car I ran into my friend Stephen and we paddled the south side.  In classic Hueneme fashion eight out of ten waves were walled with the occasional fast close out corner to hit.  Thanks to the wind swell every so often a nice wedgy right bowl would come off the pilings.  I love that stupid wave when it happens.  It was just the smash and grab surf session I needed.  I got home with enough time to say hi and bye to my parents.  The wedding went down famously.  I got back to say good night to my folks.  I’m off tomorrow and plan on taking the entire week off from surfboard work to spend some quality time with my family.

8-8-25 AM Session: 3-4+ ft, Zeros
Time in Water: 1.5 hrs
Waves Surfed: 27
Miles Driven: 52
This has been by far the worst summer I have ever experienced in Ventura.  Each summer seems to top the next in terms of bad waves and conditions.  After a brief look at Hollywood where Ryan and I deemed it not worthy I cruised back south ending up at Zeros.  It was somewhat crowded but definitely had best waves to crowd ratio in that zone.  Conditions were a bit more stretched and though a lot of waves were coming in, good ones were few and far between.  I chipped away at whatever came my to me and definitely got my fill.  My parents had just landed at Lax in the afternoon.  It would be the first time they would see Adagio.  Unfortunately I had to work a wedding in Santa Barbara and was unable to meet them for their first encounter.   When I got home they were still at my house completely enthralled with the little guy.  I don’t think I have ever seen my parents that happy.  It’s crazy what a baby can do to bring together a family.   My folks are here for the entire week so there will be plenty of time for all of us to enjoy each other’s company.

8-7-25 AM Session: 4-6+ ft, Malibu
Time in Water: 2 hrs
Waves Surfed: 15
Miles Driven: 70
After nearly a three month hiatus due to parental responsibilities today was my return to Malibu.  There was a really solid south swell running, the cam looked good and I was tired of CC nagging me to come surf.  Bizarro and I showed up hoping to get some solid clips.  I must have missed the window cause when we got there it was shit house packed and almost every wave up at 2nd and 3rd were completely stretched.  I made the most out of what was out there and definitely put down a few clips but overall Bizarro and I were left wanting.  It was nice to see everyone out there.  Sometimes you have to see and be seen. My afternoon was spent fixing dings.

8-6-25 AM Session: 3-4+ ft, Zeros
Time in Water: 1.5 hrs
Waves Surfed: 23
Miles Driven: 52
With a little more south swell showing I cruised over to Hollywood to see if I could get some fun beach break action close to home.  The wind was unfortunately already on it turning a less than stellar line up into a no go.  I headed south down the PCH to see what was happening there.  County was ok but inconsistent and Leo crowded and inconsistent. Thanks to the little bit of windswell Zeros though crowded had some really fun looking lefts on the inside that no one was interested in.  To be honest those inside waves are the better ones cause they hug the reef giving a steeper face with more lip to hit.  Whereas the set waves break too far out and are cottony and stretched.  I got into a real rhythm and had quite the fun surf.  Later that afternoon my wife and I played the front 9 holes at the River Ridge Lakes course.  I played a decent game for me shooting a 59.   My wife played well but still recovering from her c-section she didn’t play a complete game and was unable to turn in a score. 

8-5-25 AM Session: 2-3 ft, Port Hueneme
Time in Water: 1 hr
Waves Surfed: 21
Miles Driven: 2
I thought from what I saw while checking jt I was going to score the south side of the Pier.  What I witnessed must have been an illusion cause once out there I didn’t catch anything worthy.  The waves were very inconsistent and most sets were completely walled.  I spent my afternoon fixing that disaster long board project.

8-4-25 AM Session: 2-3+ ft, Port Hueneme
Time in Water: 1.5 hrs
Waves Surfed: 28
Miles Driven: 2
There was some mixed up looking south/nw wind swell combo coming through.  Rockside looked manageable enough and I paddled.  The surf was peaky but hard to really track down a decent peak.  It had its moments but overall the session was just serviceable at best.  My afternoon was spent fixing this disaster of a longboard that I should have never taken in except for the fact that it is a good friend of mine daughters’.  She lost it to the rocks at Ventura Point and it suffered severely with fifteen gnarly rail dings and a cracked fin box.  It is quite the project.  Later that evening my wife put on the Disney animated Peter Pan.  I’ve seen the movie a number of times and for whatever reason tonight on this watch I had an epiphany.  Peter Pan is actually a cult leader.  He recruits kids to his island with songs and fairy dust then they forget who they are and are stuck in Never Never Land forever as his servants.  Meanwhile the guy has a lagoon full of mermaids, an Indian Princess and Tinker bell at his disposal.  Maybe Captain Hook is the actual good guy.  At least his crew wanted to be pirates.

8-3-25 AM Session: 3-4+ ft, County Line
Time in Water: 1.5 hrs
Waves Surfed: 15
Miles Driven: 36
As has been the norm here in Ventura the wind was up early yet again.  I was left with no other choice but to cruise south down the PCH on a Sunday.  I hate LA on a weekend.  The left on the backside looked do-able thus my boy Stephen and I paddled.  There was this annoying guy on a mid length basically going straight annoying the hell out of me by constantly back paddling then snagging any decent wave that came through.  There weren’t many good waves to be had over there and I was finished with that shit.  Rather than causing a confrontation I decided to paddle over to the right on the other side of the reef.  The waves were somewhat walled with a close out corner to hit.  I did my usual scrappy thing up and down the reef on the inside.  This random dude who in his mind thought he ripped but could barely bottom turn was blatantly burning everyone or just dumping water on the ones he couldn’t get into on the wave’s rider he was trying to burn.  This guy burned me twice and on the third one I kicked my board out at him in complete frustration.  Dude had the nerve to get in my face about it and I lost it on him.  He said and I quote “what’s your problem you dumb balding fuck”.  It got pretty heated and almost went to blows when another guy I surf with on the regular told the dude to shut up and paddle over to the beach break if he wanted to go straight.  Since this guy was such a nuisance the majority of the line up cold shouldered him off the reef.  I hate weekend warrior kook entitlement.  I did manage to get a few decent waves at the very least.  The rest of my day was spent chilling with my wife and baby.  Sunday is family day. 

8-2-25 AM Session: 2-3+ ft, Port Hueneme
Time in Water: 1.5 hrs
Waves Surfed: 20
Miles Driven: 2
There was a slight rise in the south swell.  Rockside had some closed out corners that looked like they could be wrangled.  It was very inconsistent and decent ones were few and far between. So classic Hueneme.  The water was absolutely freezing. Overall the session was serviceable at best.  In the evening I had a wedding to work up in the Santa Ynez Valley.  On the way my driver side rear tire blew out near La Conchita.  Luckily I have AAA plus which includes the 100 mile towing option. I had the tow truck get me to America’s Tire in Santa Barbara and jumped into a car pool of servers going to the wedding.  After all of this I only got there half an hour late.  As usual my crew and I pulled the event off with flying colors. I think I’m just about past the half way point of the 77 weddings I had committed to this season.

8-1-25 AM Session: 1-2 ft, Port Hueneme
Time in Water: 1 hr
Waves Surfed: 21
Miles Driven: 2
After not surfing four days in a row I was determined to paddle something this morning.  The south side of the Pier had a very tiny but maybe surf-able wave.  I grabbed this old Mr.Pocket I had laying around the garage.  Actually it was the first board that I had ever shaped under the Clarks Surfboards label. The thing is a super fun 5’2 groveler that can basically catch anything.  I got out there and it was really slow.  In classic Hueneme fashion I found one wave that afforded me three turns. I was definitely glad that I brought the groveler.  The water was freezing too.  The rest of my day was spent fixing dings.