Surfing Ruined My Life

April 2014 Surf Sessions

4-30-14 PM Session: 6-8+ ft, Magics, Point Sal
Time in Water: 15 mins
Waves surfed: 3
See blog The Point Sal Idiot Mission
4-29-14 AM Session: 2-4+ ft, Rincon

Time in Water: 2 hrs
Waves Surfed: 48
Another day at Indy Left.  I really thought with the Santa Anna’s Oxnard would have been to call. Ryan soon thwarted those hopes reporting the Strand small and Shores too fat with the tide, Santa Clara closed out.  I didn’t have to work till three thanks to this dumb midnight breakfast we do at the end of every semester.  Trevor and I met and Indicator and it was solid with no one out.  Conditions were cleaner then yesterday with almost better lines although a little smaller.  It was on.  There was no sense in driving around for average waves when it looked good right on our own door step.  As much as I am not a fan of Indy Left I had a fucking ball and even got shacked off my ass on one.  We had the place to pretty much ourselves and a few other locals for over an hour.  Then three pack after three pack began to trickle down the stairs till it was a zoo out there.  Over it I got out to leave.  As I was walking up the beach I noticed some waves coming in by the River Mouth.  I walked over there and sure enough it was peeling and not bad looking.  I paddled and on my third wave got it from River Mouth to high cove.  Then snagged a few other good ones.  It didn’t take long for Trevor to follow suit.  By this point I was pretty tired and despite how fun it was I decided to pull the plug as to not do me an injury.  One of the more fun days I have had this month.

4-28-14 AM Session: 3-4+ ft, Rincon
Time in Water: 1 hr
Waves Surfed: 23
Indicator left, my favorite wave in this whole area.  If only.  I fucking hate that left.  Its not a bad wave, but its not a great one either.  Maybe I am just a goofy who hates lefts?  Anyhow I had this feeling that I should check Rincon left.  The channel was still pretty churned up and I had a somewhat late start again. I had a look.  There was one guy out not getting shit although waves were coming in and one guy checking it.  I was debating running to Emma though with a lack of time it looked fun enough where I was so I paddled.  I had a few alright ones.  Trevor and David paddled.  I saw Bobby getting ready to give it a go.  Too bad he didn’t paddle earlier I would have liked to see him kill that wave.  I suppose it was the best of the worst as I got two reports claiming Emma was not very good.

4-27-14 AM Session: 2-3 ft, Mesa Lane
Time in Water: 1 hr
Waves Surfed: 25
To tell you the truth I was not really chomping at the bit to go surf this morning.  The tide was pretty high, the wind was on it and the swell was all over the place.  There was south ground, NW ground, NW wind swell, West wind swell.  The channel was a fucking whirl pool.   My back was still hurting.  I knew Emma was one of the few logical options, but on a Sunday I was not super frothy to see what kind of crowd one of the few games in town was going bring out.  I had a feeling there was enough swell to have a little something to surf at the Lane.  I pulled up and it was do-able.  There were a handful of idiot bros on long boards messing around clogging the main peak in front of the stairs.  Why the fuck would anyone waste their time at a wave like Mesa Lane on a Long Board when there are literally a half dozen other spots that would be way more fun on such equipment.   Fuck the lane is a close out most of the time at best with a quick hit section.  FUCKING KOOKS!  Anyway Dorky’s Left on the the East end of the beach had a few coming off it.  Actually this season it seems that is where the best waves are.  The sand must be hugging the reef just right.  Usually that left is just too fast to get anything worthwhile off.  I had a few, but overall it was weak, choppy and very below average.   Beat not surfing though and I was reminded how well I can surf really terrible conditions.  Apparently Trevor “got the barrel of his life” at the Gold Coast.

4-26-14 AM Session: 2-3+ ft, Rincon
Time in Water: 1 hr
Waves Surfed: 14
What crazy weather we have been having out here lately.  Last night it actually rained, in late April?  Absurd.  I guess now that we picked up a whole inch the drought is over…This morning the wind was howling out of the NW.  Town was offshore, but small.  I cruised to Rincon and hoped for the best in the Cove despite the high tide.  I pulled up and the lot was rather empty, but a few regulars were suiting up to give it a go.  It was a bit sloppy and fat.  Considering what was on offer it was with out a doubt the best I was going to do.  I paddled the Cove and found a few alright ones.  The current was tough on my slowly mending back.  After about an hour of fighting the current and a couple of long rides I was spent. Then I got to work and found out we had six call outs leaving me a skeleton staff of an already pretty picked dry group.  We did our best to compensate.  As a result I found myself still at work scrubbing the kitchen floor at 9 pm.  Maybe this management thing was not all it was cracked up to be.

4-25-14 AM Session: 2-3 ft, Little Rincon
Time in Water: 1 hr
Waves Surfed: 23
I decided to play surfing roulette again this morning.  This time at Little ‘Con. I noticed a bit more west on the buoy then yesterday and La Conchita was solid.  Ryan said New Jetty was not really worth the drive and Trevor was at Emma again.  I was headed that way when I decided to just have a quick look at Little Rincon.  As I pulled up a saw two chest high waves roll through the line up clean and pealed.  The tide was pretty high, but it was definitely do-able. No one was out and there was real potential with the dropping tide.  I debated for about fifteen minutes before finally paddling.  After all I saw a handful of waves that were at least ride-able.  With no one out I had my pick of the litter.  I jumped in and it was a little close to the molar rock.  Although a bit slow between sets I was getting at least three to five solid hits on every wave and every now and then found one that opened up all the way to Mussel Shoals.  Little ‘Con is a bit of nostalgia for me of the jetty breaks I left behind in New Jersey.  I have always surfed the place well.  Its funny to get a spot like that all to yourself when two months ago on days ten times worse the what I was enjoying it would have been mobbed.  Got to love the late season.

4-24-14 AM Session: 1-3 ft, Rincon
Time in Water: 1 hr 15 mins
Waves Surfed:  21
I gambled this morning and I lost.  The sure bet was Emma Wood, but I was not in the mood or feeling up to dealing with a crowd of frothing groms, pros and everything in between.  Rincon had a few fun looking windswelly lines coming in with a very light crowd.  I thought with the dropping tide it could get really fun.  It was one of those session that could have gone either way.  Unfortunately for me it went the wrong way.  Still I found a few kill-able ones through the low River Mouth my usual go to spot for small gutless Rincon cause at least there is a good close out air section.  I found a few good little punts.  It was far from anything amazing, but it was pretty out, the water super clear, there were whales swimming around and I for my purposes it was a fine little session.

4-23-14 AM Session: 2-3+ ft, Pitas
Time in Water: 2 hrs
Waves Surfed: 27
I was thinking maybe a Rincon round 3 this morning until I fielded a text from Trevor saying it was terrible.  He cruised to Emma, Ryan was having a look at the Strand.  I gave some of the lesser points, Little Rincon and Pitas in the mean time.  Ryan said Strand had plenty of swell but was all over the place.  Emma was small, drained with the tide and had a few too many groms on it then one would prefer.  If the tide was coming in I would have paddled, but it still had an hour and half to go.  To me Pitas looked the best and after a little convincing I had Trevor on board.   We paddled and it was a bit lumpier with the south wind then I had hoped.  I shit pretty good on my first one courtesy of such.  Then I readjusted my approach and started having fun.  Jason Feist of J7 surf boards was out and I had not surfed with that dude in years and have not seen him since the fall.  It was good to surf with my shaper, who assured me my new board was being cut as we speak.  Pumped I frothed a bit and stuck a really nice big clean BS Air Reverse.  It was far from good and definitely the best of the worst, but I had a good time. Tonight I am bringing back the first installment of a new season of family dinners at my place.  Its a small group for the moment, Brad, Ashley, Mark, JP, my girl and myself.   I hope it goes off good.

4-22-14 PM Session: 2-3+ft, Mesa Lane
Time in Water: 1 hr 15 mins
Waves Surfed: 15
I was planning on going back to Rincon for another session as I was leaving my apartment the wind went hard south west.  Not wanting to waste gas on another slop fest I decided to go back inside and fuck around on my sax and do a bit of work in the garden, which by the way is looking the best it ever has.  Around 6:30 the wind clocked around off shore in town so I decided to give the Lane a look.  It was nothing special and a bit crowded, but with plenty of peaks on offer.  There was a sick looking against the grain left east of the stairs with no one on it.  Bobby was killing the right west of the stairs.  I padded and found a few sick little lefts till the wind got hard out of the NW putting too much cross wind on it.  I drifted around the east corner to a little right reef that takes such wind a tad better though a bit shallow and rocky.  It was cleaner but nothing special.  After a few there I decided to bail.  As I was leaving up the stairs I saw a few whales cruising just outside the line up and a few good lefts roll in making me think I should have stayed put.  The thing about the Lane is that it always looks better the higher up the stairs you climb.

4-22-14 AM Session: 2-3+ ft, Rincon
Time in Water: 2.5 hrs
Waves Surfed: 31
I knew from last night that I was most likely hitting Rincon again.  The buoys were still holding and after just getting a taste yesterday I needed more.  Unfortunately when I woke up the wind was SW and things all churned up in front of my house.  I slept a little later before making my way to ‘Con.  I got there and the lot was pretty empty.  The majority of the people that were there were leaving.   Considering the tide I really didn’t know where else to go anyway so I gave it a look.  The wind had definitely beat it up a little and it was with out a doubt half the size of the previous day.  Still the lines were long, faces clean and crowd almost nonexistent.  To not paddle would have been a crime as I explained to Trevor.  We went out and found a few, although it took me about an hour to get in a rhythm.  Trevor meanwhile jumped into high gear early and was killing it.  I had a sick little tube through the inside that I managed to get orstriched on and nearly broke my neck.  My back and shoulders are all tweaked from it.  Besides that I would say it was a splendid session.  The sun was shinning, the water clean, everyone in good spirits.  Nothing but pure stoke.  Finally the lunch shift came out and clogged it thus signaling my time to go. Good times. Oh and Shaun Tomson burned me on a good one as usual.  Whooot!

4-21-14 AM Session: 4-6+ ft, Rincon
Time in Water: 1 hr 15 mins
Waves Surfed: 15
I woke up and checked the buoys not really knowing what to expect.  I knew there was going to be swell but I had no idea if it was going to be a point or a beach break day.  As soon as I got the read out I looked at my girl and said “I think Rincon is going to be all time”.  Sure enough it was as good as the Cove can get.   Trevor and I met up in the lot and just went for it.  I would have checked it for a photo but there was this accident on the 101 where apparently three people died and it shut down the freeway between Carrillo and Castillo pretty much the entire day.  Fucking inconsiderate dead people made me lose a half hour of surf time.  It is not like they still wouldn’t be dead after I surfed.  The cove was sick looking but a bit congested.  It looked pretty solid up top too and way more spread out.  Turns out the wind was a little funky up there as was the angle.  It may have been pulling in too much combo swell up there thus breaking up the lines.  Plus there was a slight bit of south wind that was not as bad in the Cove.  I wasn’t get shit up top and getting rather frustrated.  Meanwhile Trevor was managing to find a few.  Finally I got stroked into a racy one that went all the way from high River Mouth to high Cove.  Besides being long it was just a speed wall.  Then I was sitting in Cove getting all Frustrated since I got burned on my first two in there.  After a brief tantrum to Trevor this wave appeared.  I could tell right away it was going to be a grower.  Somehow the guys deeper then me couldn’t get into it and I was next in line.  As I paddled into it I was a little deep as it began to suck up on the shallow sand bar.  Some dude was trying to paddle in on the shoulder and I gave him a yell.  Before getting to the bottom I high pumped it and sling shot myself right past the first section in perfect position to blow the top off the on coming lip.  From there I hit it serially all the way to double call box (even if the call boxes are not there anymore).  It was definitely the best wave I have caught all season and maybe the best backhand wave of my entire life.  I literally rode it flawless.  Each turn was crisp and flowed right into the next with more speed out of each one.  Then I ended it with a huge tail free reo, which I recovered backwards then fell cause my legs were so tired.  Some times all it takes is one and that was the one!  What a wave.  If it were a few years ago I would have called out of work, but the shackles of responsibility I have put on myself said other wise.  I guess that is what growing up is all about.  Like I said no photo today cause my time was really limited and I wanted to make the most of it.

4-20-14 No Surfing: 3-4+ ft
Talk about a fucking night in Fancytown with the boys.  Bizarro, Kirby, their neighbor, Diego and I went for a drunken romp at the Cat last night.  I am not going to lie I knew I was going to drink till I was drunk as a skunk.  I did my usual bottle of Rum and a few shots for good measure.  By last call I am sure I was a fucking mess and the walk home sloppy as ever.  Good times.  Needless to say there was no fucking way in hell I was surfing this morning.  I most likely blew it according to the report.  Oh well.

4-19-14 AM Session: 2-4+ ft, New Jetty
Time in Water: 1 hr
Waves Surfed: 15
This morning was just one of those Blaaaaah sessions.  The waves were average at best.  I surfed average at best milking a sore knee from putting in too many hours on my days off.  I was just feeling over all lackluster.  New Jetty was the best of the worst.  It looked like River Mouth might of had a some corners, but it was all over the place out there and shifty.  I only had an hour and wanted to get the most bang for my buck.  New Jetty was not it.  I had a  couple, but ultimately was just one of those sessions you surf to get credit for surfing.

4-18-14 AM Session: 2-3+ ft, Rincon
Time in Water: 1.5 hrs
Waves Surfed: 22
I sort of had a feeling it was going to be another Rincon Morning today.  The Buoys still looked well enough and with the low tide the options for my time window were little.  I pulled up and took a walk down for a check.  Although not nearly as good as yesterday there were still plenty of racy lines coming in through Indicator and River Mouth.  The crowd was light and it looked fun enough.  Lets face it this time of year any day at Rincon is a bonus.  Not as sore as yesterday I had a better go of things performance wise.  I managed to find my way on plenty of fun ones.  Before I paddled I ran into my old couch guy and friend Ryan.  It was good to see him.  He has always been one of those people who’s company I rather enjoy.  Trevor showed up toward the end of my session having fallen back to sleep.  All in all I would say it was a fine morning of surfing.

4-17-14 AM Session: 3-5+ ft, Rincon
Time in Water: 1 hr
Waves Surfed: 14
Wow remember a while back when I was taking about those sneaker sessions well this morning was one of them.  Spring can be the best time to score Rincon good and empty.   All the hype is going since it is the beginning of the off season, the focus switching to all the south swell focal points.  When there is some residual NW and it does get into the point you can usually have your pick of waves.  Its strictly a local affair.  I was driving to Emma Wood thinking another re-run of yesterday when I did the look back of death while passing Rincon I saw some solid lines coming in up top that had promise.  La Conchita and Little Rincon confirmed my suspicions.  I whipped around and headed back to the ‘Con.  Sure enough it was fucking solid, chest to head with some bigger sets and nice lines.  Cove looked soft from the incoming tide.  Indicator and River Mouth were solid.  Paddled and got a few good ones right off the bat then snagged some solid long ones from Indy to High Cove, even found a barrel or two. Overall I was pretty tired from all the surfing I had done the past few days.  I literally put in close to 8 hours and every surfing muscle in my body ached.  Still I made the most of what I was offered.  Unfortunately it was a work day and I had to adjourn.  On the way to work I almost got killed on the 101.  I was coming up the hill just after Summerland when about six car lengths or so in front of me this mini-van slid out side ways and then was smashed into by a porsche.  the prosche flipped into the  air.  Cars were slamming into each other in front of me.  For whatever reason everything was happening in slow motion in front of me, but I was moving at real time.  I managed to skid around the carnage and off on the nearest exit.  No harm done.  Then I drove to work like nothing had happened.  When I got Westmont it set in how I amost died.  Pretty fucking gnar is all I have to say.  Sorry, no picture today as it was way too good and my time too scarce to waste on a line up shot.

4-16-14 PM Session: 3-4+ ft Silver Strand
Time in Water: 1 hr 15 mins
Waves Surfed: 21
I really wanted to make it a 100 wave day plus given the multiple day flat spell I had just come off I wanted to make the most of the minuscule swell we were given.   The wind was still light and Ryan said that Strand was fun this morning.  I checked the buoys and winds and it looked good.   I grabbed a little lunch and cruised to the Strand.  The Ship looked pretty solid with a very light crowd, and light winds.  I paddled but was a bit whipped from the earlier Emma Wood froth.  I found a some really good ones and I wish I wasn’t so tired so I could have made more use of what was on offer.  I still suck at surfing the Strand though if there are no barrels.

4-16-14 AM Session: 2-3+ ft, Emma Wood
Time in Water: 3.5 hrs
Waves Surfed: 79
It appears lately Emma is the only wave I can surf proficiently.  I drove around a bit before resolving on Emma being the best option.  Truthfully it looked pretty damn fun and I don’t really know why I even bothered looking around.  Its because in the back of my head I always think I can do better.  Trevor and I paddled and basically there were waves everywhere.  When Emma is really good every peak works and is an A-Frame.  Today was just that.  I traded time between the Toll Booth Peak and Life Guard Tower and everything in between.   End result was a a fucking wave orgy.  I can’t remember the last time I frothed so hard.  What a fun little session.  Just think glassy, perfect, consistent, chest to head high bowls up and down the beach.  No matter which direction you looked someone was getting a sick one.  That is a good surf.  I dragged it out till I literally was getting beyond fatigued.

4-15-14 PM Session: 3-4+ ft, Jalama
Time in Water: 1.5 hrs
Waves Surfed: 17
After a little chill time on the beach and what a beautiful beach day it was too.  Jalama is one of the coolest places to just hang out.  Just imagine this pristine beach in the middle of nowhere with hardly anyone around.  When you are out at Cracks besides the train there is little reminder of the civilized world.  I did a little reading and some sun bathing.  I was hoping to make a repast out of this sick ass vegetable sandwich I had left over form a catering event at Westmont yesterday.  Unfortunately the heat form the sun turned it into vegetable mush and I was over it.  Around 2:30 I took a walk over to the right at T’s.  It looked do-able and I figured since I was there why not surf.  There was also some waves still looking palatable at Cracks too.  Although the wind was on it and there was a bit of chop the faces were still clean.  Ultimately after a half hour debate I decided to just paddled Cracks again.  I found a few although nothing super spectacular.  The entire second session could have been left out completely.  Like I said I don’t really get much opportunity to surf all day anymore so when it comes along I like to make the most of it.  The wind came up super hard thus calling it for me.

4-15-14 AM Session: 3-4+ ft, Jalama
Time in Water: 2.5 hrs
Waves Surfed: 41
I woke up rearing to surf this morning.  I need to start getting in the habit of getting up earlier now that NW season is over and SW season is beginning.  Need to stay ahead of the wind.  I checked conditions and to be honest I was not super excited about anything in Ventura.  I looked at Lowers.  It had a good report but looked like ass on the cam.  That was fine cause I was not super into the idea of a two and half hour drive to surf.  Jalama was clean when I first checked it despite a windy forecast.  Vandenberg  confirmed this.  I did my usual morning pre-surf routine of feeding cats and loading up then checked the Jalama Cam again.  It was fogged in and so was my apartment.  On a wing and a prayer I pulled the trigger and went for it.  It was a good thing I did cause even before I got to the beach I received a text from Trevor that Emma was flat.  When I got to the bluff before the campground to check it the fog had lifted.  Things were still very glassy.  Redemption looked fat and small, def not worth the walk.  I looked south towards T’s and Cracks.  Tarantellas was way too churned up and fat to be fun.  There were four guys at cracks, one dude absolutely slaying it.  There were BARRELS!  The surf was a bit mixed up being that there were three short period wind swells in the water and a minor south swell.  It was the best surfing I had seen in nearly a week.  I high tailed it to Cracks and right away saw a very familiar black lab chilling on the beach.  That dude killing it out there was none other then righteous former top ASP World Tour pro Bobby Martinez doing what he does best, absolutely fucking destroying it.  Its too bad he had to be the martyr in the restructuring of the World Tour.  Someone had to do it and obviously it has no put a damper in his surfing.  Dude is just as stoked as ever.  I used to surf with Bobby all the time like 7 years ago, but since then it has been rather sporadic at best.  I made way out there and gave the what ups.  Then proceeded to get shacked coming out and sticking a huge ally-oop on my first wave.  From there I had a few tubes and a couple of other decent ones, but overall had a bit of trouble finding good ones in the very mixed up conditions.  Bobby and his crew bailed and I had the whole place to my lonesome.  I found a few kill-able lefts before the wind eventually got on it and I was too cold to surf anymore.  There was still a sizable fog bank off shore and the kelp was doing a good job of keeping things some what clean.  I decided to hang around and see if conditions stayed decent.  At the very least I figured I could find some wind protection at Tarantella rights.

4-14-14 No Surfing: 2-3 ft
Once again the tide was pretty high and the surf a bit small.  I could have found something at the Harbor and maybe  an Emma Wood grovel.  I was was not really into it.  I slept in.  It was necessary after the shitty evening I had.  The rest of the day was pretty uneventful as shit.  Whoooot!

4-13-14 No Surfing: 1-3 ft
Another smallish day with a dumb morning high tide kept me out of the water.  Instead I got to go into work early to wash dishes cause Diego went out and partied the night before, got his dick sucked and subsequently called in sick to work.  I got a call from Jimmy Jangles at like 8:15 am crying about it.  We couldn’t find anyone to fill in.  Let’s face it who wants to come in and work in the pot sink for 8 hours on a Sunday.  This fucking guy.  If they want to pay me 26 bucks an hour to wash dishes over time I will take it.  I got stuck working an 11 hour day.  When I got home I was exhausted as fuck and was really looking foward to a relaxing evening.  JP and Marco had a copy of Anchor Man 2.  Thinks were shaping up.  I was stoked for a glass of sherry and a good laugh.  Then my lady decided to have crazy time for like four hours and ruined my night.  I swear the next time she pulls this shit I am leaving her.

4-12-14 No Surfing: 1-2 ft
Not much happening out there this morning. On top of that it was another cold foggy morning.  I guess June Gloom is rearing its head early this year to make up for its lack of presence last year.  I checked the buoy and they were small. C-street was small on the cam with a terrible report and the tide was a 4.4ft high at 8:30am not improving the case.  Over it I decided to just curl back up under the covers with my girl.  Judging from the conditions upon waking up again I chose wisely.  Looks like little to speak of till Tuesday.

4-11-14 AM Session: 2-3 ft, New  Jetty
Time in Water: 1hr 20 mins
Waves Surfed: 24
I woke up feeling really tired this morning.  It took every bit of motivation I had to get out of bed and to the ocean.  The report looked less then inviting, it was cold and foggy and there was some wind, not to mention the freezing cold water I would have to paddle in and high tide.  I went straight for the harbor knowing it to be my best option.  Trevor confirmed Emma sucking before meeting me.  The Jetty looked weak but better then yesterday and that is just about how it was.  It was definitely way too poor quality to endure the cold that is for sure.

4-10-14 AM Session: 2-3+ ft, New Jetty
Time in Water: 1.5 hrs
Waves Surfed: 19
I think today might have been the single worst day of surfing I have ever experienced at New Jetty and that is saying a lot cause I surf that place pretty bad all of the time.  It looked bad but I figured its always more fun then it looks.  Today was an exception to that rule.  It was way way way way worse then it looked.  Every factor that makes surfing suck besides it being crowded when into play out there.  The water was freezing; it was overcast; the wind was on it; it was fat, soft and mushy.  Most waves were closed out, but not boost-able.  The ones that didn’t close out died out.  Every now and then a jetty to jetty close out clean up set of five waves would wash through just to piss you off.  Then there was a rip tide and a side current.  Finally I broke my leash towards the end of the session, which may have been a good thing cause it gave me a reason to go in.  I literally didn’t catch one redeemable wave.  Rule of thumb for now on, if I can’t get a picture of the wave that makes it look fun I’m not going out.  Not even Trevor had fun and he always seems to make sense out of terrible waves.

4-9-14 AM Session: 1-3 ft, Rincon
Time in Water: 1hr 45 mins
Waves Surfed: 25
After driving all over the place I can safely say that New jetty was the best of the worst of course I had not been able to make that decision till I was at Rincon.  That being said it was make a decision of quantity over quantity or crap vs crap.  New Jetty had no shape and would have been a bunch of bad windy crap.  Rincon had some shape but was overall small, weak and very inconsistent.  Every so often a solid set would roll in of three waves, but positioning for it was very difficult as they were a good 20 minutes apart.  The rest of the time was spent grovelling bad weak sectiony wind swell like walls or residual from that WSW that has been hanging around the past few days.  I got two set waves that I still managed 6 turns on.  Definitely not worth the paddle in the extremely cold water.  It’s nice that my finger has healed enough that I don’t need to wear a glove anymore.

4-8-14 PM Session: 1-3 ft, Emma Wood
Time in Water: 1.5 hrs
Waves Surfed: 29
I had to go in early today because I was hosting my 2nd annual Westmont Italian Day Lunch.  As JP put it I basically served a year full of my Wednesday dinners into a buffet lunch for 1,4oo people.  I had been planning the thing for about three weeks now.  At first I was pretty nervous about the enthusiasm, integrity and overall ability of the day crew.  They are all good cooks in their own right, but I had no idea how they were to perform for me.  I know my night crew and all of their nuances.   Then upon going in I found everyone busy at my list and highly stoked on the project.  When all was said and done we achieved a very splendid meal. I ran a menu that consisted of Penne Florentine, Shrimp Fra Diavolo, Chicken Marsala, Gravy Meat, Garlic Green Beans, Rosemary Roasted Potatoes, Chicken Parmesan Sandwiches, Spinach  Pizza, White Cherry Pepper Pizza, Anti Pasto Salad and an Herb Stuffed Chicken Breast.  It was quite the feast and rather well received.   The Westmont Jazz Band played the event and I sat in with them.  All in all I would say it was a successful day.  As far as the surf goes on the other hand.  I knew I was going to get fucked since I was relegated to the afternoon with a bit of wind on it and a receding swell.  I checked the Harbor it was bad and windy.  I noticed a few waves at Emma Wood from the freeway and gave it a look.  There were a few kooks out and they were not quite selling it.  I saw a few lefts come in that looked alright and it was not like there was anyplace else to go.  I got out there and the few kooks on it were leaving.  Then  a dude on a surf ski paddled out, a guy on a blow up raft and two kids showed up riding lunch trays.  Talk about an afternoon of alternative equipment and everyone in their own right respectively was doing their best to make the most of the shitty conditions on whatever he was riding. I guess I made it look too much fun cause another 7 guys paddled out while I was out there and all told me just that.  Whatever I got mine.  It was better then not surfing.

4-7-14 No Surfing: 3-4+ ft
Well I totally clowned it this morning.  I woke up pumped to take advantage of the summery morning weather and decent conditions with swell. I did my usual morning routine of feeding cats and what not.  As I was loading up I tossed my new West wet suit on the roof of my car.  I must have forgotten about it up there as I drove away and it blew off someplace on my block cause I doubt it clung up there any longer then that.  I got to the bottom of the hill near 7-11 and happened to look behind me and did not see my suit in the back of my car.  I flipped a bitch and retraced my steps.  Alas my new suit was no where to be found.  I even called my lady right when I realized it was missing to go out and have a look about Oceano for it.  Some one must have snagged it and rightly so.  My block is a busy on with lots of college students constantly about.  I am sure some lucky surfer maybe in need of a new suit themselves found it and has thus benefited as a direct result of my carelessness.  Oh, well, bummer.  No use crying over spilled milk.  The real bummer is that I didn’t get to surf cause the whole ordeal ate up all my time before work.  Should have paid more attention.  Got to love a $230 mistake.  Luckily I ordered a back up suit last week and it should be arriving tomorrow.  Now I am still down a wet suit.

4-6-14 AM Session: 2-3 ft, Emma Wood
Time in Water: 1.5 hrs
Waves Surfed: 32
Believe it or not I actually barely drank last night at the Wild Cat allowing me to wake up bright and early for a surf.  Conditions were prefect and there was some minor swell on the buoy.  I had a feeling Emma might be fun.  I got there ant it was a bit drained.  There were a few guys out and I was not all that sold.  Then this grom who always surfs out there snagged three deep barrels in a row.  I was on it.  I just had a killer session nabbing a tons of fun ones.  I stuck a huge backside air reverse nearly full rotation then on my last wave free fell into a deep backside tube that I came out of dry hair and finished with a straight reverse.  It was no doubt a fun little surf to say the least.

4-5-14 No Surfing: 2-3 ft
 I had to work the early shift since there was a charity benefit for the Santa Barbara Channel Keepers at 5:30pm which I was obliged to attend.  Work was rather uneventful and it was nice to have an easy day.  The charity event was the usual fundraising bull shit.  It was at the Montecito Country.  The atmosphere was nice though the food sucked.  We do a much better job at Westmont any day.  Then my girl and I got in a stupid fight over nothing on the way home.  She insulted me in every way possible rather then stay and say something I might have regretted I bailed and went to the Wild Cat.   No matter what is going on in the the real world the world inside the shitty Kitty always makes sense to me.

4-4-14 AM Session: 1-3+ ft, Santa Clara River Mouth
Time in Water: 1 hr
Waves Surfed: 21
The optimist in me (as small as that entity is) really believed that I was going to find yet another fun session at River Mouth.  The reality was that all of the swell that had graced us the day before had just about dropped out leaving only a trace south and a drained low tide.  I saw a few in the Reeds area and had a paddle.  It was pretty pathetic out there.  A nice preamble to the summer season that is to ensue.  Trevor met me and we both agreed it was far from worth the the frigid water temp.  Then my last three waves were solid little chest high drainers that ran down the sand bar.  River Mouth always seems to throw me a bone.  Work was busy as fuck being we had three private parties.  We nailed it.

4-3-14 AM Session: 3-5+ ft, Santa Clara River Mouth
Time in Water: 1 hr
Waves Surfed: 14
I checked Rincon and was hoping to get some fun waves there.  Yet it was tiny with hardly any swell left at all.  With the tide being so low and some combo action in the water I ran down to the Harbor.  When I pulled up the wind was light offshore and there was plenty of swell.  New Jetty had a wave and a few heads on it.  I looked over at River Mouth and saw peaks all over the place and barrels, LOTS OF BARRELS!  Hayes and a few cats were surfing the peak just south of the mouth.  I was headed there way as I saw a bomb detonate on sand bar just north of the Reeds.  It was followed by three more all freight train lefts.  I soloed it.  Once I got out there it was a bit bigger then I thought, a bit faster and a bit more shifty.   Still the surf was very manageable.  You just had to pick and choose your ride wisely.  I had two really good rights followed by a deep drainer right that I was unable to come out of.  After that I focused on the lefts and had a handful of really good barrels.  I was bummed I had to work for it was definitely a morning I could have surfed for easily three hours.  Walking up the beach back to my car I saw Trevor get a sicky.  He paddled just as my session was ending.  Ryan surfed New Jetty and said it was really fun too.  If River Mouth is on I will take its insanity over New Jetty any day.  I hope I can have repeat of it tomorrow. Work sucked being that we were super short, six to be exact.  Two guys were on suspension for smoking pot in the parking lot and four called out, plus the fact that we were already short handed.  My day was spent busting my ass taking inventory and cooking.  Being the boss is a lot of fucking work.  Sometimes I wonder if it was worth the $2.50 extra I make an hour for all the headache.  Responsibility is a bitch.  Whatever at least I’m still surfing.

4-2-14 PM Session: 2-3 ft, Rincon
Time in Water: 1.5 hrs
Waves Surfed: 21
Yesterday I decided to go up to Jalama in the afternoon on a retard mission because the came looked clean and the predicted winds were light-ish. I looked for a co-pilot and there were no takers, but I had to go just incase I was to luck upon one of those epic sneaker sessions I love, yet so seldom find these days thanks to my increased responsibility in life.  I cruised up there almost killing myself while trying to drift a 40 degree turn at around 50 mph.  Luckily for me there was no one behind me and no one coming from the other side of the road.  I didn’t spin out, but fish tailed pretty hard.  Sometimes I can really drive like a jack ass.  At least I only push it like that when no one else is riding with me.  My and ending it as a result of stupidity is my own choice, but I have no right taking an innocent bystander with me.  I got to the beach and it was fucking huge.  The Campground was pushing double overhead.  It was too low for Redemption Reef and Tarantella’s looked crazy.  I thought about trying to surf the inside right on the other side of T’s, but there was no one around and I hate those spooky solo session. All the stress of the surf takes the fun away.  I threw a mini-tantrum and went home.   This morning I got up early hoping some of that intense swell I witnesses the previous day had made it into Rincon. Unfortunately it was slow, weak, fat and crowded.  Over it I met up with Trevor at a very blown Emma Wood.  From there we tried out a few other Hail Mary possibilities before calling it a day.  Not before witnessing a sail boat beach itself and the ferocious rescue mission to save the zero people on board.  It was rather entertaining although freezing to watch in the cold ass NW wind.  I went home and kicked it around the house, stated writing the second part of the Big Sur saga and then headed to Rincon for a grovel.  Although still small and weak it was a bit better then earlier and I wanted to surf.  I started way up at the top and surfed through to the highway twice.  I didn’t really get any great ones on my first drift, but on my second I lucked into a head high bomb at River mouth that I managed to ride to high cove. I hit it six times, then got barreled, came out and hit it two more times before it closed.  Then I was sitting in the Cove when a smaller one that had the looks of a double up grower to it swung right to me.  I ran that one all the way to the high way and I can’t even tell you how many hits I had cause I lost count.  I’m thinking in the 12-15 range.  Those last two made it all worth while and sometimes that’s all it takes.

4-1-14 AM Session: 2-3 ft, Emma Wood
Time in Water: 1 hr
Waves Surfed 24
File this morning under the I blew it category.  I knew things were going to average at best and Emma my best bet.  When I got there five groms were on it and were hardly selling it to me.  I decided to go check Strand, which was too small, mushy and windy.  It was back to Emma, where the crowd and wind had both doubled in volume.  Fucked I paddled as the wind went from bad to worse.  In about ten minutes of paddling it went from worse to intolerable.  For whatever reason the left off the Middle Peak, between Toll Booth and Lifeguard was breaking into three distinct hit sections.  I frothed that for about an hour before being over the frigid water temps.  I think I had more fun then yesterday.