Surfed with Friend #1 the other day, well, other morning before work to be more accurate.
It was jumbled and sloppy with some size here and there with somewhat unpredictable sets. Intermittent puffs of offshore wind made some waves better than others, but it was difficult to tell what wave was going to respond well.
Anyway, had one good wave, one great wave, and a host of other waves that were more tests of my leash than anything else.
The one great wave was really three parts:
1 - It was 2nd wave of the set and it swung a little wider than the first, so no 2nd wave of the set being ruined by the 1st wave of the set action....got lucky there. Wind had been slack a few minutes before but picked up a teeny bit offshore for this set, more luck. Had to really paddle a lot longer and harder than I would have thought, the wave was at the edge of a rip, and water was drawing of the sand bar that formed one side of the rip. Popped up moment before the wave jacked up, lots of weight over the fin cluster, and leaning to get the rail engaged before I hit the flats.
2 - Drop done, fins and rail working together, was able to start the "bottom turn" early, more like a "3/4th to the bottom" turn. Able to redirect back to the top and hook into the pocket under the clamshell that was the lip just as the wave moved over a deep spot and backs off. So what was going to be a wide open barrel turns into a wedge for a moment and I am at the top of it. Then just as fast, the wave feels the bar again, now downcarve and bottom turn with right hand skimming the overhead wall with the bowling section ahead and me needing to gas it if I want to make it.
3 - As the wave bowls and throws, I'm already taking the high line and crouching down, having just done the pump. Now it is hold on, hold on, feel the back end/rail for any slippage, hold on, waves splash on the back, disengage rail and side slip, no more water weight on the back, pump and out. Wave backs off, go over the side and then get mowed by the rest of the set on the inside.
After getting a few more rides, fail to catch a wave, get cleaned up and break the leash. Long cold swim to the sand, and the nearshore trench is full of softball sized stones that make the exit a teence more exciting. Collect my board and see a new ding on the tip of the nose.
Then, about four hours later, as I type out a report, realize my feet never really warmed back up, so make myself a pint of hot lemon water with rosemary and honey.