Finer still ! ! !

Friday it was Jason and I again.... I was hoping for less crowds and instead of thinking about who I don't want to hit, maybe I could concentrate on my board, myself and dancing on the WAVE.

Bingo. Got what I wanted and so did Jason
We each had some very good ones and it was sweet.
I love surfing sunsets and the last two didn't let us down.
Surfing with my son is always so fulfilling. I hope to do this until I'm gone from this earth

I am feeling more"normal" again.
It's been a awhile.
For sure it has been awhile.

Saturday's AM dawn patrol was great.
I got 2 GREAT waves ! !
Just the ones I hoped would show... fat, fast, and outside every one else.
As I was riding the sweet spot on best of those, I saw Alita, sitting on the shoulder way in front of me, with a pretty big " nice one Bill" grin on her face ...... like it, and, as I continued, some one else who was facing me as I was coming down the line fast was taking pretend camera shots of me, ya know?
I like it like that sometimes I need that once in awhile, not always but once in awhile its really good to get that stuff from your peers.

Sunday afternoon I got a couple in the super hot 100 degree weather and nice refreshing glass.
What a great week of surfing ! ! ! !

I have had at least 10 sessions in a row without missing any days....


I am just about back to good! I am so close now !
Thank God, family, and friends for that.
THANK YOU ! ! !

I usually don't whine....

I usually don't whine....but the crowds were a bit heavy today.
The swell improved as predicted....
I have got into a great forecaster by the way.
http://socalforecast.blogspot.com/
Big fatties were rolling in from the outside again, but this time there were more spots showing than just the reef. Unfortunately, there were a lot of short boarders, long boarders, body boarders, and sups all mixed in and spread wide.
All of these working the same spot, when there are pretty good sized outside sets sweeping through,just doesn't work well.
My son was there and that was a treat. WE shared boards and both got a couple of very good rides.I really enjoy seeing him get some, as I know he does for his old dad. Although I do admit, when I surf, I don't feel old at all. I feel like I'm a kid for sure.
I wish I didn't have to spend the majority of this day dodging sponges and insiders.

This is about stoke and stoked I am.
The waves were, well , some of 'em were epic.
The water quality and temp were epic.
Weather epic.
Friends and family, yep, epic.
Sweet ! !

Surf on

Tuesday swell so, so.........but

Tuesday swell so, so.........but

the water/weather was super fine. Got calls from both surf buddies saying go, although with slightly different reports. I have been out 5 days in a row and Im sore.I cannot resist it.
Brought a different board, and(after trying out a cutaway fin on the big board),it took me a few waves to get into any kinda of grove. We gort some rides in the bright sun and warm glass. THE highlight was watching Pat in the Hat take a 8 foot straight down, late take off. It was just epic really. He didnt make the bottom turn but that was just a HELL DROP, one I appreciate. He came out fine, maybe some parts were bruised, but man what a sight. I didn't want to get out of the water last eve.

It is just so fine right now, so fine. I am hoping for a repeat and in trunks in the water at sundown and beyond Maybe some of that cosmic canopy action, after the sun sinks below the horizon. Maybe...when the sky looks like this

Monday , more, more please. Thank you !!!

Monday Swell.........................Monday garden.

This swell has been nice. This swell has aloha.

"THE SOUTH" is here alright, though it does require patience, at least when Surfing Terra Mar. Since my set back I have only dreamed of dropping down big faces, in warm water, but in the last month my dreams have come true. I can. I do. I will. Made some good drops today. Got a couple of nice shoulders. My shoulders and back are sore , but in a good way.
This is what surfing is about for me and some of my closest friends.
Slipping through an all encompassing, silky,blue green warmth. Life everywhere around you.
All the senses are on full alert,and in full use, every one of 'em.
Sight, smell, touch, taste. Sound, thought, cunning. Being a hunter,being social, being primal, competition, fear, elation, exhilaration.
Joy, envy, pride,anticipation,etc. etc fill in the rest.
It just goes on and on if you let it.
It is so amazing.
I know this is very, well ,very something that may be thought of as over the top.
You know what though, it's not. It is exactly that and much more.
It is the most amazing of things. To receive this gift is the best thing.

I love the stoke. The ocean and it's power and beauty.

I am lost in it.
I am found in it.

surf on

Sunday night....... not too shabby

As promised a return to the reef for Sunday PM.
As I was ready to paddle out a large 7 wave outside set came crashing in. It was impressive.
Stoked, I got on the board and put myself to the far south of the break hoping to avoid the 4-5 person take offs on the left side of the peak.
After 15 minuets an outside set came,each wave bigger and breaking 5 yards further out than it's predecessor. On the 4th or 5th I turned and picked up a peak and a right. Several people on the inside but I stayed high and fast and the shoulder held.
Having replaced the 10' Standard FU fin with Daves 7" cutaway and side bites, the board was much more responsive than usual but still held me in on the face of some of the more powerful rides. I am really liking the different fin config's.
My right tonight was borderline epic and
I'm a happy boy ....

Surf on...... enjoy this nice swell and the warm ocean ! !

Sunday AM was better

After the blown out Saturday night surf (was still fun)
Sunday morning panned out just like I thought except for the 60 people in the water part.

Very glassy and trunkable. Spaced apart long interval biggish swell.
Dave got me up and there early enough to where we each caught some long fun lefts, some rights, and some steep, big drops as well.

Then the stampede came and things got a little dangerous on the big stuff, so after 2 hours we were out and are hopeful for the evening session with no wind and no peeps.
We will see.

All and all it was just what the Doctor ordered.

surf on...

S-a-tur-day ...... night !

Sat. night THE SOUTH swell shows up, as well as some blossoms at home.
Sat morn all dressed up and no where to surf.
Hopes were high but no real swell except for a very blown, wall-o-junk at Tammy, with 20 surfers all not on it, but trying.

W E N T H O M E
I almost NEVER GO HOME...

Nice day with Laurie and Lori and Geila. Saw Jason at work, which gives me pleasure to see my son working his way into his own life.
Went back out at 5pm and the swell was showing much better now. Dave and I had a great exercise, caught a few good keepers each, meeting out there @ 6 Sun morn.
IF THE WIND STAYS AWAY
IT'S GONNA BE GOOD ! ! !

Stoke on ! ....

Mornin' there Guillermo

Woke up ...got outta bed ...
looked out the window and scratched my head.....
Took a peek at the flowers... and had a cup.....
and looking up........ I noticed I was late
Headed out... to surf the glass...
ran with my board... across the grass....
Flopped into the sea..... all warm and green....
Got my first wave .....and went into a dream....
Ahhhhhhhhhhh......Ahhhhhhhh Ahhhhhh Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Ahhhhh Ahhhh Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh
Ahhhhha Ahhhhh Ahhhhhhhhhhh
OK whatever that eh?
Spent 3 hours in, and saw the first swell from Guillermo.
Maybe go back for more if the wind stays off.
Sunday will be good too....
Maybe Jason and Emily will show up.

Nice, Nice, Nice
surf on...

Guillermo may be visiting on Saturday

Hoping to see a little south swell this weekend.
Guillermo may be peeking in your window.
Hope so !

Wax, rinse, repeat. Sun 08.09.09

IN at 6:45 am. Trunks. Cool, tropical, feel to the air.
Again not many people.
Perfect glass.
Fast got into a few lefts, and was feeling it right away. The swell was up from yesterday.
My board is performing very well with the smaller fin.
Really got into some nice fast ones, outside in, then would play on a few insides.
Got a little crowded and I got out. It was perfect

surf on...

Saturday 08.08.09

Saturday @6:45am. Looks weak and scattered.
Dave showed in the lot and I changed the fin on my big stick.
Went from a stock 10" ( it's a a 10'3'board,the yellow ) to a stock 8".
Funny but the paddle out was not as easy as it looked to be. No one else was out cuz it was looking like no waves. After a 15 min. wait a set of Souths came through and met some WNW (?) wind swell and bam, I'm in the peak and get a screamin left.
The board is amazingly more responsive cause of the fin change, and I am moving her around like never before. Got a couple more lefts and a right, David did the same.
The sun appeared,the crowds appeared,the tide appeared, the waves and us disappeared.

As I write, the Sunday morning coffee is almost done and I'm headed back out to rinse and repeat ( if possible ).

surf on....

Was surfing last night any good?

( OK,Picture is not last night,but Jason showing nice form! )
The original blog name 5 years ago was " surfing with my son."
"We" totally learned this together almost lock step. We both have a lifetime of surfing to do, and learn about.
We went out last evening, walked down to the reef and paddled into what were the weirdest waves I have been in, in awhile. Lots of peaks, then disappearing peaks, some with shoulder, some without. Jason was more comfortable than I, as he was getting decent length of ride on either board (we switch). In several waves, I would get up and not stay in front of the wave enough, lose momentum, then the wave would pass under me and vanish.
That is a very frustrating wave for me.
When I do get the chance to surf with my son, which is not that often anymore, I like to surf well.
I like him to see me surf well for a lot of reasons, as a father would, specifically because of the circumstances of the last 2 years and my rather miraculous recovery and return to the ocean.
I remember 1 year ago, post surgical nightmare, bobbing in the ocean with my son, still unable to stand up, and getting really frustrated. I remember wanting to get a single wave so bad.
I remember looking around and seeing my son want me to just get a nice, single wave.
I then DID get up, on a wave, on my own....... for him. It was when I realized I wanted it more For him, more than for myself, I was able to go through the pain, and just do it.
It was one of the single, most proud moments of my life.
From that point we ( family, friends, and I ) realized I could heal
and make a run at getting back to good !
So, was surfing last night any good?
No, surfing last night, with Jason, was GREAT ! !

Reef was OK

Got off work @ 445pm A little stressful of a day.
In the water at 515, trunks, slight texture, slight current , slight waves.
Lots of bikini surfer girls.
Dave called me and left 3 messages that the water was "inviting".
Paddled over to reef looking for the Dave . Long paddle for some reason.
After an hour we started getting some with the tide push. Spent about 2 1/2 hours in the water and didn't want to get out .
Some dude said"we had "it" dialed in exclusively", which I did find really funny, but was cool. Very warm nice water. I love summer. It feels good.

Weekend ( post South Swell ) in Review 8.1.09

Saturday
In @ 7am , trunks, glassy, minimal waveage. Got about 3 waves and then paddled to the reef.
The reef peak is funny. Depending on the swell direction you paddle into it a different way.
Saturday was the First Time I have been the on the south of the north breaking peak, and as I sling shot myself from the south to the north, to my amazement, 3-4 people backed out of the wave for me.
First time that's happened there, for me!
This was a great thing as far as my surfing at the reef goes.

So it has led me to believe that I have been approaching this wave the wrong way, and probably pissing off a few each time. WAA WAA WAAAAAAAAAAAA

Sunday
In @ 630am, trunks, pure glass, minimal waveage but, better shape on some rare outside set waves !
Took me awhile to grab a few but got a nice left into about 4 inches of water, was gonna leave but decided to paddle out and south to the reef to get a nice exercise. Plus the reef was showing an occasional set or 2 every 10 minuets or so. Paddled right up and into a mellow bunch of long boarders, short boarders, yakers, SUPers. I do try to paddle right into the peak line up and make my face at least familiar there. Today, a big boy and a kayaker hit. It was almost bad but the yaker grabbed the long board before it could damage.
I got a couple rides, soft mush burgers then paddled hard back to the beach houses spot where I started.
Got a good work out and enjoyed the silky warmth of the ocean. No complaints.
Went to Del Mar horse races afterwards on Sat. with my sweetie
I'm fixing to go again today .
life is good ! ! Very, very good !