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

Surfing is getting more relaxed

Surfing is getting more relaxed these days.
I'm surfing better. Better than before the surgical disaster.
A lot of that has to do with 2 things.
A cutaway fin that good friend Dave supplied me and going to Sunday school with this guy

a couple Sundays back
Chuck, a great surfer, has the place wired and he surfs with a style that I particularly like.
Kinda hybrid long/short.
He spent about an hour sitting on the inside, instructing me, as I came to him and passed him. I was my first "lesson" ever. It was great. IT helped me out a lot.
Since that time I have never surfed so.... loose. The cut away assists.
It is coming together now
body, board and ocean.

:)

DAYLIGHT SAVINGS ......... HELL YES ! ! ! !

Today was so necessary...
In the water at 440pm
good bye worries
GLASS.....SWELL.....SUN.....the great life ! ! !


I surfed well
My friends Dave and Pat and Kyle were there.


2 years ago to the day I was getting ready to leave the hospital after 40 days of PURE NIGHTMARE SHIT.

I was wondering how it would be at home....
with 3 hoses running into various points of my body into cavities in my abdomen sucking out 3 distinct types of vile pus from each pocket of infection.
I had a 1 foot gaping slash in my abdomen that was unstichable due to the underlying infection.
I had a machine electronically sucking crap out of that 24 hours a day that i was attached to.
I could no longer walk for more than 15-20 feet at a time.
I had lost 60 pounds of muscle.
I would not be able to get water on myself for months.
I had a bag attached to my stomach to collect poop and could no longer take a dump.
I never really thought I would surf again and was wondering how I would be able to do anything again actually.
Transfusions
Pulmonary embolisms
PAIN PAIN PAIN
DRUGS DRUGS DRUGS
Agony

LOVE LOVE LOVE
PATIENCE
FAITH
GOD
FAMILY
FRIENDS
The dream of being in the water, surfing yes, but also just getting wet in the pool, a lake, the shower, or any water.

Today in the water after I caught and rode well 10 -12 waves my friend pat looked at me and said " just like old times".

For me it will never be like old times exactly.
My body will never be quite right but.....
In some ways it will be more deeply appreciated and thus enjoyed more perhaps.
THANK GOD for family and friends.
THANK GOD for a pretty good body.
THANK GOD for surfing.
THANK YOU !

Saturday 03/06/10 was alright

Got a few waves out there Saturday, the first of 5 days off work.

It was good

it's always good.

Its been 13 days since I don't know when..............Glad I got out last night

13 days of no surf = grumpage
Glad I got out last night. Put my suit on after I got home from work so there would be little excuse once I arrived at Terramar. Ran down the cliff and off into the sun and subsequent set(s), both waves and sun.....
As usual all the work crap was gone immediately. Waist to shoulder stuff came through of which I stood on about 6 times. I thought that it was odd not being in head high++ stuff with power on it.

Surfed OK considering conditions and inconsistent sessions over the last weeks.

The water was coldish but the sun was out and it felt GOOD to be in it.

After 10 more sunsets at 6 the 11th will be at 7PM
DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME Sun.03/14/10 = work bummer eraser for me. Finally I will be able to wash away my cares in the ocean after work whenever I want...

surf on....

WED PM was one to remember...

After Tuesdays stoke and
the realization of why work seems soooo hard to me now ( my lack of after work surfing), I decided for a repeat bliss out.
( Oh yeah, Daylight Savings Time starts Sunday, March 14th.. sunset is 7 pm )
There is my cure for what ails me !
anyways...
Got there but there was a coastal mystery fog, no sunny clear skies like the day before.
Was to meet Dave and his truck was there... but no Dave.
I saw the reef was going considerably better so I made the paddle south on the newly modified
Clear board.
Dave was there with 20 others however he was south at the "right". The right is OK, but the left usually is much better....usually.
Glass, clear water, shoulder to higher PEELING RIGHT waves that ran 20-50 yards with shoulder and clear glass faces. I had the right board and made every one effortlessly it seemed. These weren't the heart thumping waves of the last months that are a challenge just to drop into and get out of, that I have been doing because of timing issues ( and trying to go big)
Nope.
These were easy sweet rides.
After maybe 5 and long ( big grin ) paddle backs... Dave, I, and the others saw a few dolphins real close doing some great air tricks, landing on their backs etc....
anyways I take off on a beautiful shoulder high, glass face and there, 1 foot under me the whole way( 30 yards ), is a 9 foot dolphin looking right up at me and cris crossing under my board for the entire ride ! ! I have seen that sort of thing before, but not this long and clearly.
In fact as I rode by some folks on the shoulder of this cruiser wave, I was pointing down at the dolphin and just laughing.
My paddle back was interrupted by several people who asked "did you see that?" and holy moly kinda of comments. Wow....just wow !

It was nothing short of spectacular ! !

Will the pure amazement of this thing ever cease ? I think not.
I have been out probably 1500 times in the relatively short amount of time I have been surfing
( 8 years) I suspect my stoke to last
until I leave this earth maybe(hopefully, at least ) 30 years or so from now.
surf on....

Tuesday PM was ..... well it's what I needed.

Now I remember what gets me through "certain Days".
It is being able to get into the water after "certain activities" at the end of the day.
Thank God it's staying lighter longer now. Brought the board to work. Was due to hit it at 4 and sure as the sun rises, I got caught into staying later, as per usual.....but
I did get to the waters edge at 450 and paddled out into a great scenario.
Glass, shoulder high and +, rising tide from a low and a tidal push, sunset, dolphins few people,
and
FINALLY SOME SHAPE ! ! !
I took the side bites of my long board from Mondays thing and just had the single cutaway on it.
My board and I were dancing for a change. Up and down the lines
It was perfection !
Many many waves, all to myself !
So much fun I forgot myself.
So much ...
thanks

surf on...

Mondays blues

continued.......
After that paddle Dave and I sat outside and laughed for awhile. It was good to overcome the situation, to fight for it. I am speaking of the fact we almost weren't able to make it out.

THE morning was so beautiful , Clear skies with the sunrising on us in the pure deep green glassy water and BIG ,long interval swells.
After a few minutes to catch my breath I said, "OK all dressed up and nowhere to go"
Almost every wave was a jack up, close out mostly due to the tide and huge amount of water in front of them. I stood up on 3-4 waves in an hours time and could not drop down the face for the off shores holding me back.
Some of those closeouts would release a 20 foot high shower of water on us of the top and to the back side of the peak and as they closed out. It was like some pointing a fire hose up into the air and getting showered with it after the waves went by.
I have been in that before but not to that extreme.

Dave tried for one ,and I think he couldn't drop. He got caught inside as a clean up set came through. He was done and waited for the right ride straight in.
After he got back up the cliff to his truck ,and changed, he waited, for me. I was almost alone in the water where I was. I was trying to find a shoulder to grab. Nope. A good hour went by and I knew the tide would soon be a t a 6 foot apex and the situation was becoming increasingly dangerous. I was tired form the paddle out and all the paddling to maneuver and then get over clean up sets without getting caught . I was looking for a way in. I tried going in a bit closer to get some smaller waves but would miss those due to the high tide jack and warble thing then have to scratch back outside and over the sets.
Did this a couple times the the inevitable clean up mother, thankfully broke way the hell out there and I got an E ticket ride in on a 4-5 foot wall of white that rocketed me, on my belly, full blast all the way up onto the stones.
Thanks for waiting Dave.
Thanks for the opportunity, survival skills, all that beauty, and pure exhilaration, God !
surf on....

Mondays Paddle Out

Mondays paddle out was amazing. The tide was at about 3 feet and coming up fast mixed in with some big boy waves. The amount of water in front of strong deep swell causes the waves to jack up a lot here at Terramar. Add in the strong off shores and you got some big walls, standing high and closing out.
Dave and I attempted to paddle out into a "flattened area".... hahaha that was funny.
"Let's wait for the lull" hahaha that was funnier.
We got sucked 100 yards south( thankfully) into a channel area we know of, but could not get to on foot this AM, past "5 Palms". We had wanted to go there but there was no access 'cuz of the large waves and high tide... just cobblestones, boulders and ankle breaker reef exposures under the surface.
We then advanced out only to get beat up more form a series of sets.
I wanted to get out so bad.
After floating in the soup midway out in the impact zone of the common waves I was ready to turn back.
Dave just said "One More Time"
The waves came and beat on us and then there it was.....
our chance....

(to be continued)

Sunday was for Lovers

Laurie and I spent the day our way.
We ended up on top the cliffs in Torrey Pines.
True love is not surfing on an afternoon like this to spend it with your sweetheart.
We ended up watching what we thought was a rescue and turned out to be a retrieval of some poor 20 year old girls lifeless body who had fallen off the cliff.
I was a somber moment to say the least.
We have a different view of life and death now after my ordeal.
Life is so fleeting sometimes. Snap the fingers and gone.
I am so thankful for all the beauty and love that surrounds me.
Love is beautiful

surf on...

SAT ur Day was A O K

Saw the beautiful morning glass on the cameras but held off and out for a dropping 10-11am tide,
and Voila, wind is on it.

Oh well ,paddled out with Dave and met Pat and Kyle out there too. Not too many others were out.
Brought my tighty whitey 9'6" with a tri fin cutaway set up.
Paddling seemed soooo slooooow compared to the huge glide machine I'm so used to now.( 10'3").
Despite the wind and the odd bump and difficult nature of these waves, I feel I surfed them well.
Last time out in the bigness I was a little disappointed in myself for playing too safe and not getting to the bottom of any of the waves, even though most every opportunity was a closeout.
This time I told myself, do the full drop and bottom turn to the sweet spot and try to haul ass.
I was pleased with the results.

As I write this (Sunday, Valentines Day, 6:42 AM, glassy on cameras)
I have again, with great anxiousness, backed out of dawn patrol due to the tide situation...... might be a bad call. I have made many and will again, we'll see.

Surf on...

Snap Crackle Pop ....... big waves

SATURDAY's dawn patrol proved interesting.
0615.
Didn't really linger on the visual check scene, purposefully. Suited up and made my way down with a guy I've seen a lot but we've spoken twice. Big dude, good surfer,and he's in
TRUNKS !?!. I'm one upped again
Ok. anyways. its glassy I know it's big and there is an immediate lull and off we go, with out incident, a dry hair paddle out on a big day. Cool.
The sets start coming. Good size shoulder to head. Lotsa walled up thumpers.
I do get 3 nice big waves with shoulders. In that time frame the tide has gone from 4 to 6 feet.
0730 Time to get out.
Hmmmmm... how to get out? Waited very patiently until the shore break wave looked right picked me up and "put" me onto the hamburger patty sized cobble stone beach. The hurty when you walk on em or get sucked back over em kind of stones. It was short but sweet.
SUNDAY Psych out
dawn patrol didn't happen with a 7 foot tide and 8-10 foot faces. A friend, Squaticus Maximus, paddled out 2 min. before my arrival. I would have gone out with him by my side but instead as I was headed down to take off I noticed he was the only one out there, and all the other locals( so many, so much better than I ) were not gonna go.
Took me 5 minutes to psych out ( hate it )
Said I'll come back at lower tide.
Came back at 1230 4' tide and dropping and p
addled into a big wall o water wonderland. Dave and a friend from my work, Eileen made it out easily enough for the conditions. Then the big sets started in.
Eileen got several 8-10 footers. I was very happy to see that. Dave got a great left.
I got a few big ins and outs but nothing long enough to really get super stoked about.
Did count 4 broken and lost boards and subsequent "swim backs" and 2 broken boards in the short time I was out.
I LOVE BIG SURF....I never quite feel so alive as when I'm in it.
I LOVE BIG WAVES....

surf on

Saturday / Sunday proved too much

Too much sewage.
Too many back to backs for this old dude to make it out.
Too much for all the locals to accompany me.


Sunday I gave it a go just me and the surf
no one else, except my love Laurie who is always with me in my heart.
Got half way out and gave up not because of weakness, but I just didn't feel right without SOMEBODY else in the water under those conditions....
It has something to do with almost dying 3 or 4 times in the hospital and not wanting to leave my wife and son. There ! I mean at least with a friend or two there would be some hope of surviving a tragedy out there,
Ah well.... I gave it a go and tested the water and myself.

surf on....

I dreamed of it last night

I dreamed that I was looking out the window of a second story burger place on Oahu but it overlooked Terramar. I was trying to get a cup of coffee from a hyperactive little dude behind the counter who wouldn't count my loose change and get my coffee. Sooo I counted it for him as I was sneaking peeks of the huge blue green surf behind me out the window.
All I could think was get my coffee I gotta get out there. Then I woke up,0530.

Made coffee and I am looking at Swamis on surflines HD cam thinking all I wanna do
was get my coffee, I gotta get out there. But I am sitting here.
0638 It's getting lighter now.
get my coffee, I gotta get out there.
0641 I see some dude in the water at Swamis, he gets up on a fairly organized head high wave. Couple of up n downs and then it flops on him, shooting god knows what straight into his sinuses.
0643 It's getting lighter now.
get my coffee, I gotta get out there.
Being restricted from surfing everyday SUCKS, that's what I hate about Winter. I can't get out from work in time to get into the water afterwards.
I want to go N O W ! ! !

I know, I know exactly what you ( anyone who reads this, if anyone ) are thinking.
0648 It's getting lighter now.
get my coffee, I gotta get out there.
0649
0650

Sunday was my day

After Friday and Saturday's inconsistency in wave delivery and my own abilities for those days, I get a good one on Sunday.
THE swell is coming on quite a bit bigger, with better shape and frequency.
Not too many people were out @ 645. My surf buddy Dave decided he wasn't in.
So as I am walking down, another friend, Squat, joins me and suggests we paddle out in a channel he knows of down the way a bit.
Jim is an experienced surfer and literally has surfed Terramar, for what I believe is every day for the last, well, MANY years.
So..... I take him up on his offer and wisdom. It was a great help, as I can get a bit squirreled
during paddle outs on big days. Made it out without events or issues in a rather relaxed way.
Paddled to just south of Ted's house and Jim just kept going North toward warm waters. We stayed about 150 yards apart and watched each other a bit.
Large waves would come through in 5 wave sets.
Few people were where I was.
I don't like sharing drops much when things get big, so this was good.
OK, so I get a couple great rights and a few lefts. The speed was pretty amazing on these waves.THE SIZE was great too....head high faces.
I chose high lines and middle of the board positioning for speed.
I did choose my 10'3" even though the inside part of these waves Sunday were nasty closeouts. I made this decision based on the thought that I would be able to get into the waves on the outside and much earlier than with other boards, or for that matter people. It gave me an undeniable edge making it easier for me to hand pick better shaped waves.
This worked perfectly on this day
I did surf well and I felt great about the whole thing.
I am working my way towards my goal again.
The photo below is the first photo of me surfing. My son took it.
It has special meaning to me as well.
It is me

I put it here as I am beginning to feel like "me" again.
I am leaving behind the surgical tragedy of almost 2 years ago and
once again improving my surfing abilities.

surf on...

Friday PM / Sat AM 01/08-09/2010

Friday had to race all day at work and then had to race to the ocean. In the water at 345pm. It was cleansing and some bigness was rolling beneath my friends and I.
Gone are the days where this was an everyday occurrence after work. My boss has moved me inland and to a place where afterwork sessions in winter are almost impossible .
Much has changed since 02/08/08.

Saturday proved to be pretty good as well. Got out a bit late for DP but had a few good rides.

Happy New Year......c'ya 09

Old business

12/20/09-Sunday Surfing with my son. He is off from school and work.I see him get some good ones.
It's been so long since we've spent much time together, in the water or out.
I tell myself this is the natural order of things,but I don't like it.
It is good to be surfing with my son again.

12/25/07-Friday-Christmas- Jesus Christ' birthday
and an observed Holiday from Surfing for myself.

12/26/09-Saturday Hyped WNW swell not in yet, at least not for our dawn patrol.
Jason, his friend Todd,and I are virtually skunked in 38 degree air and 53 degree water. Everywhere we go, waves are not.

12/27/09-Sunday The Hyped WNW swell is on, but the walls are nasty closeouts,
Jason,Dave and I, and many others watch from the cliffs

and psych out !

I get a bad feeling from this. I hate psych outs, although I do rely heavily on intuition. This one pissed me a little. Ah well that's the way she goes.

12/28/09-Monday psych out redemption. After work I hustle to get out and into the line up by 4pm.
I want some big stuff, and big stuff there was that night. A lot of in and outs for myself. Nice big close outs but it's good to feel power underneath you. Stay up high, go for a little ride, then out over the back before the wall comes down.
Took some crap from a good surfer, but he's such a loud little shit though.
He can't shut up and can't help it really.
Oh well, I backed him off as much as I should have, I suppose. I mean I am 53 and he's all of 15 or something. He's gonna be a great surfer one day.
Oh yeah.... !
That evening Dave and I were waiting for some waves with shoulders when 10 yards further out, a single 10foot rogue wave plows through. Dave is about 5 yards better than I and he somehow punches through the top 3/4 of this thing...
I, on the other hand, do NOT.
I am smacked hard off the board as I try to get over it.
I am driven down as my board is being picked up and taken over the falls.
I cannot tell up from down and the the board yanks me towards the beach maybe 7-10 yards.
I figure it out ,and come up for air.
WOW, that was a doozie.
I have taken some good ones, but this one really had some juice on it ! !
It's funny, but that is exactly what I needed.
You know what I mean?
Dave and I finally got a wave with some shoulder to it and rode it in.
It was a good night for us both.
That was the finish of 09