Winter 's here cold n Clear ! Swell Yes... Tide NO

Incredible winter weather ! ! Clear Cold nights. Clear Sunny days.
Some days this last week were 80 degrees.
Incredible winter weather ! !

 If only some swell were here.
I remember last November -December we had some really great ones roll through.
I recall some early mornings where only a handful of surfers would paddle out, and once we got out there we had to rest for a good while before even entertaining the idea of dropping down.
Having to choose your waves carefully. Nice heart pounding ones. Big off shore sprays coming over the tops and backs of the faces sounding like a rain storm splashing the water.
I am wanting those water conditions now.
I feel like I could surf those bigger waves better than last year.....
However....
The last 2 days of surfing haven't been so good good for me in that the tide has prevented any of the existing swell to have shape. It has been close outs with occasional open faces.
 On Saturday I mistakenly chose to take the first pre set waves that showed and seemingly missed the set waves that rolled through.
There were a couple that I could have turned on during the paddle back out, but those would have been sketchy for me.( at least in my head I was fearful of missing the drop due to being too deep and being tired. )
I am not good at the "catch a wave, then paddle out and turn on a big wave immediately, scenario, and I regret this.
I missed 2 larger set  waves that way yesterday.
It makes me question myself. Don't like that at all.
Today the tide was sooooo high at Dawnpatrol ( +6)  that there was just too much water to get a good one so I got out with a couple of shorts rides under the belt...good enough. Got out and froze my ass off getting dressed.
Because I stay in my trunks so much longer than most I really think some people enjoy seeing me cold....weird, but I get it.
 What most people don't get is that I don't do the trunks thing to make a statement,
I simply do it because I love the feeling of flowing water over my body and I don't like the restraints of any kind of garment, in or out of the water.
I have a lot of work ahead of me this year in the surf department.
Losing 30-40 pounds for starts. Exiting my waves. Surfing more   at least 150 time instead of this years 100.
Good bye 2013
 Hello  2014 and the hope of all that comes with that

Spectacular December Sunset in the water

My trunks came off in the 3rd week of November, @,@and gave way to the dammed full 3/2
Had a Sunday ( probably surf #90 ) 11 24 13where I think I got 15 waves or more to myself at the reef.

A fellow Dawn Patroler, Mike got a lot as well
 Just us 2 out on this beautiful, glassy, clear, and empty Sunday morning.

I got so stoked on these little waves, it was cool.
 The other night, after work ( Dec. 2) , I put on my trunks again and ran into the water,
It was cold, but so reviving, yes, reviving.
In trunks under the most spectacular Sunset in December

These pictures were taken, for the most part in the DARK, after it was all over,  and they don't begin to do justice to what I was witness to .
That sunset was in full spectacle and changing by the minute for what seemed to be an hour.
I loved it.
When I found other surfers I know had experienced the same thing I got even more stoked.

So THANKFUL
So very grateful..