easter morning log riding; monday dawn patrol

Nothing much to recall, it was weak and mushy on Sunday morning so after a pre-dawn motorcycle ride up Mt Tam, I decided to paddle out on the longboard at OB. The waves had enough juice to catch waves, but the waves were sectiony and scattered, making it tough to find a clean face. I pearled a few times trying to take off too deep or drive through steep sections on the log. It was fun to ride the log though, I should use it more but it's just so huge that it's a lot of work to drag down to the beach from my house.

This AM I checked stokereport.com and a few guys were calling it rideable and fair, so I suited up. My shoulder was feeling a little sore so I decided to bodyboard. The waves were shoulder to head high, but pretty mixed up. I got caught in a rip and only got a few waves. The best wave was the last wave, which I rode all the way into the beach from waaaay outside. The novelty of riding a bodyboard until you're washed up all the way into dry sand never wears off...

Here's some photos of recent swell in NJ that made me a bit homesick: http://surf.transworld.net/2009/04/08/jersey-juice/

I miss the road trips in high school to skate/surf the Jersey shore, although I only scored tubes like this on one memorable early fall trip with Jon.

Also, FYI, the water housing of my GoPro camera seems to have shit the bed. I'm working on getting a replacement housing that doesn't leak, hoping it's covered under warranty. For the time being I won't be taking water shots, but maybe that's a good opportunity to focus on my surfing rather than my photography skills...

Session 113 - Saturday at OB

Ryan and I paddled out at K street and caught a ton of really nice waves. There were some characters in the lineup, including one Japanese kid who was furiously trying to paddle around everyone and take off as deep as possible. He generally would take off deep, call you off the wave, and wipe out. Ry dropped in on him and just milked the wave. Good man. Joanie snapped a few shots from the dunes, check the slideshow for more pics:

http://picasaweb.google.com/joanpranata/KirkhamSurf1262008#

Session 112 - Macking OB dawn patrol

It's been a slow surfing week for me, not due to lack of swell, but due to early meetings all week. However, no early meetings this Friday, and plenty of pulse in the water, and plenty of paddling and duckdiving to go with it. Took a walk to the beach around quarter to 7 to check it, and there was one guy paddling out. Big, clean double overhead sets breaking on the outer sandbars. Walked home, finished my coffee and suited up. Only one earplug in because I lost the right one at the Jetty...waxed up the 7'5" Waterworks semi-gun and headed down to Kirkham. By the time I got out, there were 3 or 4 other guys on it, catching some bombs. It took me about 10 minutes to make the paddle to the outside, and then of course a huge set rolled through and pushed me back again. I fought it and finally made it all the way out, only to realize that I was way too far out the back. I worked my way back inside, almost catching a few massive waves but not quite having the paddle speed to stroke into them. One wave I paddled further in for position but got too deep and decided to pull back at the last minute. It was scary, as I was teetering on the edge of going over the falls. It could've meant the end of my session right there, but luckily I didn't go over the falls and I paddled out to catch another. I ended up snagging a heaving left, easily 3-4 feet overhead. Once I was in the right position the semi-gun worked like a charm, it was a super stable takeoff and drop, and I raced down the line as far as I could before the wave closed out dramatically and I launched myself out the back. After that I took a set wave on the head, and then scrambled to safety. I blew so much time paddling around in circles that it was already time to head in, so I snagged the next head high wave that rolled through and rode the foam ball all the way inside. It was a great session, just too short. It wouldve been nice to be on it with a few friends too, the lonesome gladiator dawn patrols just arent as fun as being out there with some of your bros. This weekend should be good too, and I'll try and take more pictures if my camera doesnt keep freezing up on me.

106: Tunnel of Pummel - K st dawn patrol

Surf was pumping this AM, and practically no wind to mix things up. A bit smaller than yesterday, so my 7'5" was overkill, but it did make the paddle out extremely easy, relative to yesterday at least. Doing cutbacks on the 7'5" pintail is a bit of a chore, but otherwise the board is super stable and is easy to pump down the line. Hopefully I'll get some more use out of it this winter.

Headed to Orange County for Thanksgiving, camping on the beach at San Onofre. Hoping to score at Trestles, but it looks like it will be 2-4, and the real pulse will be up here in NorCal. Maybe I'll head home early for a Sunday session...

won oh won

kirkham was being all kirkhamy this dawn, as you can see in the picture. i imagine if i were much smaller this wave would be pretty good.

Session 97 - HMB Jetty desperation

Addicted to Fort Point after 1 session, I jumped out of bed at 6:14 this morning hoping to score again. Shoved my wetsuit and booties into my wetbag, grabbed my ear plugs, camera and wax, and down to the garage to load up the bike. Decided to bring out the 6'1" Rusty, shoved it into the board bag and strapped it down to the bike. iPod pumping inside my helmet, I sped down Park Presidio and over to Fort Point. I made the left down the hill past the bridge, and as I caught my first glimpse my heart sunk. Small, choppy, and barely rideable.

At that point I had to get wet somewhere, but not there. I rode through the Marina and took Van Ness through Downtown, hopped on the freeway and headed towards Pacifica. I was hoping Rockaway or Whale Cove would be working, but no such luck. Everywhere was blown to pieces, so I kept riding. Eventually, I got to the Jetty and it was fairly clean. At least relative to everywhere else at the moment. It was tiny though, with an occasional 3 foot set wave doubling up and rolling through, usually closing out after a few feet. It was better than nothing though, and at least surfing the Jetty is a welcome break from the marathon paddle that is OB. It was already 8 by this point though, so I didn't have much time. I caught 11 tiny waves in 40 minutes, snapped 3 pics before my camera died, and then headed to the office.

Only 3 more sessions until the big centum! It looks like the swell is supposed to pick up a bit, so hopefully I'll get there by the weekend. If session 100 happens to fall on the weekend, I just might have to attempt the 100 wave day...maybe the Jetty would be a good venue for a marathon session since the paddling is minimal. But I'd feel weird not having such a momentus day in my surfing career happen at K street. We shall see!

Session 93 - dawn patrol glass

Hit up K street again this morning with Brian, Ryan and Karl. Conditions improved since yesterday, not quite as soft and some decent rippable walls. Marathon session in mind, I made a point of catching 20 waves this morning, in about an hour and 15 minutes. I think 100 is doable if I have all day and the paddle out isn't too tough. 20 waves was pretty easy, and I was still being selective too, not just dropping into every closeout or mushy shoulder that rolled through. My best wave of the day by far was a right that barreled clean and spit me out on the shoulder, where a seagull swooped just barely out of my reach. I think Karl might have witnessed it from the shoulder, though I'm not positive it was him. So hard to tell who is who when everyone is wearing black wetsuits riding white boards...

Session 92 - Yes we can! (surf)

Stoked on Obama getting elected, but still was able to crawl out of bed this morning to meet up with Ry for a session at K st. The conditions really cleaned up a lot, and

although the waves were on the soft side, there were some nice peaks to take off on, and it was just plain beautiful out. We saw a big pod of maybe 5 or 6 dolphins breach on a decent set wave, and then Ry and I both turned and caught the same wave. A bunch of other guys (and a girl) were out catching rides too, I got a few pics of a guy on a longboard making a decent drop. I'm hoping it stays clean for tomorrow AM and into the weekend, a little more size wouldnt hurt either.

As for last night, I'm extremely happy Obama got elected, watching his speech was probably the proudest moment as an American in my life. Aside from all of the important credentials Obama brings to the table, as a surfer I think it's awesome that he has roots in Hawaii and Indo and has actually surfed and body surfed before. When was the last time we had a president that understood the allure of surfing??

Session 91 - K street

Another day, another foggy dawn patrol. Visibility was poor, but the conditions were a bit cleaner than yesterday AM. NW fading, S swell filling in a bit. Roughly the same size as yesterday, sets shoulder high max. One other guy out, and some seals flopping around. First wave went for a late drop and didn't make it. Next wave took off deep, then bottom turned around the section and swooped back up into the pocket. A few nice turns and kicked out. My last wave was the longest ride, a chest high left that walled up nicely and took me all the way into the beach.

Session 90 - Jerry Garcia

Dawn patrol at K street, and surfline is wayyyyyy off today. Not fair. Poor. Biggest set waves maybe shoulder high, but the incoming tide making it weak, and onshore winds turning it to sectiony junk. I was able to snag 4 waves, but found myself having to take late drops just to catch them, and focus on driving past flat spots and mushy sections. All in all it was a pretty boring session, but a good workout. One of those days where you paddle your ass off through wall after wall of whitewater just to score some dribbly 4 foot mushburger.

However, maybe it's just a perception problem, and 3 weeks in Bali plus these past few days of clean swell have spoiled me. When I paddled in, I walked up towards Judah to head home. A guy in a blue coat had been watching me, and approached me and told me that I was really ripping. He went on to tell me how he was watching me catch some good 'rips' and that the waves further up north were really 'ripping' and that he surfs and darn, he wished he had his board, and maybe he should get his buddy Leland to ship it up here from SoCal. He told me how he surfed County Line once, and he was using his buddy Leland's board, and it was his first time surfing. He was really good, and when he came back to the beach, Jerry Garcia was watching him and told him that he's the best he's ever seen and it's incredible that it was his first time and he could really read the waves and the ocean so well. Then Jerry took his board, which was actually Leland's, and said, let me do something for you, and he signed it. Leland says that board must be worth a fortune right now, but the guy told me that the Jerry Garcia signed board is worth his life, it is his life. You're 40 years old man, you gotta get out there and surf man, fuck it!

Trying to politely end the conversation so I could get to work, I suggested he should check out Mollusk and look to rent a board, and I'd see him out there. But he insisted that it would only cost maybe $20 to just have Leland ship his board and his 'skins' up from LA. He kept talking as I started walking, and then encouraged me to keep up the surfing. Interesting way to start a Tuesday morning.

Session 88 - K st dawn patrol

Friday AM, warbly but glassy and decent 3-5 footers. Only 2 other guys out. Paddled into some solid lefts, one of which I tried to bottom turn and then position myself in the pocket. Must've been too close to the barrel, as the lip knocked me off of my feet and I fell horizontally onto my board, bruising my arm on my board.

After that, I redeemed myself by sticking a super late drop into a pitching left. Tosh witnessed the drop from the shoulder, and after paddling back out we chatted for a bit about Indo.

Session 69 - Kirkham Crew

This AM we had the whole crew out- me, Ryan, Gillian, Karl, Nic & Brian. Waves were small, but rideable and entertaining enough. Took a bunch of photos, a few good ones of Gillian, Karl, and Nic. It was a perfect last session in SF before heading out to Bali today. I'm at the airport right now, and so far the trip is going well. They didn't charge me for my board bag, and are sending it straight to Bali, rather than making me schlep it around Hong Kong for a night. I arrive in Bali on Friday around 3:30 in the afternoon. Hope I'll have time to check into the hotel and sneak in a sunset session before dinner. The waves right now are slightly overhead, but this weekend a big groundswell is rolling in and it's supposed to jack up again to triple overhead plus. If all goes well I'll get shacked out of my mind without any visits to the emergency room...I have reef booties and a neoprene shirt as my only defense right now. Gilbo was suggesting a helmet, but we'll see, hopefully I won't need one in the deeper water breaks and surfing the higher tides. OK, boarding soon, my next update will hopefully include pristine water shots from the island of the Gods!

Session 68

Another fine day at OB. Took Gus for a walk to check the surf at Judah at 6:20. Looking decent, glassy, slightly bigger than yesterday. Went home, suited up and headed to K street. Not much time to surf, 9 am meetings eating my soul, but glad I was on it early. One other guy out, this dude Tosh, nice guy, we chatted for a bit and shared a peak. The waves were mostly slow, workable walls, making it really easy to link together cutbacks and long carves. My best wave was a late takeoff that walled up, and then had a second drop, so I was able to really build speed down the line and bash the lip when it finally closed out. Too bad I couldn't stay out longer, it seemed to be improving with the outgoing tide. Only a couple more neoprene-clad sessions before Bali! And it looks like it's going to be pumping, the triple overhead swell is now dropping to slightly overhead, but then by this weekend another big swell is moving in. I think I'm going to bring 2 boards now, my 6'5" JC squash tail and my 7'5" semi-gun. Wouldn't want to be undergunned on the surf trip of a lifetime...If I wimp out I'd rather only have myself to blame, not my equipment!

Session 67

K street dawn patrol was beautiful today, I was expecting more wind and chop like yesterday, but it was sunny and glassy and just all around pleasant. The waves were waist to shoulder high and mostly weak, but on occasion a workable wave would roll through. It looked to be picking up, as I drove down great highway on my way to work there were a bunch of guys out near Noriega. Hoping for more of the same tomorrow, a little more size wouldn't hurt ;)

Session 49 - 'Another day in paradise'

Dawn patrol at OB, swell still hanging around, sets in the shoulder high range, smooth, sunny and fun. A few other guys out at Kirkham, and I drifted down to Lawton where there was one other guy on the peak. Caught a lot of fun ones, and after an hour got out to head to work. Passed another surfer walking down the beach, and he says 'another day in paradise...' Although OB is rarely referred to as paradise, I couldn't agree more this morning, I would've stayed out all day if I could.

Session 42- head high OB

This AM I woke up and took Gus for a walk to check the surf. It looked about head high, pretty mixed up, and the inside section slamming pretty hard. Nobody out, just some fishermen on the beach. I decided it would be a good day to jump in the car and check out whale cove or somewhere more protected. I got home, started getting ready, then felt lazy, changed, my mind, and suited up for a punishing OB session.

It was 7:30 by the time I got in the water, and it took me 7 minutes to make the paddle to the outside. That inside section was just dredging and pounding, so it took some patience and timing to navigate through. I saw a few seals and dolphins swimming around while I waited for the sets to roll through, and this one seal kept stopping and staring at me. I didn't mind, since I was the only one out and could use the company, so I named him Captain Kirk, for Kirkham. Unfortunately Captain Kirk was catching more waves than me, and I ended up drifting too far outside to catch anything. I worked my way back inside, catching a weak one that didn't fully break before getting frustrated and paddling even further inside. It was getting late and I need to get to work, so I went for the first juicy wave that jacked up behind me. I took off on a ledgy righthander and practically made the drop before it sucked out at the bottom and dropped me really hard onto the side of my face. It was my best faceflop in a while...I surfaced, gulped a mouthful of seawater, and rode some whitewater to the beach. Ahh, what a way to start a Friday, a classic OB dawn patrol.

Session 40 & 41 - OB & the Hook

Wednesday evening at OB was SUPER foggy, it was so dense that even standing with your feet in the water, you still couldn't see if there were any waves or anyone else surfing. Visibility was limited to ~15 yards, and the sun wasn't even setting yet, it was 6:30. Paddling out I was greeted with nice 3-4 footers breaking over the middle sandbar, mostly walling up and closing out, but a few corners to snag here and there. There were 4 other guys out at Judah/Kirkham, and as the sun began to set the visibility actually got a little better, and the waves were backlit through the fog, which added a nice effect to the hazy conditions. I caught a few fun drops, mostly into closeouts, with a couple lefts that gave me a shoulder to work with. Paddled back in around 8 and found Joanie doing some yardwork.

Yesterday was a unique Thursday in that I had a work offsite in Santa Cruz. I picked Cristelle & Caitlin up around 8am, and we planned to go surfing at Cowell's by the boardwalk before joining the rest of the team going on the rides, etc. We took the scenic route, stopping at 4 corners for a bagel and coffee, then making Caitlin carsick by bombing down Hwy 9 all the way into SC. Unfortunately, Cowells wasn't breaking at all, so we decided to go on rides, have lunch, and try surfing Pleasure Point on the way home.

We got to Pleasures and the tide was still pretty high, with the waves crashing into the rocks and cliff. Cait and Cristelle being the troopers that they are, and me being the reckless and negligent instructor that I am, we rented them boards and wetsuits and hit the surf. Getting in was pretty sketchy for them, having to jump off of the slippery rocks into the surf and paddle out before another wave came crashing in. It was exciting, but they both made it out into the lineup with minimal drama. Actually catching waves proved to be tough too, not ideal for learning, but they both managed to catch a few and have some decent wipeouts and collisions. Too bad we had only an hour in the water due to my scuba class in the city, or else I'm sure they would've gotten some rides as the tide dropped.

I was hoping that the tide would drop enough to make getting out of the water not so sketchy, but that wasn't really the case...the girls had to do the best they could timing in between sets and washing into the rocks to scramble up to the stairs and out of harms way. Cait got a little cut on her foot and struggled with the board a bit, as did Cristelle, but I kept a close eye on them from the water and they both made it out practically unscathed. Practically. Before getting out of the water I caught one really nice little pup-tent sized barrel, which just left me drooling for more, and regretting having to drive back to SF so soon.

I love the Hook, it's my favorite wave when it's working, and it was a treat to be able to surf it on a weekday in the early afternoon with a relatively light crowd. Hopefully next time I take Cait & Cristelle it will be a bit more beginner friendly and manageable for them. I did take a few pics too, I'll upload those this weekend.

Session 35 - OB dawn patrol

At OB, poor-fair = epic

Hahah jk, but seriously, poor? I paddled out at 7:15 this morning and it was foggy, glassy, and wonderful. There were a lot of closeouts, but plenty of shoulders for the taking, and some really fast and fun rides. I was the only one out at Kirkham, save for a curious seal who swam about 10 feet from me and just stared at me for 10 seconds. I was a bit delirious this morning, so I started talking to him, making friends, ya know? I guess that's what happens when you're the only one out and the adrenaline is pumping, you start talking to seals.

My first wave I actually got pounded, I popped up too early and got taken over the falls. OB never fails to humble, even on 3-5 ft days. I caught a few nice rides, including a really fast walled up left that I was able to work pretty far inside. I then wiped out hard again, trying to pull into a frontside barrel and getting denied. I surfed for about an hour, and towards the end of the session the wind starting picking up and the tide was changing, so it got more choppy and crossed up. Just in time for me to hit the shower and head to work. Another lonely and beautiful morning out at Kirkham...

Session 34 -dusk barrel at OB

Holy crap I actually got barreled tonight at OB...the conditions were poor, it was definitely better down at Sloat, but out of convenience I paddled out at Kirkham. There were 2 other guys out, and it was a bit choppy but definitely some pulse in the water. Head high sets were rolling through on occasion, usually breaking 15 yards further out, so I sat and waited for mine. Caught a few little drops and decent rides before they closed out, and then one meaty wave jacked up and i was in the perfect spot. Took a few paddles, popped up, and pulled right into where the wave was pitching hard. The green curtain splashing next to my face I'll never forget, and driving forward out of the barrel section, where the rest of the wave closed out and I steered toward the beach to avoid the closeout. It was amazing, to get barreled on such an unassuming and inhospitable day at OB. My first barrel on my new board, I'll never forget it. Too bad I didn't get a pic or video of it...Hopefully there will be a lot more where that came from in Bali, I'm banking on it.

Session 30 - Thursday @ dusk

It was really overcast tonight, with the waves staying small and weak, but still rideable and and worth a paddle, in my opinion. The more regularly I surf OB the more I'm amazed at how picky SF surfers are. The waves are crummy, yeah, but there's rideable waves almost every day, and I'm usually one of the only guys out there. Good for me I guess, at Kirkham these days three's a crowd.

I picked up some rechargeable batteries for the camera, and took ~30 photos. A few of them came out well despite the poor lighting. I even shot some videos of riding little waist high waves. Gotta post em on YT later and I'll throw some links.