Latest Surfs...

[BoMan]

A gutless, knee high day but there's a story to tell.

I decided to end my sesh when the wind picked up and turned the lineup into a choppy mess. Was just about out and winding up my leash when a lady approached and asked if I could paddle back out and collect her 12 year old son who was on a body board and getting dragged out by the retreating tide. I reached the boy and got him paddling back to shore. He was not in trouble, just oblivious to the current and distracted by a seal fishing for salmon. The mom waved "thank you" from shore and I started back when it happened.

The wind calmed and a beautiful 3 foot set arrived giving me the longest ride of the day.

[oldmansurfer]

So I finally got back in the water. I went out today with my 7 foot funboard. Probably should have taken a longer board because it was difficult for me to catch the waves that were available. But all in all it was okay. Only caught one wave but ride it to the shore and got a little reform back side couple of turns in. My preferred board isn't fixed because every time I go to fix it it rains. I have filled in the foam deficit but still need to glass it. It felt GREAT to be in the ocean again. I think shoulder is good but will see if I still think that tomorrow.

[Tudeo]

So I finally got back in the water.

Now, that's good news! Good luck with the shoulder. Hati hati!

[oldmansurfer]

I think I am okay with the shoulder. I had trouble when I paddled hard because I was out of position. My shoulder kind of locked up I think I need to work at paddling mechanics again in slow increments and maybe go to a larger board till I get it down but normal paddling and going out through the surf was all good. Before the shoulder problem I would have caught maybe 5 or 6 waves. There was a strong sidesweep current and I got quickly out of position so rather challenging conditions head high waves kind of crumbly but it was so great to get in the water

[BaNZ]

Nice swell on the East coast! 3 feet with 8 seconds interval and offshore makes the wave feels much bigger. I brought my 9'0 today and when I got there, I was missing the long fin screw! I also forgot my wallet so I can't just pop to the shop and buy another set. I always keep everything in the car so I know I must have dropped it or lost it. I searched everywhere and was about to head out the water with just 2 side fins. Even if I had no fins, I would still go out. It was just one of those days that the stars are all lined up. Luckily I remember I bought another set from Santa Barbara and managed to find it in my bag.

It's been awhile since I felt so stoke. It felt like real surfing and not summer 1-2 feet with 4 seconds interval. For the first half an hour I was still adjusting to the line up and trying to find where I should sit. I was very annoyed that I missed my first set of wave, it was chest high and it would've been a perfect long ride all the way in. I was right at the peak but because I was leaning too far forward, my board started to submerge during the paddle. I wasn't able to recover in time so I had to let the wave go.

Overall it was a fantastic day. I caught many waves and nearly ran many people over for dropping in on me. On one of the wave I felt like I carved into the face hard as I saw the water splashing and gained a lot of speed as I put myself into the right section. I also fell and landed on my butt hard, luckily it wasn't my tail bone!

[oldmansurfer]

I went out at my usual spot and it was even more mushy than the last time. I took my 9'2" gun to help me catch waves and I did catch 4 or 5 waves. Overall I guess I have quite a bit of catching up to do. I am such a goof now. Hey but that board has lots of flotation. I did a low key run and jump on the board (laying down) over the last wave of the set and made it out maybe 15 yards just with the glide. A couple waves I caught didn't break but the board had enough flotation to keep going. Still haven't fixed my 8 foot board completely last weekend I had to work (so didn't surf) but managed to find time to glass over the ding and then sand it down. I still need to coat a light layer of resin over that and sand it then it will be all ready. I guess I could use it as is but think I will continue to try the 9'2" gun for a while. I also found time to put fins on the 9'2" board and wax it and put a leash on it so it was ready to go this weekend. Shoulder seems to be holding up. I did try to do a late takeoff and got pounded by a wave but held the board with my sore arm so I didn't waste time getting the board back by puling on the leash. That was a mistake but apparently without any serious consequences.

[BoMan]

managed to find time to glass over the ding and then sand it down. I still need to coat a light layer of resin over that and sand it then it will be all ready... I also found time to put fins on the 9'2" board and wax it and put a leash on it so it was ready to go this weekend.

Sounds like you might have a retirement business when the time comes. Great to see you're riding again!

[oldmansurfer]

I got out on my 9'2" board again. Managed to take one steep drop and made one bottom turn. I abandoned a takeoff that might have been really good because it was too late for me at this point. Before I would have figured I had a better than 50% chance of making and would have gone but I am surfing conservatively. The conditions were messy and I was out at Middle Horners, it was head high and multiple swells coming in, I think maybe a wrap around south swell and the normal wind swell so many of the waves were double and only breaking at the top. There was a strong sideways current which meant I was paddling most of the time I was out. I'm a little stiff but think no worse for wear. Great to be back in the ocean. Other news is I was able to finish patching my favorite board maybe I'll probably take it out the next time. Other news is University of Hawaii won their first game of the season against Arizona (football) which made me go surf today because I wanted to watch that game yesterday.

[tomthetreeman]

WE FINALLY GOT WAVES! Some chest to head high, legitimate swell at Matunuck today! Got a pic off the Surfline cam!

[oldmansurfer]

I used my 8 foot board in stormy overhead waves. Caught a couple. I love my 8 foot fungun. The water temperature was totally comfortable not too hot or too cold. I didn't do any maneuvers worth mentioning but I did miss a good wave. Probably I should have started paddling sooner for it but just missed it. I maybe could have made it but didn't want to stress my shoulder. Last weekend I had a supposedly 3 day weekend but ended up putting in a lot of hours at work instead. Just as well as there were not much waves. When I came in from the surf, I saw one of the guys I used to surf with long ago. He was fishing on the beach. I spent endless hours surfing with him at Kealia beach way back when. He had to tell me his name LOL I knew he was one of the crew but couldn't remember however in my own defense he went by a nickname I think it was Dudie or Doody or maybe dooby and his brother was Porpoise or maybe the other way around? LOL getting old. He just had 2 hip replacement surgeries. Good to see the old crew, don't think I have seen him in 30 years. It was great to soak in the water and have a chance to catch some waves. Shoulder seems to be holding up.

[BoMan]

Had a fun 2-4 foot day.

For some reason, Salmon were running along the sandbar I was surfing. This attracted seals swimming into my path, pelicans diving within 20 feet of my board and a host of other sea birds trying to steal fish from the pelicans. At one point I was so interested in the wildlife that I took one on the head.

[oldmansurfer]

I went out to Black Rock, which the inside part, which is about a 400 yard paddle out. There were some nice waves but only intermittently and I wasn't able to lineup any of them well enough to catch a wave was close on two waves but failed to catch them I did however catch a wave in and it had a nice steep drop and made a bottom turn then a weak cutback and then caught a wave on the inside and rode it for a while. Some progress and no sore shoulder so all is well on my rehab.

[oldmansurfer]

2 day surfing weekend for me Yesterday I went to middle Horners and caught a few. I had my first strong bottom turn to strong cutback maneuver. Not much else of mention on that day. Today I went to the break outside of the parking lot and caught a few. I caught a fairly long weak but fast breaking wave and had to do some stuff for speed. Good thing my 8 foot board is fast. A good workout and the perfect day for me to surf at my current skill level.. Shoulder seems to be holding out.

[oldmansurfer]

I went out to Middle Horners today and it was crumbly but good exercise. There were two guys out a standup foil paddler and a shortboard foil surfer. The waves were much more suited to foiling but I did okay I guess. The inside break which is a shallow reef had a nice wall. I managed to connect to the inside on one wave from the middle break and did a few snapping top turns. I did not do a hard bottom turn as I usually would have done because it's REALLY shallow there and I might have left a fin or two in the reef. When I went in for the day I stopped at the inside break and caught a few waves before heading in. Each of them doing a bunch of snaps off the top. I feel like I am starting to get back some skills from my time off surfing.

[BoMan]

There were two guys out a standup foil paddler and a shortboard foil surfer. The waves were much more suited to foiling but I did okay I guess.

Do you surf any differently with foil boards in the lineup? Do you give them a space cushion?

[oldmansurfer]

I guess that depends on the guys. These surfers seemed to be in control and not too aggressive so I sat with them in the lineup albeit at a slightly different point. On the wave that I managed to connect to the inside break Initially I tried to stay on the inside and surf that break but I seemed to be in their way. However later I discovered that they cut out right where I wanted to take off so not too bad. These guys didn't seem to mind sharing a wave or two with me although if I saw them on a wave and headed toward me I didn't take off. The inside break is a very shallow reef break so not a foiler wave. Sometimes I will line up right next to the foilers, sometimes I will find another peak to take off on. It all depends on the conditions and the amount and attitude of the surfers. If there is a lot I will find another peak. If there aren't a lot I will see how they act. Today I could have gone to the outside break but chose to hang with them because the outside break didn't seem any better and I wanted to try snag a couple inside waves. I don't usually want to surf a shallow reef for the whole session unless that is the only choice

[oldmansurfer]

Two days surfing weekend for me. Yesterday I went to outside Horners. There were a bunch of guys out there but I saw waves coming in unridden so I went out there after hanging out at the middle break without a worthwhile wave. When I paddled out the waves seemed to be getting bigger so I kept paddling out then a wave came right to me. I was in the perfect place to catch it and so I did. It was a very fun wave with many powerful bottom turns. I surfed it entirely on instinct not really thinking about it much. Only thoughts were "I am in the perfect place" "It's going to be steep" (I did a two paddle takeoff, left arm right arm popup) then "Too high on the wave" I turned a little too high on the first top turn and temporarily stalled. The rest was autopilot. Apparently I caught the biggest set to come in. That was it , the only real wave. I caught some waves in that didn't amount to much. Today same place all by myself but initially I didn't want to go out because i saw something splashing outside and working it's way inside so I stayed on the inside unsure what ti was. Turned out to be a swimmer, a splashy swimmer LOL so I paddled out and caught a couple waves but nothing to note. Good exercise

[BoMan]

Today same place all by myself but initially I didn't want to go out because i saw something splashing outside and working it's way inside so I stayed on the inside unsure what it was. Turned out to be a swimmer, a splashy swimmer LOL so I paddled out and caught a couple waves but nothing to note. Good exercise

Did it look like this?

silver_surfer_comic_com.jpg (103.89 KiB) Viewed 928 times

[oldmansurfer]

Today same place all by myself but initially I didn't want to go out because i saw something splashing outside and working it's way inside so I stayed on the inside unsure what it was. Turned out to be a swimmer, a splashy swimmer LOL so I paddled out and caught a couple waves but nothing to note. Good exercise

Did it look like this?

silver_surfer_comic_com.jpg

Not sure I didn't have my glasses on

[oldmansurfer]

I went out today only because of having the roofer over to fix a leak in the roof and the University of Hawaii football playing Boise and the water was brown due to heavy rains. So today I went out at Middle Horners which was about head high. It was all about figuring out where to lineup and which wave to catch. It looked like there were some waves that I should be able to do an off the lip maneuver on but it took me 20 minutes to figure out which wave and where to lineup. I caught several waves that were basically a bottom turn to cutback to riding whitewater to try to hook up to the inside break which I never did. But finally I was able to do a bottom turn to off the lip. It was a pretty decent off the lip in fact the best one of 2019 for me but then i haven't surfed in 2019 till September. Last weekend i did a bunch of off the top turns but none of the smacking the lip. Anyway it felt good to do one.