Like a kid in the Candy Store

is how I was described surfing on Saturday by a friend ...
What a delight !
Saturday I got there for the (pre)dawn patrol thing., mostly driven from the need to surf and the impending super high tide swing early in the AM.
A good surfer, Terry, always seems to be the first out at the reef, and this time I got an invite to go with him and another of his friend at dark O'clock.
In ALL my time surfing I have never paddled out to that wave with no one already there or paddling in front of me.
That in itself was a like a kid walking into a candy store with just some friends and no one else. It wasn't spectacular conditions or waves but having that place in the warm glassy solitude is a treat. Got a few nice rides and some welcomed tips for catching that particular wave. BIG GRIN BILL, in the water, atleast that's what I feel like.
Sunday I slept in til 6am and missed out on the solo paddle out, but did arrive back at the reef around 645. Once again the vibe was good, some sets showed up and I got a few reef waves.
STOKED
Pat showed up around 0830 and just plopped right into the pit on the wave-o-the-day to my inside right. I backed off and he got such a great ride.
Surfing is so good for me, us, well most of us.
It is so good to be a little kid at 54
surf on...

I'm Hopeful after tonight

I'm Hopeful after tonight
that the swell we all felt in the water ( along with the 68 degree temp) tonight and the fact that these lines, as seen below will pan out to some decent surf
in the next couple days....
If you were in tonight or this afternoon you probably felt it too.
Had a good surf with my son......nothing exceptional but we each got a few and had fun.
Talked with Greg out in the water tonight, one of my Terramar surfing heroes who evidently discovered this blog. It is always a bit, well, embarrassing, when that happens, as I know that others where I surf have seen inside of me through this diary, journal, blog.

surf on

Changing conditions

Here's to good change ! !
Last entry I spoke of a change in my surfing.
To me it is as obvious as the nose on my face,
(that keeps changing too...it gets bigger)
The change may not be so obvious to others.
Eh........., so what.
I have been waiting for a "plateau break through" for a very long time.
Now I am feeling it. It is happening.
I can loosen up the board under me,
get it ready to follow the wave and my direction.
I seem to have a better understanding in my legs as to what to do,
without thinking about it.

I am stoked.


Today, Saturday, I was in at 0620 and out at 0720
High tide became too much.
I did manage a couple nice waves alone before the morning shift came in.
I did put on a spring suit today..... my first day since, well, April without just trunks on.
I don't like that much, it is constricting at the least,
and robs me of the waters sensuousness.
Last week was so great and pivotal.
It was a good morning this morning.
Tomorrow, as in each next surfing day,
will be better as far as my ability and enjoyment go.

surf on...

Wow.... just wow

Surfing after work with my son.
A few good friends .
Pure glass.

Warm AND cool water.
Trunks, so water flowing all over me as I like it.
Shoulder to head high set peaks.
A-frame waves where right shoulders would form up and then scream along for 25 yards plus.
Incredible skies with thunder heads partially lite up.
Spacey, spatters of little puffs spread out in different patterns across the sky.
Warm air
AMAZING SUNSET.

And

I have never done on a surfboard what I was able to do this night.

Or

maybe I should say that for the first time,
I was able to do everything I WANTED TO DO on a wave, without falter !
After 8 years I felt I could finally surf !

Drop turns with nothin" but rail in the water
>to lip smack @ 11 o'clock
>to cut back
> to up to 3/4 to the top of the wave
> to hand digs into the wall to slow it down
> to water on my back
>to perfect trim line
> to cross stepping up to nose rides for 25-50 yard faces moving at a good clip......

I did this beautiful thing, on two consecutive waves.
FINALLY
Amazing

I am humbled that I might experience this.

My son and friends had great rides too.

Thank you God, family, friends, and mother ocean for the chance.

surf on....

Yeah it's thumpin' and everyone knows it!

So I won't bore you or myself with the less than spectacular results of my morning session.
Got the normal ( he's insane ) looks for being in trunks. No matter.
Funny really how it upsets the apple cart to a degree.
I do enjoy surfing in the cold. It makes me feel good.
The REEF had occasional and thunderous sets roar through.
2 FOOT OVERHEAD tubes chasing them down and catching up with many.
Saw a lot of boards flying like pick-up sticks.
I was wishing I was there, just waiting for a wave to myself.
I saw a dozen empty big waves go through (right after a few clean ups).
This will be my strategy tomorrow morning.

Enjoy the swell....I will give it my best !

Of note,
This Monday, Laurie and I are going to fly to S.F., then drive the coast
up to the Canadian border.
Just myself, Laurie, and a fast convertible.......

surf on

Today was Great ?

Yes it was !

I got 2 very long nose rides from outside into
2 feet of
Cool
Clear
Glassy water
Faces all the way in.

Said hi to some friends.

and watched some of them surf the same with equal stoke.

I Met 2 new surfers today, Gordon and Greg.
It always catches me off guard in a pleasing way when someone who reads this blog recognizes me.
I get somewhat embarrassed by this, as this is really more of a diary/journal than a public offering.
I have met more good people in this 200 yard streytch of water in 8 years than I have met in my entire 54 years of life.
Plus got this swell shirt from Jim...
where the fine print really describes the whole deal.


pretty much says it all.


THANKS SQUAT !
To quote a likely contender for 1st place in the world tour
this year, Andy Irons,
"Why do I surf?
Because I am always a better man when I get out."
Of course today was great!
Here's hoping your surf was as GREAT too !!

There were no waves......................................................... I caught at least 15 in an hour

Only 1 other long boarder out there at 1230pm this Sunday....
mystery fog and cool waters keeping the crowds away ....
I get waist high wave after wave into 2 or 3 feet of water on the big Slickenmeyer.
It was very VERY nice.... just what the Doctor ordered
Got some health issues again
this surf today sure
beats sitting around grinding on that kinda crap.

STOKED ? Uh huh.......

My son has been gettin 2-a-days this week
and I saw him surfing well last night.

Tonight it was all
BiG WaVeS
glassy,clear warmish, but still refreshing waters
warm air
under cosmic evening skies
full moon
sunsets
wisps of clouds and thunder heads off in the eastern skies

STOKED

Things CAN and WILL change or weekend update

Saturday 0700...trunks :)
it was for told a perfect glassy morning, but
Saturday was peaky and weird where I was ( houses)
Got a few... then paddled to "left overs" at the reef.

Very crowded.
I did have some leftovers( far left hand corner slightly inside) got full and split....
Saw Chuck and others doing so much better that I
at the inside houses...typical really.

So...................................
I went back at 1:30pm in broad daylight I walked to the reef.
Everyone was fixed on the Lefts from yellows and
I went south for the rights

and rights I HAD
I truly had an overhead heart-thumper right that I though might get me a stand up barrel....not quite but man o man .. a real ripper
got several more good quality sled rides and got out in under 1 1/2 hours completely satisfied and done. Nice !
SUNDAY ...0600
same thing really... no "left overs at the" reef
did have some nice talk and got a couple 3 good rides with
some buddies

When I went to take my shot of the day for this blog/diary.....
I got this surprise and realization
WHO DAT ? ! ?

DAT ...BILL ! ! !
Nice....... I will go into how great it is having some friends while surfing

Bill ............"I know what you saw tonight"

I admit...
I saw it... I felt it...
a deep swell hiding under the high tide,
HIDING into the DARK hours
It will show with the morning glass and bring the warmth with it...

weird on.....

Waiting for Summer

I may have missed a lot in life for waiting for something better to happen..
After that whole thing a few years back, I hope to not spend time waiting for any thing better.
I have learned important things from that.
Today I went out @ 730am .
There was no sun.
There was a cool, if not cold breeze blowing.
There was only gray and degrees of black and white.
The water temp dropped some 5-8 degrees
since last Monday night. ( it was 69 here that night)
It was like a March Morning with NW wind swell and chop
As usual I wore my trunks to the beach this morning.
I haven't had a wetsuit on since...???..summer..??
I am not putting on a wetsuit until it is Winter... PERIOD.
My neighbor John and I were virtually the only ones in.
Caught a few., froze my body aches away, which I do like.
I am inland about 8 miles.
Went home to blues skies and the most beautiful Summer Things I can imagine
At least I got Summer at home now.






I am not waiting for Summer at the beach.

Back from Yellowstone

Came back from Yellowstone

It was a great trip, just Laurie and I

Pinch me, I'm dreamin'

2 and 1/2 years back
I was hospitalized for 40 days.
I nearly died several times and was almost, or felt dead for 30 of those 40 days.
While conscious I saw my wife Laurie, son Jason, some family, and a couple friends come and go.
Made a best friend in there, though we knew each other from Terramar
All this as I would enter and leave consciousness.

When I was alone and not missing family, I would think, wish, or dream of being in water.

Water is what I would be denied, maybe forever.

I was not going to be close to water tight for a very long time.
Hoses coming out of my abdomen, and sides
were draining different colors of nasty vileness from the center of my body.
I COULD GO ON AND ON ABOUT ALL THE CRAP.........,

But boy, did I ever dream some nice stuff...


This morning at 0600AM, I ran into the cool, glassy ocean, with trunks and a 10 foot board.

I was alone at Ted's and the palms for an hour.
Got maybe 10 or more rides in that hour.
So quiet, sun shining on me at 615 as I sit on the board.
The water slipping all around my arms, and splashing my back and legs as I paddle.
A nice rhythmic song in my head.
Sun light and cool water splashing onto my face as I go for each wave.
Morning sun, and soft, warm water sprinkles my face, as I stand for each wave.
The only sound I hear is that from the board as it starts to pickup speed, and from the wave peaks crashing.
Big grins
Nice vibe
and very in tune...
making some turns, gliding and flying over the water...

this was today, this morning,

This is what I
could only dream of, for so long, however

this was this morning.

The second coming of Summer

started on Tues.07/13/10
Although the water cooled and clouded a bit, the air got hot.
So did the reef. On this (second) first night of Summer there were maybe 40 people on a single reef wave. I got almost a single ride without getting dropped in on. Jason had a great left.... except for a long board wagging at him from just behind, for half the ride. Got up on a party wave that really wasn't a party at all.

...Wed. night however proved much better for me.
15 people and I had a good 10 rides. Very warm in the Sun.
Very warm in the Sun.

Very good in the Sun.

...

WEiRd out there Today

Very glassy which was nice.......
A few with shoulders would come through.
Saw some score some .... Chuck, Mike
then the crowds filled in ...

I finally got a left that I thought had some shoulder on it,
but got hopped, accidentally ( I think ) by a wahine

It was good> I met a few new folks, formally, always a good thing.
Sunday I will be in at 5am (trunks, in pure defiance)
and ready to turn on one at the reef.
Hell or high water !
5am
Come ON Mr. Sun get your ass out there.
surf on

........... "It's NOT ok to be Gray.....STILL"

or

How I got my STOKE back.

I am tired of this years extended May Gray and June Gloom

Wah Wah Wah ! ! !.....Ok?
Ok
Thurs PM I get some out there.
Friday PM I get some more at the reef.... dreaming of the big South on the way
Saturday AM.....check it...it sucks' I split.
Sunday AM the 4th, Jason and I check it, looks craptacular, we split....
missing 2 surf days on a weekend is enough to really get me down if I let it.
Jason to the rescue......I am trying not to get down and he suggests going to
a Padres ( were number 1) game. I like "yeah, ok" and he starts looking for tickets. He sees a Craigs list add for some last minute ticket.... posted just 15 minutes ago. we get 10th row field level tickets in between home and first.... FOR 20 BUCKS each ! ! ! ! whoa !

Turns into a 9th inning tie
and Tony Gwyn Junior bats in a game winner... PERFECT day at the Ball Park.
Get outta San Diego at 3:30 and home without any traffic at 420...perfect
Get ready to go to the Fireworks show, we can virtually walk to a $100000.00 show
@ Brengle Terrace Park in Vista and have been each year for 23 years....except this year my wife Laurie has gone on a camping trip in Northern Cali with a close friend..... I am Missing her.
Jason, his gal Emily and myself go to the show....perfect no hassles no long waits in traffic... just a GREAT show.. we come back and have our traditional Root Beer Floats..." BIG SMILE"
My son just treated me to a great day....!!

I am stoked
Monday AM... wake up for dawn patrol @ 5 but crawl back in and go back to sleep, something I rarely ever get to do....
Dave calls me up and says come out at 630. Jason and I get there in trunks and
IT'S RAINING ? We go in he gets some great shoulder high rides, so do I.
We each get a head high drop or 2.
He gets the wave of the day where 3 other much more seasoned surfers couldn't and
I get really PROUD and all that.

I needed this, it came at a good time, thanks Jason,

thanks Dave,
thanks Terramar Surf buddies.

Got my stoke back ! !
surf on ! !

Happy Fourth of July

Happy Independence Day. Hope we all keep the courage to do whats right. Trunks.

It's 6am and I am taking my son with me to get some Southerners


....swell that is.

the Tide has been out lately

My life seems to be a a low tide right now.
Work, home life, and surf........basically I am at a low tide.
A wee bit drained out.
But I think the turn around is on.
The Surf is ( hopefully) up for this long weekend.
I have dropped about 13 pounds or so in the last 2 weeks.
I am moving better and better still, even 2 years post surgical crap fest.
I broke through a surfing plateau awhile back, and I am feeling like I'm poised to do so again, I just need more consecutive days .



surf on

Seems a long time gone

I haven't written in more than a month.....
I haven't really surfed much, either
should a could a
wish I would a
Ran into this surfmobile the other day, parked next to my truck.
I really don't covet with my eyes much but...



I really WANT this specific car....there... I said it>

I am going to give this Sundays SwS / SE(reportedly) big swells a run right now with my son...
so off I go
I am hopeful for a redemption of my not so hot, sort of squandered Saturday.

Saturday 'n Sundays Southern Swell

SATURDAY
With the promise of a new SSW and WNW for the weekend and a work week that was....
well...
they don't call it work for nothing....
I headed out Saturday morning at 0630.
The swell was missing...
except at the reef.
The reef was actually thundering with the sets.
The reef was also hosting 40-50 people that morning.
Those of us who were left out of the reef by our own accord,
really just sat and watched the show.
Big sets, big crowded take offs, with shorts and longs together....not really a good scene.
People falling, getting hopped and snaked ( oh yeah, a PARTY wave, not )
A friend, Terry, paddled over and talked about
how at 530 am there were only 5 people there.
Right there I decided to commit to a Sunday 0530am session.
I spent 2 hours on Saturday waiting for 2 waves to come my way. The reef would have 20 waves to our 2....this swell was that focused. Caught one in and went home.

SUNDAY
0545am
Terry was just going out so we walked to the reef together, and , there were far less people, 9 on the single peak, a peak half the size of Saturday...

The conditions were a bit more drained as well.
Waited my turn after backing out of 2 where I relinquished a take off to the proper "owner" of each wave. Got an OK ride.
Finally a nice set came through, looked around and I was in the right spot. Stood and realized I got a perfect left. Dropped and turned left, stalled then cutback right, and then I saw it, the dude coming down the line. I was gonna get snaked. period
This time it wasn't gonna happen. I did finish the cut back towards him then came around back left. The shoulder stood up and I glanced back at him again. He was still behind me, but I wasn't gonna fold on this one. Stood my ground and did as I pleased. He finally exited out back and I stepped to the nose and rode.
I rode that wave from( for those who know the spot ) South of the yellow house, past the beach club and all the way PAST 5 palms. The single longest face I have ever had.
Stepped off into 1 1/2 feet of water, and walked out on the beach.
P E R F E C T!
No reason to look back......
it couldn't get any better than that,
not on this day,
nope.
Got out at 0645 and went home to greet Laurie as she woke...

P E R F E C T O

surf on...

Alright for a Thursday Night

After getting a call from Dave to grab a board and get out there, I did and was surprised.
A southern swell was on and mixing it up at the reef and Terramar beach.

Put on my spring suit.......
I mean, who am I to argue......?Made it into the water and ..... didn't get any waves, until.....
We drifted south a bit...
Then I got into 2 really nice ones right and left and surfed them in the top of "my" form.





It's so great when they feel THAT GOOD, ain't it? Oh yeah


surf on...

Lately

Lately I have not spent as much time in the water as I would like/need to.
I have not written in this blog in awhile now, which is really just been my personal story and "diary" of my surf experience.
I last left off after a surfing friend, Chuck, taught me some stuff.
Since then I have been out mostly weekends only, not too much after work stuff.
Jason and his friends Todd, John, and I got caught in a high tide situation where the water was cracking against the cliffs by the reef. Everybody's arms were shot.
We had to exit the water without getting slammed and then skip from boulder top to boulder top, carrying our boards for 100 yards to get out. No ankles were broken.
I learned a good one from that.

Got a few sessions in with Dave and Pat, but only a few
I have had a few good surfs with Jason,

I love to see him get some great rides, and his last couple times out I have seen him having alot of fun...nice!

My sister, Dona, finally passed on and left this world.
What a wonderful person she was, I miss her and it hurts.
I was fortunate to see and speak with her just before she passed.

LIFE CAN BE CUT SHORT AT ANY MOMENT,
THINGS CHANGE IN A HEARTBEAT,
LIVE ACCORDINGLY.

I hope to keep improving my abilities.

I hope to keep improving my condition as an aging victim of circumstance that a messed up surgery left me in.

I hope get back to 200-250 days in the water per year...

I hope to grow old and stay fit enough to truly surf into the sunset,
pun intended,with my adult son Jason.

I hope to have my wife Laurie join me in the water.

I hope..


surf on.... I will