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October 21, 2006 (Saturday)
Post-session
Awesome time at the A-framer. It didn' start out that way.
First went out to my regular spot. From the beach, I could see some nice looking sets coming in. And it was crowded. Started at my usual bowl. But it was inconsistent, and the nearby peak was really pulling in the waves, so I paddled over. The waits were long there too.
And the people. Irking. They were giving me the creeps like I had a phobia. I know where that came from. It's from all the days earlier in the week surfing un-crowded waves. Really, beginning on Tuesday and every day after, I had great sessions. The waves were consistent, the conditions and form were excellent, and it was pretty much only three to five of us (and we all knew each other) trading waves and laughing and having a blast. The week represented probably the most fun I've had all year.
So I'm at this peak with about 20 people, all kooks--no skill and aggressive--and I just want to leave. One guy, in particular, is trying to take over and dominate. I'm looking around, and I feel very uncomfortable. I catch a few, but it's very unchallenging and boring.
One of my friends who surfs the A-framer with me is out, and we decide to make the trek to the A. It's not far. On the way, we pass through the Right-hander. I snag a set-wave, then take the final several strokes. What we find is smallish, about waist-high, very choppy mush. There's a lot of cross swell from, I assume, the moderate trades and rising tide. The wave faces are vandalized by ripples and wavelets cutting sideways and making it difficult to time even a single turn. It seems pretty dismal.
But soon it begins to improve a bit. It's still windy, but the surface chop has cleared significantly. I start to get some fun rides. But it's still quite sloppy. Then my friend has to go in (he has baby-sitting duty). I decide I'll catch a few more but plan not to stay much longer. (In fact, I almost went in with my friend, but it's my day off, so I might as well stretch it out, especially after yesterday's buzz-killer when I had to end earlier than I wanted because I had to go to work.) I had no idea what was about to happen.
As soon as I was alone, the waves turned on, and I had one of my best sessions of the summer. Head-high to slightly-over-head, consistent, lined-up, fast-breaking, juicy walls. Wave after wave. Non-stop fun. Challenging takeoffs with just the right amount of warble and chop to make it difficult and interesting. I was surfing very well and made few mistakes. My board was working unreal. It was one of those unbelievable sessions. I pulled some maneuvers that had me chuckling and grinning. I really had a magnificent time.
Here's what a typical ride was like. Long wall sweeps in from the SW, very west-y. Take off in the pit on, of course, an A-frame bowl. Windy. Late, steep drop. Turn off the bottom and then just drive down the line as the wave runs and breaks quickly for the first section. Pretty much throaty and barrel-y and you're just ahead of the throwing lip. Now with plenty of speed, you move off the middle of the face and drop to the bottom and then go straight up in the pocket. Hit the lip vertical fins-out. You've got plenty of velocity and the sections are coming together very fast. The wave wants to leave you behind and chew you up. Your board is revving, and it loves the high RPMs. Pick your spot, set up off the bottom, then go straight up again. Then one more time, only sooner because the rhythm of the wave sections are more staccato now that the wave is nearing the inside and it's terminus. You're board is practically hydroplaning it's going so fast. Now an entire section is going to mush out and crumble--you're almost at the end--and you take a very wide turn off the bottom and then hit the foam at a vertical angle (180) but then quickly snap down into a right angle (90) and translate your momentum forward as you ride completely over the entire section and drop into the next one. A crisp, slashing cutback and then one last bash off the knee-high remnant and you're done.
Can' even begin to count how many of those I had. Four hours later, I was tired and burnt. Big dinner, then a nap. Spectacular day off.
Posted at 11:50 PM