Surfing Ruined My Life

March 2018 Surf Sessions

3-31-18 No Surfing: 1-2 ft
I woke up and it was super foggy again and the buoys read even smaller then they had all week.  My chick wasn’t really motivated to come down south with considering the cold damp conditions and lack of swell.  Considering I had to work all day tomorrow and the fact that I have been groveling all week. I decided to spend the day with her.

3-30-18 AM Session: 1-3+ ft, Surfer’s Knoll
Time in Water: 3 hrs
Waves Surfed: 44
Miles Driven: 64
The buoys still had a small. but surprising amount of south swell on them.  Definitely enough to lead me to believe I could find something to grovel.  I also wanted to see about buying a new suit for a family event I needed to attend with my girl Saturday.  With that in mind I headed south with two fishes and low expectations.  On the way down there was a gnarly accident by Little Rincon costing me a half hour.  Luckily there was a hefty fog bank and light south wind, thus keeping the line up semi-clean.  Though less consistent then yesterday the shape was way better.  There were three to four distinct peaks right out in front.  The best one was taken up by four guys.  The others were empty.  I thought I saw the same wedge I was riding over by the jetty yesterday working and caught a few lefts down there.  With out any real NW in the water that peak was not really happening.  I got out and walked back over the bars out in front of the parking lot.  Ryan showed up and at this point I began lucking into some rather fun lefts and the occasional right.  As the tide dropped the swell started to slow down and the bars got super mushy.  Ryan and I thought we saw some good ones down by the River Mouth and headed that way.  There were a few good south peaks, but with the steadily draining tide most were a bit too fast and not hallow or big enough to really benefit from.  Just another shitty day of surf in southern California.   I did manage to score a super fly suit from H&M at the Ventura Mall.

3-29-18 AM Session: 1-3+ ft, Surfers Knoll
Time in Water: 2 hrs
Waves Surfed: 32
Miles Driven: 64
Just keep on groveling.  That is the key to trying to stay in shape.  Normally I wouldn’t even bother with these little days, but with nothing in the seven day forecast I figure I better surf.  From Sunday on my schedule starts to fill up again leaving me less opportunity to grovel.  I have two new fishes that at the very least I am able to get some real feed back on.  Today was more of the same.  Considering that I should have paddled out at the Knoll yesterday I didn’t hesitate despite the less then stoke conditions.  There were a dozen guys spread out among eight peaks or so.  I tried to stay on my own peak.  As the tide got lower there were only about two peaks that were good and they definitely got crowded.  I noticed a few left and right wedges coming off the south side of New Jetty and drifted over there.  I found a few, though the elusive right wedge air section that I kept seeing and hoped to thrive on never really happened for me.  I had lots of errands to run including dropping off a blank to the cutter and checking in with my glasser.   Then I came home to quite the stack of dishes and other related mess from my dinner party last night, which celebrated the return of Tim-o and Amelia.  We made a Lavender Sweet Potato Bisque followed by Meat Lasagna and a Chef Salad in a balsamic vinaigrette and concluding with personal Tiramisus in a mason jar, super catering style.  A fun time was had by all.  I would hope so considering we drank four bottles of wine, plus a magnum.

3-28-18 AM Session: 1-3 ft, Emma Wood
Time in Water: 1.5 hrs
Waves Surfed: 26
Miles Driven: 64
In hindsight which is always 20/20 I should have just paddled the River Mouth.  At the time when I was checking it, the crowd was thirty strong.  There were more close outs then good ones, and the wind was already on it.  I had little stoke for it and Ryan killed whatever I could have wished to muster up.  Emma had a few waves on the way down with a light crowd thus I headed there.  It was between there and the Point.  The point was packed and average at best.  I had already done that yesterday.   Emma had two guys on it with some fun looking small south peaks coming through.  I missed the window by about an hour cause right when I got out there I got a my best waves and after the first half hour it basically drained out with the tide and became a joke.  I did manage a few alright ones, but it was still a bit of let down from what I had hoped.

3-27-18 AM Session: 1-2+ ft, C-Street
Time in Water: 1.5 hrs
Waves Surfed: 22
Miles Driven: 64
The wind was suppose to be off shore today.  There was still some minor wind swell and some new south combo on the buoy. Stoked I headed down to Ventura Harbor.  To my and the plethora of others checking it dismay the wind had already gotten on it tearing up the meager waist plus offerings.  Had it been clean I would have paddled, but there was enough wind to make it absolute dog shit.  The wind was still light enough to lead me to belive the Point would be surf-able on my fish.  It was tiny, yet I saw a few up at Pipes that encouraged me to give it a go.  Actually there was just enough south getting in that every now and then there was a kill-able little line.  The key word is little.  My best one may have been waist high.  After the surf I went shopping for tomorrow nights dinner party at my house.  We are serving meat lasagna and tiramisu for dessert.

3-26-18 PM Session: 1-2 ft, Little Rincon
Time in Water: 1 hr 15 mins
Waves Surfed: 18
Miles Driven: 64
I don’t know what I was putting my nose up to over at New Jetty this morning cause it was far better then anything I ended up surfing later.  For what ever reason I drove away from weak two foot plus NJ lefts in favor of finding something a the points in the afternoon.  I think this winter’s lack of surf has really begun to impair my surf judgement.  I had to go pick up some blanks, order some blanks and get some blanks cut.  That was how I spent my morning into the afternoon.  The wind had came up pretty hard in Ventura eliminating C-Street from the equation. Pitas was all broken up and parking was shit.  Rincon isn’t really even an option at the moment.  I saw a few at Little ‘Con on the way back up and gave it a look.  Though small there was a fish-able wave off the rock that took all of my motivation and then some to force a desperation paddle.  If it had not been for how terrible the winter has been I would not have even considered even looking at it.  Crusts of bread my friends prevails when a man is starving.  It was just about as bad as it looked.  As the tide began pushing back in a few alright sets rolled in.  Of course the wind also decided to blow south adding some unwanted texture to an already shitty wave.  I managed to bang out four turns and an end section hit.  When that happens on a terrible day one must quit on the high note.  Later that night I made carne asada nachos for dinner and they were yummy.

3-25-18 No Surfing: 2-3+ ft
Miles Driven: 78
I had low expectations and struck out for some waves.  The wind was light and with plenty of steep wind swell on the buoys I headed to Strand.  By the time I got there the wind had already come up thrashing the line up.  From the looks of things it wasn’t great to begin with.  The added wind only made it look all the less inviting. My chick and I wanted to check out the Thousand Oaks Botanical Gardens.  My thoughts were why not go there, do a bit of adventuring and hope to find something on incoming tide.  When the world is not elided in your favor its not to be.  We drove all the way out there only to find out the gardens were closed as a result of too much mud.  Are you fucking kidding me.  We  moseyed around the area a bit, before packing it in and heading back to Ventura for a nice sushi lunch at Sushi Fresh.  At this point it was after two, the wind was still wailing and with nothing left to do we headed back north.  I figured I could find something to fish at one of the points.  Rincon has apparently taking tons of sand into the line up from all the rain burying the majority of the cobbles and pretty much taking all of the leverage from the wave cause the bottom is so flat.  What could have been small and fish-able was just weak and not surf-able.  On a last ditch effort I had a look at Little ‘Con.  This was my best option, though out there it was the oppisite of Rincon and there was not enough sand to help the wave properly form.  I watched it for a bit, almost got motivated then got in an argument with my girl that basically killed any positive vibes I had left towards the ocean so I bailed.  Maybe tomorrow…

3-24-18 No Surfing: 2-3+ ft
After last nights drunken festivities there was no way I was going to be up bright and early for a surf.  Considering the forecast and winds there wasn’t mush to be excited about anyway.  I heard Strand was alright in the morning.  I kept and eye on Sand Spit through out the day, but it never really materialized for me out there.  Holy shit this surf pattern is driving me crazy.

3-23-18 AM Session: 1-2+ ft, Sand Spit
Time in Water: 1.5 hrs
Waves Surfed: 20
Miles Driven: 2
I had to be at work between ten and eleven leaving me a short but useful window to surf before. I had ballet tickets for the evening making the morning really my only shot. My options were limited to really no further then Emma Wood.  The cam at Sand Bar looked small with real potential.  The convenience of the place won out.  The sets looked to be at least chest high and with the pace of the wave there I grabbed my short board.  Unfortunately the draining tide quickly sucked the majority of the sets way in front of the break wall and closed them out.  There were still a few that would wrap in, but they were few and far between and more suited for one of my fishes.  You reap what you sow thus I stuck it out.  The wind turned an unprecedented south east added injury to insult and basically making the meager offerings even worst to unsurfable. At this point I was completely fucked.  There was an osprey eating a fish on the break wall tower and you don’t see that everyday, at least I had that going for me.  Sadly the high light of the day was the ballet despite the regrettable dinner choice of The Brat Haus, where our terrible waitress failed to inform us that the kitchen was about to close leaving us with nothing more then a brat a piece with a very long night of drinking ahead of us.  Our night continued to the Wild Cat. My old friends Tim-o and Amelia came out and it was stoke cause I think the last time I hung with those guys was close to two years ago.  An after party at my place ensued and black out soon followed that courtesy of the Brat Haus.  Good times.  I really need the surf to come back soon.

3-22-18 No Surfing: 2-3+ ft
Miles Driven: 30
I really wanted to surf today.  After work I headed to Rincon hoping the wind would be a bit lighter out of the south then it was.  When I got there the line up was all torn up, brown town and it was pouring rain.  Over it I headed home.  I had a look about the Mesa and though a tad cleaner I just couldn’t find the motivation to surf the uninviting conditions.  I almost paddled Sand Bar before dark, but once again although the size was there the quality in both wave and water severely lacked what I needed to get me to suit up and run down the break wall.  Tomorrow is another day.

3-21-18 No Surfing: 1-2+ ft
Miles Driven: 42
I got various reports of waves through out the day.  From what I could gather there were a few waves abound though little over stomach high.  Ryan was going to paddle River Mouth on his soft top leading me to believe it not worth the effort or risk of getting trapped down south in the event of another mud slide.  The buoys showed the possibility of El Capitan having a wave. I headed that way after work, only to find the wind crossing up the lines from the east and terribly brown water.  Over it I decided to have a look at the Mesa spots, but they were all rather tiny.  Maybe tomorrow.

3-20-18 No Surfing: 1-2 ft
The buoys were about as small as they get around here.  That being the case I didn’t even bother to look after work.  We are suppose to get a pretty major local storm over the next few days.  With any luck there will be some windows of opportunity in some very questionable water quality.  Once again Montecito was evacuated.  Hopefully no more damage is done or I am really going to be fucked for work in the near to long term future.  It may be time to move on from Santa Barbara if things do not turn around soon.

3-19-18 No Surfing: 1-2 ft
It was super small today.  I am sure I could have found something at Jalama or River Mouth, but I had work for most of the day and the conditions didn’t really seem to warrant the gas expense.  Somehow I got conned into working a double for my boss. That worked out cause I can always use the money and with no surf I was just going to go home and sit around anyway.

3-18-18 AM Session: 2-3+ ft, Surfer’s Knoll
Time in Water: 1 hr 15 mins
Waves Surfed: 20 
Miles Driven: 64
The gods graced us with a brief moment of off shore winds and some minor south/NW combo swell to go with it.  Stoked I decided to paddled the knoll where there were lots of broken up peaks with not too many guys on it.  It was yet another day to get a feel for my new fish.  As I was walking up the parking lot Phil stopped to me to warn that a few guys had seen some sharks moving about the line up.  Spring and summer it is not uncommon to see a few juvenile whites in the line up.  Most are still too small and young to really cause any alarm.  I paddled anyway and sure enough with in the first five minutes of being out there a little five footer circled around me a few times.  I splashed some water at it and it swam away.  Just to be safe I paddled closer to some of the other guys out there.  Power in numbers after all.  After about thirty minutes the wind came up hard SW trashing the line up.  Today with the more down the line waves vs, bowly Strand from yesterday my new board felt pretty good.  I think we may be onto something here.  Later that day my girl and I decided to drive east into the Sierra’s so see if we could find some snow.  We ended up in Santa Paula instead at an art museum.  I must say it was a cheeky little town that I at some point want to visit again.

3-17-18 AM Session: 2-3+ ft, Silver Strand
Time in Water: 1.5 hrs
Waves Surfed: 26
Miles Driven: 78
It was Rincon Classic day today and as most of you know I make it my business to stay as far from Rincon as I possibly can, though sometimes one can actually get a more waves in the free surf zone then usual since everyone is more interested in the comp.  I had to meet a client in the parking lot to hand off a Clarks Surfboard to him, thus breaking my semi-boycott. The tide was rather high so I had a look at Emma Wood.  It was pretty tiny, crowded, windy and shitty quality for me to even consider it.  I figured if I was going to surf shitty waves I may as well just go to Ventura Harbor and surf bigger shitty waves.  The harbor had pretty average shape, though it was semi-clean. The sand is absolutely terrible there at the moment.  My girl wanted to go shopping at the Camarillo Oulets allowing me to justify a look at Strand.  Though super fat and shore breaky the ship had a few bowls that I decided to jump in on.  It was far from anything worth while, but I had new performance fish to get acquainted with and since I made it for sub par conditions I though it would be the perfect opportunity.  As it turns out I think it was still a little too steep and throwing out for the board making it tough to get a real read on it.  All the backwash didn’t help either.  In reality I think I may have made the board a little too short for me.  I’m not giving up on her just yet.  My girl cleaned house at the out lets.  I, unfortunately am currently all tapped out on money thanks too all the cash I have invested in Clarks Surfboards.

3-16-18 No Surfing: 2-3 ft
I had work in the morning and I guess it was somewhat glassy early, but with a fat tide.  Then all my reports came back in the afternoon that the beaches of Ventura were shit.  I had to drive down there anyway to pick up boards and all the points looked tiny and haggard.  I was not desperate for a surf and decided to bag it.

3-15-18 PM Session: 2-3+ ft, Pitas
Time in Water: 2 hrs
Waves Surfed: 26
Miles Driven: 44
There was still a fair bit of swell in the water.  Unfortunately the wind was wailing out of the WNW tearing things up.  I had to go down to Ventura to square away some business with my glasser.  On the way down I noticed Rincon was broken up and small.  On the way back up I had a look at Pitas.  Though pretty torn up I took a walk down to Faria and saw a few sick ones despite the mess.  No one was out and it was about waist to chest.  With all the chop and wind it was a bit mushy leaving me to opt for my fish.  I got out there and did six drifts from White house to Mondos catching an assortment of rides.  I found a cool little barrel. It was far from epic, but I was stoked to get some fun waves all to myself.

3-14-18 PM Session: 3-4+ ft, Pitas
Time in Water: 2.5 hrs
Waves Surfed: 24
Miles Driven: 44
Finally there were some waves.  Initially I was just planning on a point grovel, when I fielded a call from Ryan that he had surfed Little Rincon and there were some over head sets.  Stoked I bailed out of work and headed south.  Rincon was packed with lots of surf starved people and guys warming up for the Classic.  I had a look at Pitas and though a little bumpy looked solid.  I grabbed my short board and worked my way down to the Faria section.  Unfortunately I got all of my good waves in the first half hour.  I jumped in at the top and got one all the way through to White House.  Then I snagged one from White House all the way to Mondos.  On my next go I got another one from White house to Mondos and finally I got a sickie from Three Trees that I managed a fifty yard tube on.  After that I just fell out of rhythm.  I came down from a section floater too hard and the impact rocked my core so much that when I got home I had to lay flat on my back on the floor for like an hour while watching the Snapper finals.  Still I would say it was one of the better point days I have had this winter.

3-13-18 No Surfing: 1-2+ ft
The surf was suppose to come up in the afternoon.  By 2 pm all reports were that the waves were still pretty pathetic, thus I opted to stay at work and make money.  Later I went home to another full evening of watching the Snapper contest.

3-12-18 No Surfing: 1-2 ft
I had work early in the morning. Luckily I have this one corporate client that guarantees a week of work every month for the year.  Its just a crust of bread in the scheme of things, but it’s something.  I wanted to maybe surf after work.  All my sources said it was absolute crap.  I saved my gas and came home to watch the men’s round two of snapper.

3-11-18 No Surfing: 1-2 ft
More flatness down south left me considering a Jalama run.  It was nothing spectacular but I was sure I could find a chest high wave.  My girl was still feeling pretty bad and asked for me to stay with her.  I watched the women’s draw of the comp and I must say it was rather exciting.

3-10-18 No Surfing: 1-2 ft
It was raining, cold and tiny.  I could have probably have went up north in search of some surf, but I was not about to make that mission.   My girl ended up sick with the flu and I stayed home to be her nurse.  At least the Snapper comp started and gave me something to watch.

3-9-18 AM Session: 3-4+ ft, Sliver Strand
Time in Water: 1 hr 15 mins
Waves Surfed: 15
Miles Driven: 78
I had a somewhat flexible work schedule today being that I only had to prep I decided to surf first and work later.  There was a healthy amount of short period west swell in the water, perfect for the points to be fun.  Stoked I headed to Rincon. As soon as I got there the wind picked up hard south trashing the surf.  I car surfed down to Emma to little avail.  I was contemplating either desperation paddling or bagging it, when Ryan called me and said the ship was glassy, head plus and I should get there.  I hit up my boss to see if I could come in a bit later and he agreed.  Stoked I ended up getting some really fun lefts.  If I didn’t have to work I would have surfed all day.  Looks like rain all weekend, but possible off shores too.  There may be a window or two for diligent.

3-8-18 No Surfing: 2-3+ ft
There was a slight rise in the form of a WNW swell.  I had work early and possibly a chance at an afternoon session.  Then one of the guys who I work with backed out of a job later in the evening.  All my sources said I should take the extra cash and not surf.  I took their advice.  Ryan said North Strand was chest high and mushy in the morning.

3-7-18 No Surfing: 2-3 ft
I finally had a day of work for a change.  The surf was tiny from what I heard anyway.  The only thing that has been more scarce then the waves this winter for me has been work.

3-6-18 AM Session: 3-5+ ft, Jalama
Time in Water: 4 hrs
Waves Surfed: 42
Miles Driven: 126
Buoys were small and Ventura was near flat.  I noticed that the Jalama cam showed some solid swell.  The wind and tide were good thus I made the trek.  Sure enough when I came over the hill and had my first glance at the ocean it was pretty darn good.  There were also a fair amount of people out there considering it was a Wednesday with no predicted swell.  I guess with the winter as bad as it’s been everyone has been extra frothy even on the down days.  Tarantulas has the bulk of the pack and it was well over head on the sets.  The left was a bit too fat and not really barreling all that much.  The right looked better, but hard to line up.  Then I saw a handful of solid looking lefts at Cracks with only about six guys on it and paddled.  It was a bit fast, but with the right positioning I managed to get some sickies.  It was oil glass all day and the swell held through.  Before I knew it the day was well into the afternoon and I had surfed the day away.  I was super stoked and was definitely one of the better days of surfing I have had all winter.

3-5-18 AM Session: 2-3 ft, Surfers Knoll
Time in Water: 1 hr
Waves Surfed: 22
Miles Driven: 78
The wind was off shore and predicted to stay that way for the majority of the day.  The buoys still had a bit of steep NW wind swell on them as well.  I headed to the Ventura beaches hopeful for a few waves to surf.  I ran into Ryan at the Harbor, where both of us watched the tiny wind blow peaks in dismay.  Sure it was waist occasional chest, but it was also as gutless as it gets.  The shape was rather poor as well considering there has yet to be any decent sand bars formed yet.  We decided to look at Strand just to rule it out.  It wasn’t even breaking there.  It became a make it or break it session at The Knoll.  we traded tiny off shore peaks with a handful of guys on a Monday.  Had this winter been any good you would have been lucky to fine any of us out.  Beggars can’t be choosers this days.

3-4-18 PM Session: 2-3+ft, Pitas
Time in Water: 1.5 hrs
Waves Surfed: 28
Miles Driven: 78
Like the predictable bone head I am full on knowing that the best window to surf was going to early to mid morning I decided to go out and party Saturday night.  That is why I found myself contending with afternoon on shores and a negative tide.  In my defense I didn’t miss anything incredible anyhow and by waiting I ensured a solo point break session.  Coming down I stopped at Rincon to first to get my bearings.  It was rather small, shitty and crowded in the Cove and junky and crowded for what was there on top.  Little Rincon was still too high, with potential.  Ryan said he got some head high ones at North Strand early.  The wind wasn’t so hard to keep me from giving it a check.  My chick wanted to go to Target to buy a hair brush and other girly items.  At that point to not have a look seemed silly.  From the looks of things I just missed a window out there by an hour.  I saw a great set when I first walked up, but then had a hard time finding another wave worthy of a paddle.  I hate the surfing North Strand anyway.  I never know where to sit or what waves to pick off.  From there it was off to Target before getting back on the hunt.  On the way back up I had a look at Pitas. The wind had come down quite a bit and things were slowly glassing off.  There was a stand up and a logger at Faria, though it looked a little to small to push my fish around.  There were some kill-able looking peaks up top that I decided to grab my short board and take advantage of.  As per usual it wasn’t anything spectacular, but I found a few and at least I got wet.

3-3-18 PM Session: 2-3+ ft, Little Rincon
Time in Water: 1 hr
Waves Surfed: 12
Miles Driven: 40
The tide was a miserable 5.5 ft at ten in the morning swamping everything out.  I got lack luster reports across the board and decided to sleep in.  Come afternoon the wind picked up rather hard out of the WNW. There was still enough NW wind swell hanging around to lead me to believe the points would be alright.  Rincon once again was far from impressive and too crowded.  I had a look at Little ‘Con, though sloppy there were some chest high wedges coming off the Pier.  I jumped in and immediately got stuck on the treadmill that is a hard north drift with nothing to impede it.  There were a few good ones, but with all the current and job it quickly proved to be way more work then reward and thus I quit.  On an up note I was finally nice and warm thanks to my new wet suit.

3-2-18 PM Session: 2-3+ ft, Pitas
Time in Water: 2 hrs
Waves Surfed: 25
Miles Driven: 44
Storm and wind was on tap for the majority of the day.  I was feeling a bit under the weather with a minor sinus infection. I enjoyed the luxury of sleeping in for a change. Around Early afternoon the wind began to turn WNW leading me to believe that the points might clean up. Rincon was ok at best and a bit crowded for what was on offer.  I decided to have a look at Pitas and sure enough there were solid waist to stomach high waves in the Faria section and chest plus broken up waves up top.  I grabbed my fish and headed for the inside.  I could have short boarded up top, but I couldn’t in good conscience to that when I saw perfect little runners going easily 100-200 yards down the line from mid point.  I ended up getting a few gems and some crazy long leg burners.  I even found a couple of tubes.  I would say it was a successful session.

3-1-18 AM Session: 2-3 ft, Silver Strand
Time in Water: 1.5 hrs
Waves Surfed: 31
Miles Driven: 78
The wind swell that has graced us with waves the past few days had just about dissipated from the buoys.  With two inches of rain predicted for tonight and tomorrow I figured I better get south for a surf while I can just in case another mudslide buries the 101 for another month.  Last night my girl and I celebrated our two year anniversary.  For whatever reason a nice quite dinner our at the Chase rolled onto a drunken night of dancing at the Wild Cat.  If anything it was rather poetic considering that is how we met in the first place.  Luckily for me the tide was super high in the morning allowing the luxury of sleeping in a bit.  At ten I paid my rent and headed to Strand.  I got to the ship and though the wind was south it was fairly clean with waist to stomach plus sets and only a handful of people out.  Stoked I grabbed my board and paddled.  At first there were a couple of kill-able lefts off the Jetty.  As the tide got lower the sets began feathering on the outer bar then reforming and dumping on the inside bar.  There were still a few and I made the most of it till the cold water, even worse then yesterday took a toll on my body.  It was far from good, but I have still surfed worse lately.  I would say though it is a rather ominous start to the month.  I am actually looking forward to south swell season.