Surfing Ruined My Life

November 2018 Surf Sessions

11-30-18 PM Session: 3-4+ ft, Sand Spit
Time in Water: 30 mins
Waves Surfed: 4
Miles Driven: 2
I had to work till 5 over at the Natural History Museum.  I wasn’t planning on surfing again.  My boss called and said that Sand Bar was good still and the crowd was dropping fast.  I knew I only had about a half hour of good light at best.  Somehow I managed to weave my way down the local streets of downtown Santa Barbara to the Harbor in under ten minutes, tore on my suit and ran the entire length of the break wall.  With my no very limited time window, it was already pretty dark I jumped right off the wall into the lineup and was lucky enough to have a set come right to me.  Normally I try not to be that asshole.  In this case I think I get a pass.  It was a bit soft off the drop so I went to turns in hopes it would get hallow further down the point.  At about the mid section I saw the double up coming and generated as much down the line speed as I could.  The regular foots have to start stalling here, but if your a goofy you know that section is super fast and once in the barrel hard to keep speed on your back hand.  I came in hot, set up and grabbed my rail.  I ran a good fifty yards before it just got way to small and I got clipped.  I hate not making it when I get that close, but it was a good view.  I looked back towards the wall and it was too high to make a run up the beach from where I was and the break wall would taken way to much time to climb and traverse.  Instead I beasted the paddle back up the point against the gnarly Sand Bar current.  I somehow made it back with enough light to grab another.  This one got tangled in the backwash from the break wall meaning it was for sure going to double up and barrel off the take off.  I pulled in, but was just a tad late getting under it and got left behind after about thirty yards.  In my defense it was pretty dark and I couldn’t see the line well to correctly line it up.  From there I pulled into a close out cause I could tell what the wave was going to do in the dark.  Finally I grabbed a mid sized runner that I just pumped all the way down the point cause I couldn’t see a damn thing.  At least I got one.  Would have been a hell of a lot sweater if I would have came out of that tube.

11-30-18 AM Session: 4-6+ ft, El Capitan
Time in Water: 1.5 hrs
Waves Surfed: 11
Miles Driven: 42
I got up in the dark and had a look at Sand Bar.  Though enticing it was still rather high, mushy and not all that big.  There were some good ones to be had, except for the fact that even before the sun peaked above the horizon there were already 15 guys jumping, with another fifteen on the rocks suiting up and another thirty in the parking lot and another hundred watching the cam at home.  I bagged it and decided to go for a mid day surf at El Capitan since I didn’t have to work till one.  I really wanted to surf Naples.  The wind was howling out of the WNW making it not an option.  I pulled up with the mindset that I was paddling no matter how bad the crowd was.  Upon coming out of the woods trail I was greeted with 100 plus of my closest friends in the water and another forty guys on the rocks. At the moment there isn’t any sand in the Cove leaving all the good ones from mid point up.  I suck at surfing this section and with little experience up there never really no were to sit.  With ten guys battling for every wave it was very hectic to say the least.  My best wave I made it through my first barrel section, hit it and then as I was pulling into my second tube some ass burned me while looking right at me in the tube.  We could have shook hands he was so close.   End result I got stuffed and washed up on the inside cobbles.   Then I was sitting kind of under the River Mouth when a solid set came through.  I was way too deep.  Some guy snagged it way above the Mouth and was setting up for a sick barrel.  I paddled to the shoulder stay out of his way when some moron decided he was going to drop in on that shoulder and my path was right under his.  End result the nose of my board got creased as it stuck into the bottom is his under water.  The only up side was that I somehow managed to not getting dragged over the falls with him.  It was fucking lawless out there.  I remember when El Cap was more decadent then the other points.  In today’s world its just too over populated for anywhere to be sacred anymore.  After that I got a midsize wave and did a few turns before it flattened out at the top of the Cove where normally it would have stood up and been a barrel or rip-able wall for another hundred yards. When I kicked out I noticed my tail pad was beginning to come unglued.  Why is it that I can surf tons of shitty small wave session and have no issues with my equipment, but then on the day of days everything falls apart.  Did I mention how much I had swells yet.   The only upside to the entire session was that I found nearly a whole bar of wave on the walk back to my car.  So I had that going for me.

11-29-18 AM Session: 4-6+ ft, Rincon
Time in Water: 1 hr
Waves Surfed: 12
Miles Driven: 30
I actually though today was going to be a wash out.  All the weather predictions pointed to hard south winds and rain squalls.  When I woke up the wind was WNW and it was sunny.  I had a look at Sand Bar, but it was still smaller then I would have liked it to be.  I headed to Rincon on a wing and prayer.  It was way more windy there.  The Cove was side shore/off shore though a bit all over the place and disorganized.  It was solid head plus with only about ten guys out.  The water dog shit brown and the River Mouth had opened.  I wanted to get a few and decided to chance it and jump in.  Finding the right wave was very tricky, though there were some really nice ones to be had if you happened to be in the right spot.  My first half of the surf I kept picking the average ones.  Mostly ones that either died out or closed out.  Randy Townsend from NJ made the trek over for the swell.  Just like a good east coast guy he was out there.  Then this massive rain squall hit and it was pouring so hard I could barely see and the wind went super hard west tearing the surf up.  Right after it passed it glassed off momentarily and I got my three best waves of the whole surf and with out a doubt the best waves I have caught out at Rincon this season.  I left grinning from ear to ear and as of press time still have yet to contract a sinus infection or staff.  I was hoping to sneak in a before dark surf at Sand Bar, but got roped into working till past six.  I love surfing.  Unfortunately I need money to live.

11-28-18 AM Session: 4-6+ ft, Hobsons
Time in Water: 1 hr
Waves Surfed: 8
Miles Driven: 39
These days I get “swell anxiety” and Surfline is blowing up a swell and the entire pacific looks purple.  Half the battle for me is figuring out how to get the most surf with my busy schedule and beat the massive crowds.  This swell had everyone from all over California, the US and the world flying in for it.  Once again it was way way way over hyped.  In a way that is good cause how many times are you going to travel here from aways to surf and get average at best conditions before decding not to bother and just stay home.  I am pretty sure all of California got surf from this swell so there was no point to come crowd where I live.  Anyhow the swell finally got here and of course it was still small in town.  I had a look at Hammonds.  It was waist high plus with an easily forty and greater crowd on it.  From there I had a look at Rincon where there had to be easily 150-200 guys out.  With the rising tide Little Con was already looking fat and had thirty guys on it.  I heard Pitas was fat and had about 80 heads out.  From what I could tell Ventura Point was the call.  I had to work and therefore didn’t have that kind of time. I jumped in at Hobsons, which to it’s credit had some bombing overhead rights and lefts coming in.  The swell was kind of hitting all over the reef making the take off area about 100 yards wide.  The crowd was right with only eight guys or so three of whom I normally surf with.  It was far from epic, but for my time allotment it was perfect.  I ended up getting three cherry lefts I was stoked with and on bomb of a right that had to be easily five feet over my head on the take off.  I wish I had all day to surf but I had double header day of prep and gig.  From what I heard the wind went pretty hard south in the afternoon anyway.

11-27-18 PM Session: 2-3+ ft, Little Rincon
Time in Water: 1.5 hrs
Waves Surfed: 24
Miles Driven: 39
Last night when I went to bed I wasn’t sure if I was going to wake up to twenty foot Lead Better or two foot.  As you guessed from the numbers it was the latter.  The buoys though showing some potential with long period fore runners were still small locally.  With another stupid high, high tide I decided to finally get off my ass and bring my car into the body shop for repairs.  I have been staring at that beat up front panel for far too long.  It ha seriously affect my entire life and state of being.  I dropped that off and picked up this Volkswagon Jetta from Enterprise.  All I required in my rental was a car that the seats went down in and it met that criteria.  I had no idea what a shitty pick up the car has.  Either that or I am so spoiled from driving my SI that I forget how much normal cars suck to drive.  I got home from that ordeal and the tide was still super high and buoys small.  Kevin Angers board still needed finishing and I put my efforts toward that.   Unfortunately I ran out of epoxy resin and couldn’t get the job done. Sorry bud.  By then it was two and time to go for a look about.  I started at Rincon, which though small may have been fun if there wasn’t like eighty guys on it.  No ready battle the masses for sub par waves I had a look at Little ‘Con.  There was one guy out, my boy Chris and though far from good it looked fun enough to not bother driving around any more.  I grabbed my Pop Fizz again since it went so well yesterday, though I probably should have grabbed my more short board like fish.  The Sand there is kind of shitty right now.  there is a deep whole right next to the molar rock and then too much straight shallow sand in the mid setction.  This made the wave mushy on the take off and then just race off or dump.  Its in my opinion about as bad as the sand can be there.  I would rather there be no sand at all at least the wave would be wobbly but would peel better.  That being said I managed two really decent tubes and stuck a sick bs air reverse.  I’m telling you the new Pop Fizz is incredible.

11-26-18 PM Session: 1-2+ ft, Rincon
Time in Water: 2 hrs
Waves Surfed: 24
Miles Driven: 84
I won some real car surfing medals today.  I checked everything all the way to Port Hueneme back to River Mouth before deciding to get my errands done first then look at it again.  The wind was off shore and there was a small but what would have been fun combo swell in the water had the tide not been a 6.5 ft at 11:30.  Still I probaly should have paddled Surfers Knoll on my second look.  That being said it was far from great and easy to drive away from.  After I finished all of my errands I had another look at the Harbor, my third one of the day.  By then the wind came up hard enough NW to trash the place.  I stopped off at Emma, but it was already a bit too low and the wind was trashing what little bit was on offer.  On a last ditch effort I went to Rincon figuring it would be a perfect opportunity to try out my new Clarks Surfboards Pop Fizz model fish.  It is now in its fifth generation.  There was a knee to waist high wave up top with only a handful of guys on it.  I grabbed my fish and went for it.  All I can say is the fifth generation is the best yet.  This board rode the weak ass mushy junk amazing.  I was doing four to five turns on waves that barely offer two.  I had a blast thanks impart to that Pop Fizz.

11-25-18 PM Session: 2-3+ ft, Silver Strand
Time in Water: 1.5 hrs
Waves Surfed: 21
Miles Driven: 78
Another obnoxious morning high tide left everything as swamped as swamped can be.  With a steadily receding wnw swell that was never all that great to begin with and a fast dropping to negative low tide in the afternoon the window of opportunity had to be chosen carefully.  My lady was getting back from San Diego early in the morning.  I had though I might wake up really early and meet in down in Ventura.  Who am I kidding I am as lazy as fuck when it comes to the dawn patrols.  Instead we slept in till nearly 11 am before starting our trek south.  The wind was finally light after days of hard onshore.  I checked the Harbor first just to get my bearings.  Emma looked fun on the way down, but it was absolutely packed.  River Mouth was all walled and New Jetty also rather closed out and crowded.  From there I had a look at shores.  It was still a bit on the fat side for there.  On a hail Mary I decided to cruise to Strand.  Sure enough the ship had a chest plus wave coming through and was pretty clean, though also still pretty fat.  Out of options I decided to paddle.  The majority of the crowd was more towards the bowl.  I saw a few good ones coming right off the ship and there were only two groms on it.  Stoked I started frothing and got some really fun ones.   Then Carlos came out and put the jinx on cause from then on the tide sucked out super hard making the line up riddled with rips and the wind also began to blow a bit onshore.  Between the two elements it just kept getting worse.  I guess the window was an hour earlier then I got there.

11-24-18 No Surfing: 3-4+ ft
The wind was already all over it when I woke up.  I heard that Strand was off shore very early, not that I had time to surf that before work.  The tide was a whopping 6.8 ft at 9:30 am basically swamping all the points out.  I couldn’t get motivated and just went to work.  From what I head I didn’t miss anything.  As far as work goes I had a nightmare gig.  First I dropped a measuring cup off the top shelf in the kitchen and it hit me in the face just above my eye and cut me.  If it had been a centimeter closer I would have lost my eye.  Then as soon as I opened the doors to the van to unload at the job a canister of balinni batter fell out all over me.  It was all we had and luckily I was able to salvage half and it was enough.  Finally while setting up the mobile propane hot plates I pushed too hard on the lock handle breaking the protective plastic cover, which forced the metal handle through both sides of my thumb.  I could have used a few stitches, but there was no time and the show must go on.  People paid a lot of money for the meal I was to prepare.  I was able to stop the bleeding and put my thumb back together with band aids. It was a rather painful affair but the evening went down famously from there on.  Who needs a thumb anyway?

11-23-18 PM Session: 2-3+ ft, Pitas
Time in Water: 45 mins
Waves Surfed: 15 
Miles Driven: 44
I had to prep for a very high end dinner party in Montecito.  In the morning the wind was already up and waves in town too small to try and sneak a few waves in before my 9 am start.  I was suppose to be finished at 3 pm and meet up with Gabe and Biz for a surf.  Our dishwasher didn’t show up.  Maybe he was taking advantage of all the Black Friday deals and decided he saved so much he didn’t need to work.  That cost me easily an exta hour.  I was going to bag the surf all together.  Every report I got was super windy at beaches and windy and small at the points.  Gabe was all finished shaping and ready to head back.  I knew it would be my only chance to get a surf in with him.  I ran down to Pitas for the last bit of light and enjoyed a micro solo mission with him in some as per usual really terrible surf.  Our schedules are so busy it seems the only time we get to squeeze in a surf together is when its windy, small and crappy.  Still it was a cool sunset and fun to share a few waves with my boy.  Later that night Gabe bailed back to Santa Cruz, while Biz and I mixed it up at the Kitty.

11-22-18 PM Session: 2-3+ ft, Rincon
Time in Water: 1 hr
Waves Surfed: 17
Miles Driven: 30
Last night My girl, Biz, Gabe and I went big out at the Kitty.  Luckily the surf was barely waist high in the morning. Some short period WNW wind swell was to fill in through out the day.  I went back into ding repair mode, while keeping an eye on the buoys.  By three thirty I noticed enough swell to warrant at least a look at Rincon.   I got there and it was about waist plus in the cove with the occasional bigger set.  There were about thirty guys spread out through out the Cove and a few up top.  A bit crowded for the crap that was coming through.  If I hadn’t driven I wouldn’t have paddled.  I grabbed my fish and headed up top.  There were some chest high ones through the River Mouth and they were not getting too torn up by the wind.  I got some work done up there before drifting into Cove where I found a few more.  It was nothing phenomenal, though definitely better then I thought.

11-21-18 No Surfing: 1-2 ft
More small surf had me doing ding repair yet again.  What a terrible month of surf this has been.

11-20-18 No Surfing: 2-3 ft
I had work in the morning and come the afternoon there was some wind on it and it was looking waist at best on all the cams and buoys.  I went home and got a little ding repair done that I have been putting off for weeks.

11-19-18 PM Session: 2-3+ ft. Oxnard Shores
Time in Water: 1 hr
Waves Surfed: 21
Miles Driven: 76
There was still a bit of combo swell in the water and when I got off from work the winds were light.   I headed south. Rincon was small and crowded.  Ventura Harbor was walled at River Mouth and a bit drained at New Jetty.  On a wing and a prayer I decided to have a look at the Shores.  The sand has been decent out there all season.  Though a bit on the small side there were still some waist to chest high sets and it was pretty clean.  I called Angers and he met me for a sunset session.  I grabbed my short board cause some of the sets were pretty steep and fast.  I didn’t take into account the incoming tide slowing things down or I would have taken my fish.  I got a few, but if I had rode the fish I would have better utilized the surf.

11-18-18 AM Session: 3-5+ ft, Jalama
Time in Water: 2 hrs
Waves Surfed: 25
Miles Driven: 126
There was bit less swell in the water today with some fresh NW predicted to slowly come up as the day went on.  The winds looked light up north and I figured it my best bet for getting the largest surf.  My girl and I cruised and we also brought along her sister.  Jalama is a fantastic place to just chill for the day.  We got there and it had a solid pack on it.  There were at least twenty guys at Cracks and another six plus two stand up guys out at T’s.   There was bit of SSW wind causing some bump and crumble on the face.  I was torn between Tarantulas and Cracks.  Though some solid ones were coming out at T’s It was pretty inconsistent and sort of all over the reef.  It looked like positioning was going to be a real bitch and its tough enough to be in the right spot out there when its prefect.  Cracks had some solid head plus lefts and rights with plenty of waves, plus the crowd had dropped to ten.  For the first half of the session I just couldn’t seem to find anything.  I was constantly in the wrong spot or just picked the wrong ones.  Then I got into a groove and began lucking into some decent ones.  Still the sand out there is making the waves way more mushy then it should  be.  It was fun all the same.  When I got home I heard that Santa Clara River Mouth was all time.  I couldn’t get a hard evidence first hand witness, but my boss had no reason to lie.  Pat was my best bet for a report, but he was out at T’s.  Whatever I got plenty of waves the past few days. Looks like its going to fun for the next week anyway.

11-17-18 AM Session: 3-4+ ft, Oxnard Shores
Time in Water: 2 hrs
Waves Surfed: 31
Miles Driven: 76
There was still a fair bit of Combo swell in the water as I was heading down to the Harbor so see what was happening I got a call that Shores were fun.  I was a bit down on it at first.  It looked a bit walled and all over the place.  It was glassy and not wanting to drive around and let the wind come up and ruin it I decided to just paddle.   I saw enough pick and choose corners to stoke me out.  As it turned out there was plenty of cross up allowing for super peaky left and right barrels.  Somehow despite the fifty plus crowd I found a peak all to myself and just went to town.  I would say it was the best surf I have had in at least a month.  After being sick for nearly ten days I needed it.  The rest of my day was spent running errands before attending a killer back yard party for my girl’s uncle.  Good weekend fun.

11-16-18 AM Session: 3-5+ ft, Oxnard Shores
Time in Water: 1 hr
Waves Surfed: 14
Miles Driven: 76
I love it when I get up early only to waste all my time car surfing.  There was a bit of WNW in the water.  The only point really showing it was Rincon and it was packed and inconsistent.  I checked everything to Emma with no avail.  I was going to back when Ryan talked me into having a look at the Harbor, which was eight foot, macking and walled.  I decided to check Shores since I had already gone that far.  Though still some what fast it looked more peaky and almost fun, solid over head on sets.  As I suited up of course the wind decided to go south causing a bit of surface texture, coupled with the dropping tide it became more and more closed out as my session progressed.  I had few and even managed one left barrel, but over all it was far from good and I missed the boat by not have gone that way in the first place.  The rest of my day was spent working.

11-15-18 AM Session: 2-3+ ft, Silver Strand
Time in Water: 2 hrs
Waves Surfed: 23
Miles Driven: 78
Finally I got to surf today.  First I was sick,  then it was flat or sub par.  What a terrible fall this has been.  I guess the summer was sort of consistent so we had to pay for that somewhere.  There was some fresh WNW swell filling all day and some south swell that has been around the past few days.  The wind was offshore early so I headed to the Harbor.  Once again as soon a I got there the wind turned on shore making things terrible.  Its too bad because there looked like some real decent nugs at River Mouth.  Angers was checking the Shores where the same effect was happening.  We decided to gamble on North Strand. There was enough west in both the south and North swells to throw a few bones to the North End.  Far from epic there was a chest plus wave to surf.  The shape could have been better with many waves walled or very fast.  Every now and then a corner came through that was palatable.  It was just amazing to be back in the water.  My surfing was fine, but I was very weak still.  Whatever bug took me down last week really did a number on me. I suppose I am on the mend.

11-14-18 No Surfing: 2-3 ft
More small conditions and average wind at best, plus an early work day kept me out of the water.  Maybe I will make a real effort to surf tomorrow.  I can’t believe how bad the waves have been the past three weeks.

11-13-18 No Surfing: 2-3 ft
Miles Driven: 76
I cruised down in the hopes of getting some small fun off shore south swell.  Of course as soon as I got to the Harbor the wind switched on Shore.   I drove over to the Shores the wind was still off shore, but the waves were barely waist high and gutless.  Emma was small and crowded as was Indicator.  I decided to cut my losses and go to work early.

11-12-18 No Surfing: 1-2 ft
I had to go down south to get my car looked at by a body guy.  With any luck I can have it in the shop by early next week the latest. I’m so tired of driving it around all busted up.  Everything looked super small on the way down and the wind turned onshore as soon as I got to Ventura.

11-11-18 No Surfing: 2-3 ft
Today was the first time in a week that I actually considered going for a surf.  Had Ryan not called and tell me that it was small and not worth getting more sick for I would have surfed.  That being the case I let myself have one more day of rest.  Hopefully tomorrow I can get wet.  I haven’t surfed in a week now and feel like that is what I need to begin the healing process.

11-10-18 No Surfing: 1-2 ft
I had one gig get canceled on me yesterday because of the fires.  Luckily I was able to pick up another.  I was with out a doubt still hurting and not looking foward to the ten hour day I was to endure.  I got through it and at least I can say that I am beginning to be on the mend.

11-9-18 No Surfing: 1-2 ft
Still sick I had no choice but to go to work on a very import and well paying 14 hour day.  While I was sick there was yet another shooting in Thousand Oaks and two major fires broke out in both north LA and northern California.  I struggled through my work day the best I could.  I had an evening dinner in the Valley for some cycling organization where I guess some very famous riders were attending.   The chef I worked under was a one star Michelin chef from the SF area Matt Accorino.  It was a pretty cool gig and I did well considering my weakened state.

11-8-18 No Surfing: 2-3 ft
Another day on the couch sick as a dog.  I was in bad shape to say the least.  The last thing on my mind was surfing.

11-7-18 No Surfing: 2-3 ft
Last night was miserable. My throat was on fire, I was coughing up a storm and in and out of fever.  I had no choice but to call out of work.  With no improvement I decided to call out for tomorrow as well.

11-6-18 No Surfing: 2-3 ft
My health had been steadily waning the past few days and today followed suit.  The surf looked rather small down south anyway and with work looming for the entirety of the day I figured it best to rest and not force a surf.  It was a good thing I did too cause it took every bit of strength I had just to make it through my work day.  When I got home I curled up on the couch.

11-5-18 No Surfing: 2-3+ft
I woke up and was feeling a bit lethargic and rather under the weather.  Being that we were having a romantic holiday my lady and I took our time waking up.  We had nice leisurely breakfast at the hotel cafe.   Then we decided to walk around and explore the grounds of the Madonna.  On the way home we had a look at Pismo.  There was a rip-able yet crowded wave at the pier.  Had I been feeling healthy I would have been all over it.  Considering how run down I was I decided to pass and we headed home.

11-4-18 AM Session: 2-3+ ft, Scotts Creek
Time in Water: 1 hr
Waves Surfed: 12
Miles Driven: 22 (from Davenport)
Though the surf was small I wanted to get a surf in with Gabe while I was in town.  There was some minor wind swell/south swell combo in the water to contend with.  Up in north county as long as the wind isn’t bad you can usually find something to grovel.  We cruised with his boy Nathan and headed for Waddell first.  On the way I noticed that Scotts had an alright wave with a light crowd.  Between the high tide and short period of the swell all of the Waddell spots were lacking.  The boys though that there may be just enough south for Ano Nuevo to have a wave.  I actually have never surfed there and always wanted to.  It was pretty small and not worth the effort.  The consensus was to go back to Scotts and paddle.  Of course by this time the wind had begun to come up.  We jumped in and the wind continued to get harder.  All three of us found a few fun ones right off the bat.  I guess we made it look too much fun cause with in a half hour there had to be easily fifteen guys on it.  The water was freezing and I had woke up with a bit of a sore throat that I had hoped was just because my body was not used to the frigid climate up that away.  Gabe ended up hitting a rock early on in the session and messed up his nose.  Nate and I stayed out for a few more.  Between the wind and the cold I was having a miserable time and decided to bail.  The rest of our day was spent heading back down south to SLO where we had reservations for the night at the historical Madonna Inn.  My girl and I have always wanted to stay there and since I have been doing alright at work I decided to splurge for a change.

11-3-18 PM Session: 3-5+ ft, Asilomar State Beach
Time in Water: 45 mins
Waves Surfed: 10
Miles Drived: 28 (from Andrew Molera)
After we left Big Sur we were famished.  One can’t visit the Monterey Peninsula with out getting some sea food.  We decided to stop in Pacific Grove for some clam chowder and fried fish goodness.   After that Asilomar was only down the street and considering the non-session I had earlier I thought if it was fun I may jump in for a few before dark.  The wind swell was really being focused there and the sets were solid head plus.  It was also very disorganized with no semblance of a real line up.  Feeling full and tired I was about the bag it when this random dude parked behind me began hyping it up to me.  I guess he had just gotten out, but seriously what local hypes up a break to a non-local?  Dude got so into it I felt like if I didn’t paddle I was letting him down.  When I got out there I was correct in my thoughts on how disorganized it was.  There were some real bombs out there. Positioning was a bitch as was paddling back out after a wave.  I managed one really good right that had me super stoked, a bomb that I managed three solid turns on.  From there we headed to Gabe’s place in Santa Cruz for the night.

11-3-18 AM Session: 1-3+ ft, Andrew Molera State Beach
Time in Water: 1.5 hrs
Waves surfed: 18
Miles Driven: 68 (from San Simeon)
The swell was on the down side, but there was enough steep NW wind swell that Big Sur should have something.  The wind was on it early making Willow, Pacific Valley and Sand Dollar not an option.  With a near negative low tide mid day I decided to make a run for Andrew Molera.  Most likely I knew it was going to a full on skunking, but its a nice hike to one of the prettiest beaches I have ever been to.  Worst case scenario it would be a nice moment to share with my lady.  As we were walking down the mile plus long trail I ran into this dude Jeff from Point Pleasant Beach, NJ whom I used to surf with back when I lived in that neck of the woods.  Turns out he lives in San Clemente now.  Small world.  We got to the beach and it was tiny, maybe waist at best.  I sort of figured that was how it would be.  Being the hike was so long we hung out a bit and saw a few sets and the occasional chest high wave.  It was Jeff’s first time to Big Sur and he wanted to jump in.  Normally I would have hike out of there and gone someplace else, but for old time sake I paddled.  It was pretty grovelly out there for sure.  With the tide push there were a few sets and the thing about Molera is that it’s a perfect wave at any size.  We must have made it look too much fun cause after an hour another six guys decided to crowd the line up.  I have surfed that place eight foot and absolutely firing by myself.  another sign of the times I guess.

11-2-18 No Surfing: 2-3+ ft
I had a look at the cams and reports and things looked a bit smaller then yesterday.  I had 300 sandwiches and 200 salads to make for an event on Saturday.  My girl and I were suppose to head up north to make a delivery of boards to both Santa Cruz and SLO.  Rather then surf average at best waves I decided to go in early so that I could get out early and we could get on the road.  I had made a reservation at Madelines in Cambria for eight and believe me the food there may be the absolute best on the central coast.  Later that night after dinner we some how waked into an all night banda party and danced the night away in San Simeon.

11-1-18 AM Session: 2-3+ ft, Santa Clara River Mouth
Time in Water: 1 hr
Waves Surfed: 19
Miles Driven: 64
After last night’s Halloween fun I almost didn’t make down to surf this morning.  I reached down deep inside and dragged myself to the beach.  There was a glassy chest plus wave in front of the Knoll with only a handful of guys on it.  As I was walking down the the waters edge I saw someone absolutely sleighing it down by the River Mouth.  I got California sold and ran down. Turns out it was Lakey absolutely owning this peak in front of the reeds.  There was another similar peak just south of hers and I paddled that not wanted to crowd someone who was obviously enjoying a fun solo session.  It was super peaky and fun up and down the beach.  I had a ball and had I not needed to get out to go to work I would have surfed another few hours.