What I like about this swell, big waves, and a New Year

a New Year is exactly that. It is, as much as time could, or should be measured, a major starting point and ending point discussed among all of us.

HAPPY NEW YEAR all of you, everybody, Happy Happy Joy Joy

So with the New Year we have hope, hopefully.
Well, I hope we have great surf.
This last Wednesday good surf did arrive. I was struggling with a myriad of work issues ,( so what's new?) and needed to surf more than ever.So after watching the clock tick down to 445pm...against my will this ticking down....
I bolted from the Carlsbad Lab out to the sea with my board pre-loaded into the truck from lunch.

I anticipated
not enough time
AND
too much resistance to the "outside" from the big hyped waves at hand.
I
WAS
so wrong

This little 40 minute session turned into one of the best in years ! !
Nice large outside rights...and with my nice large 10'3" big board
I was able to get any wave I wanted.
This board is so suited to those conditions.....a match made in heaven.

I got 8 waves in a 40-50 minute session 7 of 'em were just long steep shouldery rights.
I was hollering out loud from wave number 3 on....
PERFECT !

Thank you GOD, family, friends, tide. sun, and mother Ocean .
THANKS ! !
____________________________________________
Today is Saturday and after a cliff session at 0630 am with the

HOODED CLIFF WARRIORS
I headed home to heed my friend Dave's advice
930-1000 the tide will co-operate
and

check your leash string and leash

I did check the leash less than a year old ..... looked at the string.....but...of course

failed to really do the string check.

Back we went and sure enough at 1000 the tide did cooperate and the waves were breaking nicely outside. Had a paddle channel at Ted's and made it out without much ado.
Got a few and then got another spectacular right...
big and long, glassy and sunny., no drop ins just pure wave fun.
I am so glad this has happened.
I have got my stoke on again,
finally it's here.
I am feeling good about my surfing and being again.
I did drop a ridiculous pitted peak, never really stood on the board with full weight, just dove over the board and said a prayer on the way down. I missed the board and was driven down deep.
Then I felt the leash let go....damn.... the string I was warned about and didn't check.

Took another on the head and began the loooooong, back float trip to the beach amidst some poundings. Dave did come in and we got another string from his truck and went back for more...

A GREAT DAY OF SURF< adrenaline> and fun.

SWEET !

Now for the other holiday part. The day after Christmas I am going out with my son and others when a person stops me just before entering the water and asks "are you Bill ?"
So I know that when this happens it is usually someone who has found this blog and recognizes my face etc..... this is really a diary of mine a journal of sorts I suppose. It always embarrasses me to a degree that people I never expect to see or talk with read my thoughts about life.
Anyways, Taylor, has introduced himself from Ventura I believe, and tells me that he is stoked I recovered from my surgical nightmare et all. I say yeah it's much better out here the in the "scary room" (hospital). He tells me of a prostate surgery he went through and about reading my blog and all.
I was stoked to see a fellow wounded warrior of sorts.
I was very stoked to think my writing may have actually helped another.
I hope this was inspirational to him and others who under go great trauma to their bodies and hold onto the stoke of surfing to get through the recovery period....
no matter how hopeless it might seem.

There is always
HOPE
Hope begets action

Happy new year all

let's hope
always

surf on...