Gnarly paddle

Today's paddle out was just what I needed....
kinda.
I am still uncomfortable ( scared ) with the thought of getting my
surgically DE enhanced body
"worked" over.
After about 15 minuets of paddling but not going anywhere, Jason, Dave, and I had a window and we made it out.


Once we recovered, I recall having the "perma grin" going for awhile. This was a result of "having made it stoke".
Occasional LARGE jacking then walled close outs would pass under me and this created an equal amount of "bigness" stoke.

I Love
the BIGness stoke !!

The waves were tough for us to get into, and delivered a beating for choosing the wrong ones.
I caught about 4 and was finally satisfied with the whole scene.
I could have done better a year ago,
but its not a year ago....
I did need a confidence shaker,
and a success, in exactly that order, and that's what I got.... friends and family, in the big surf with me, sun out, big waves, challenges met,
life is very, very, good.

surf on...,
I plan too !

Argh

Right now @ 6pm
I'm watching my ( sort-ta ) break pound a bunch a guys over and over on a live cam
(glassy bigger stuff)
I MISS GETTING POUNDED
I know that slightly south it may be real good, reeeeaaaaaal good.
Oh, chart says high tide and gettin higher, too high.
Soooooo oooooo oooooo oooooooo o I don't go.
C i r c u m s t a n c e s sucked it outta me.
Made me too late.
The tide
My battered, recovering body.
My brain says this and that.
I hate that...

tomorrow...
AARRRGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Wetsuit OFF ...........Trunks ON

I love to paddle without a wetsuit on.
That is plain and simple.
There is something about it that just turns me on.
Being in the full sunshine, water flowing and splashing on, around and over you. Being thrust through the water by a powerful force.
Nothing pulling on your shoulders, neck, or anything else as you paddle.

I love it.

My son and I had a really fun time in the water yesterday, despite the fact that we barely caught any "waves". There just wasn't much ride opportunity yesterday. We did get a few, but we had a lot of laughs and fun. Laurie came down to watch ( of course, there was nothing wave wise to see ).
Naturally there were 2 or 3 really GOOD surfers there,
Chuck ( rules the place) and Rick,( Erick )
professes his style to be that of a "drunk monkey".
Truly great surfers can and do find anything and
make it look easy.............someday will come, at least I will continue to work for that day for me.
So fortunately my wife had something to watch as far as surfing goes while her husband and son struggled for less than ride able ( for us ) waves.

It was a great day, a great day for all. Find something everyday and appreciate it. It works !
surf on...

My intent is to go, go, and do it in my trunks!

Its 2 pm, I'm all hot and bothered.
I'm not particularly proud of myself this day, so I'm goin' for a purification session.
I'm leavin' now, with my trunks ON.
Goodbye sweetheart, maybe I'll see ya again, maybe not.

Check this blog out, "The Closer Walk" . I love the "localism" you tube that got posted there!

The Closer Walk

I thought the little fellow would be able to easily make that wave. Honestly Sir. .

Swell, from the south as predicted .
I have a gut feeling that we will be a lot more southern this year, of course I have nothing to base this on other than feeling.
My friends were getting out of the water as I arrived tonight after work,
I was told to not go to the reef as it was tough enough to work them a bit too much. So, for me, in my state of recovery, this would be too much. I agreed so I opted be "safe" and stay closer to Warms than Igor's.
That lasted about 45 minuets. I crept towards the reef, it was indeed thumping and looking like "swarmies" with 4-6 people per peak making the drops. I have become very patient as a result of my injuries and will wait. The secret to that is I am almost perma stoked every time I'm in the water. I LOVE that ! !
My BIG ONE came right to me and I worked IT ! I am soooooo faaaaar from being consistent, but I pumped and danced my 10'3' board up and down, from bottom to top, then, THEN......
made an almost perfect "roundhouse" and rode it into 6" of water and stepped off.
I LOVE THIS............. I am so thankful that I can surf after what happened.
I am so thankful for these days !

surf on...

Swell Wally, and I think it;s a Southy

God, what a beautiful morning in the sea, despite the religous snickerings

Today was warm, clear, glassy with some wave action. The low early AM tide had things drained out a bit but..... I got a few solitaire rides

How beautifully gorgeous can a day get ??
I was with a few friends, but we were not in the best wave spot...should have been further north towards
warm water jetty.
I find religious "tensions" sort of amusing.
Many people are not comfortable with talking to others concerning each others beliefs. I, for one, am fine with the notion that many believe different things and I don't mind outward celebration of these different beliefs. I think it's good as long as we don't fight over it.
HAPPY EASTER y'all, it's a good thing ! !

Tuesday, glad friends and waves showed up. needed a little redemption session, thanks!

Tuesday, I brought the board to work knowing the storm was coming and a swell was supposed to be there. Did a surf check on the way to a meeting
( endless meetings ) at work, and it was blown out and crap at a low tide 230pm.
Decided to go back anyways after meeting
( endless meetings) and still looked pretty bad.. but my mates were there and I promised so...
turned out to pick up, glass off and the disaster kid got some nice long rides up front on faces, and confidence back as well. Some needed compliments were doled out, and voila,
I'm feeling the stoke.
For some damn reason
( no one was over there for a change)
I paddled solo to the "reef" and caught a few nice ones in solitude. Thanked mother O and ALL and pulled out @ 745 pm as the storm came in.
surf on...

Sunday ..Glad my good friends were there!

Saturdays decent , although very short lived swell was good
Sunday was good cause my mates were there, son Jason ( sick though ), Pat and David.
The waves were crap and I surfed poorly enough to cause me to reflect on my abilities in a bad way.
I wonder if I will get where I want to be skill wise?
I felt robbed of my surfing progression by my 1 year set back due to a botched surgery and extraordinary bad luck.( see endless accounts of past posts)_


Hurt my self a bit,in this junk.

bah

Are there Sharks out there, or what............?

This is what I wanted to know, as I stood on the cliff,
looking out at lines of shoulder++'s rolling' in,
one after the other.
0700 4' high tide and dropping, clear, glassy, some offshore wind,
and almost everyone was standing on the cliff watching, un-suited up, except I.
They were saying it was too messed up and the paddle out wouldn't be good.
Very close together, hard to get into, then closed out walls, is what I ended up seeing.
I was told I "had to go now"by a Cop I know who surfs there( he's cool )
because I was already suited up, blah blah.blah. I said "oh hell yeah, I'm going", and went down to the beach. There, my head got the better of me. I stretched, and stretched, looking for someone to paddle out with.
Saw my buddy Pat up on the cliff.
We ended up paddling out together in a spot he took me to, and educated me on.
Made it out, a bit tired.
Only 10 people from Warms to the reefers.
Sweet, and on a Saturday morning....go freaking figure.
Although things were calming down there were big, steep, fatties that kept rolling thru.
Enough size, and now great conditions, that put a perma grin on me.
VERY STOKED about the paddle out and wave size.
LONG STORY SHORT......Pat got several.
That's Pat BELOW

I got THE only one I tried for, and took it in...................................................................................
It was big, fat, glassy, fast,and clear with shoulder.
I did it right and took it home.
Things are VERY GOOD
I AM STOKED.

surf on...........

Woulda, coulda, shoulda, didn't, damn it !

Bah
Sun., Mon., Tue., dry .

surf on...

Kooked out on "The Reef" oh my ! !

I have mental issues, this we ALL know.
The Reef(Igor's) messes wit the brain of I and I. Friday night I went out with my friends
Pat n Dave. I caught a few inbetween wistful glances south to the reef, where it always seems to break better. That place always shakes my confidence. So last night I thought I'm going there on Saturday.
I paddled over this morning and there were only 4-5 others on the peak, all of whom I knew, Pat and Chuck are bud's.
I rode a wave on my knees,
(could NOT stand) and actually laughed it off. That in itself is rare for me, to truly laugh at myself and not feel bad. So that was cool. Did a couple other kook outs and laughed those off as well. YDD would have had a field day with me today.

Did get some nice rides however and felt REALLY good about
"The" reef session.
Gonna go back again tomorrow and do it again,
This morning, in the water at the reef, after I stood on a "nice"drop and rode, Pat shook my hand and said"welcome back".
I know exactly what he meant by that.
Thanks Pat!! It's good to be back !

surf on...

Weirdooooooooooooooooooo

I had 2 meetings at work
from 1030-5pm .....weird
Paddle out was weird
Waves were weird.
Pat and Dave were out there ,
they were weird.
Waves approaching and
disappearing under you...weird
Pat and Dave got out and split....weird
I caught a weird wave in,
waved bye and split...weird.

Conclusion
I'm weird
very freaking weird.....
Im a weird-o.
I dont care-o
surf on weirdos
weird on surfos.......

It's OK to be Gray

Gray sky never agreed with me.
It irritates my eyes.
It bugs my brain. It keeps me in.
Gray sky,for me, is a basic bummer.
However,
I am not gonna let that stop me from going.
Surfing is one activity that takes my mind off it,
and "me".
It takes my mind off everything bad, no matter how bad.
It has been a good week for me.
Ive been in the water 4 of the last 6 days.
I hurt.... I may always hurt, so what.
I'm stoked again. Practiced cross stepping most of the session until my friend Eileen showed up in the water. Nice surprise. A friend from "the past" in a way. She surfs well and chooses her words. It was good to surf with her for a bit. Waves were few between but none the less, a surf is a surf, is a surf, and I ALWAYS come out washed "clean". My goal now will be to get 200 sessions in, for the 2010 year. Work will conspire against me, but I will find a way. I have to really, as I have heard often in the last few days, that "surfers don't really make the choice, the choice is made for them." This is sooooo true !

surf on..... I think a new swell approaches.

Are things gettin better ? My board is treating me real good. A hug is in order !

Looks a little, well, it is what it is. Haha.

Got outta work VERY late.
Shoulda been out @ 4:45
Got out @ 5:30. Not a big deal unless its 70 degrees, glassy AND there is a swell.
Jammed home, shoulda brought the board(duh),
looked at the cam and dove into the wetsuit,grabbed a cup-a-joe and split.
Got there @ 6:15pm and "ran" to the water.
Got a few, not as big as Sunday for sure but conditions were GREAT ! Then on the last wave after the sun had set, I crossed stepped up the board. No flailing arms, no shuffle, had both feet equally in the last foot of the nose, for TIME.
Did a dip with a left foot extension to the end of the board and kept on it. HaHaHa all the way in.
Wife is beautiful. Life is beautiful.
God and nature are smiling on me right now.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~B E A U T I F U L ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Just EXACTLY what I needed ! ! ! ! Perfect !

Saturday morning was ok.... I didn't get many waves and, well, it was ok.
Sat.,night I dreamt of huge walls of green.Then came Sunday morning,
and it was blown out at 0700.
Made a call or two and it was described as victory at sea.
Cameras showed "kinda crappy".
Like the big little kid I am, I was outwardly disappointed. Ceilings of grayness were there all morning into early afternoon, this depressed me.
THEN...as promised,Dave called and said" looks pretty good, little texture and shoulder high stuff". After some grumbling, I asked Jason to go with me and of course he says sure.
Got in @ 330 pm with a glass off and clean up from out side shoulder - ++ sets of big fat crumblers . The clouds gave way to pure blue skies and warm sunshine. 50 -100 yards south, hollow overheads were seen and HEARD,
the kind sound that makes you tingle, air being forced thru and over the glassy water!
Jason, Dave and I,
got many waves with steep drops and long shoulder rides.
I haven't really had a "perma grin" like that in....
well in a year to the day.
Exactly one year ago I "rolled " out of the hospital,
after spending a month there in a state of near death.
One year ago today I came home.
One year ago I started out barely able to make a lap around my house with 3 bulb drains hanging out of my abdomen sucking vileness out of my body, a wound vac machine sucking equally horrid stuff from a gaping un-stichable, 12 cut in my abdomen.
I had a bag attached to my stomach to poo into.
I don't think I "believed" I would ever surf again, really.
I wanted to, and was determined to "achieve " this goal but,
I really didn't believe I would ever surf like I just did, again, in my life, ever.
Exactly one year ago, all there was was the most tiny spark of stoke left in my life.
Yesterday was MIRACULOUS actually ! !
I am forever grateful to ALL !
GOD, MOTHER OCEAN, Family and friends, all ! !

Speakin of STOKE

I am soooooo Stoked about Daylight Savings time coming this Sunday.
Sun is setting at 7 PM.
N O W I can take the board to work and get in 2 hours afterward
D A I L Y

Better than......(part deux)

OK now I'm back login' to last weekend.
Went out on Saturday( Jason's Birthday ) 2/28/09 and didn't get anything again. Jason was working and I was not feeling it. Went the following Sunday and ran into some folks I haven't been with in the water for awhile . It was very satisfying to paddle out and turn on the first outside set and get it on. Got some hoots and hollers( from some very fine Wahine's ) then paddled and got a few more. Was very fun. Just what an old, beat up dude needed.
Pat (in the Hat ) was there and that was the first time he's seen me get up real, since all the bullshit , so that was cool.
Below is Pat (in the Hat) in a victory at sea day,
last may......something I really look forward to doing with him again, if....nah...WHEN my body allows.

Better than...

<------Dave ( in glasses) and I

. Back log 2 Fridays back I was to meet my son after work for a sunset surf. I was late getting out of work and felt pressure to have a great surf. That always sets me up for failure. GREAT EXPECTATIONS.
I didn't get a single
(albeit, poor shape and conditions, LoL)
wave.
I just bobbed in the water beside myself with dissatisfaction. Unfortunately, my son was subjected to this behavior from me, however subtle my mood was.
I can count on a single hand the times I have felt like this in the water. That just doesn't happen, thankfully.
I am no doubt "changed" from the events of the year, both physically and spiritually. It is my mission to get back to as close to good as I can. I make progress and slide back as well in both areas. This is to be expected for me now. Steps forward and slides backwards. I guess this is the natural progression of things in my circunstance. I will say that I am pleased that my body is getting better, stronger, and responding to my challenges. I do it for my surfing, myself, but mostly for my wife Laurie, my son Jason, my other family and friends like Dave, Michelle, and Lori.
The next day I went out with Dave while my son went to work.
This next morning I stood on most every wave I wanted and had a very "normal" surf, which was GREAT ! ! I seem to get what I need right when I need it most. This keeps me goin on, keeps a little spark within my soul, something to stoke up.
It was good to move on the faces, get up without thinking about it.