« November 2011 | Extempore | January 2012 »
December 31, 2011 (Saturday)
Post-session
Very small (near-flat). Nice conditions. Light, variable winds, low tide. The Regular was packed. A-framer was tiny but doable with a classic SW direction and no one. Easy call.
As soon as I get out, a guy and a girl appear at the Right-hander, which is adjacent. They were getting nothing. I was catching and belly-boarding waves. They kept looking over and then finally joined. Two idiots. Immediately they started taking off on any wave and pretty much doing whatever they wanted. Pretty much no respect and clueless. What do I mean? Just three of us, super small and gutless -- why not just share and take turns. You know? No problem. Plenty room and enough ankle-snappers to satisfy any weekend warrior. But no, they had to crap on everything.
So I gave it ten minutes and then made a bee-line for the Right-hander, which was now empty. I stayed for about half an hour. Another of the regulars came out, and we took turns. Honestly, it was so-o small that it didn't matter to either of us who went on a wave.
Meanwhile the two douches from the A started to make their way back. As soon as they got midway, I headed back to the A. Stayed there for a few then went in.
It was a beautiful day. Nice for paddling. Water felt great.
Posted at 11:43 PM
December 30, 2011 (Friday)
Post-session
Nicest conditions/form in a while. Lighter winds, smallish waves but doable. Did my usual on the inside, end-corner. Not crowded then invasion within a half hour. Lots of kooks. Didn't care because just belly-boarding on inside non-stop. Totally carefree, no stress, no worries. Winds supposed to die.
Posted at 8:54 PM
December 29, 2011 (Thursday)
Post-session
Diagnosis: strained tendon. Treatment: anti-inflammatory medication, icing, no standing on surfboard for one month. Prognosis: fully healed in one month. He said the movement of the joint is smooth with no discernible swelling. Didn't perform x-ray.
Hmm. No standing? Harsh. Oh, well. I still had fun. Belly-boarded small ones on the inside pretty much non-stop. It was smaller and windy.
Posted at 9:51 PM
December 28, 2011 (Wednesday)
Post-session
Wow, best day in weeks(?). Slightly less wind with what seems like a weak southern groundswell. Empty then packed. Did inside, end-corner and got some fun ones. Non-stop doubles. Long rides. Didn't stand. Supposed to be light winds (variables) later in the week.
Going to another doctor tomorrow for my knee. Would like a second opinion. Everyone is weighing in with their own diagnoses. Funny that so many of my friends seem to have attended medical school at some time or another. I joke. They mean well, and I appreciate the interest. They all express concern that the first exam didn't include any scanning or imaging.
Posted at 10:19 PM
December 27, 2011 (Tuesday)
Post-session
Windy. About the same, perhaps slightly smaller. Boring. Get a bunch, like the previous days, and stay busy continually snagging doubled-up bowls on the far inside, end-corner. Didn't try to stand.
Posted at 11:06 PM
December 26, 2011 (Monday)
Post-session
Slightly smaller but otherwise similar. Boring but caught a bunch like yesterday on the far inside, end-corner. Somewhat empty than many more people. Windy and choppy. Didn't stand.
Posted at 8:16 PM
December 25, 2011 (Sunday)
Post-session
Merry Whatever. Seems bigger. Slightly less wind. Lots of waves and quite fun on the end-corner. I was scoring long rides non-stop. But just belly-boarding. Actually my shoulders were tired from the constant paddling. No one else was getting very much. Guess it's way easier when you don't have to stand and can catch the whitewater or pretty much anything. I was alone on the far inside and everyone was out more toward the middle.
Good session even if I couldn't get to my feet. Water was cold but it was beautiful and sunny. Great X-mas day, lots of beachgoers. Thankful I can at least get in the water and paddle around. There's much to be thankful for.
Posted at 7:32 PM
December 24, 2011 (Saturday)
Post-session
Correction to yesterday's post: today is the windiest in a long time. Empty. Pretty much the same as all the previous days. I snag waves non-stop for about 45 minutes bellyboarding. Didn't try to stand.
I'm not going to say be careful at parties or when you're on the road during this holiday season. Just watch this video and be thankful for what you have because you never know when it might end: Luckily avoided head on collision with a slipped truck trailer (via Gizmodo).
Posted at 10:36 PM
December 23, 2011 (Friday)
Post-session
Went to the doctor beforehand. He examined my knee and didn't find anything significant. Said I should rest and triple the dosage of my anti-inflammatory medication (that I already take for my arthritis). Said I shouldn't worry unless the problem persists for two months. Two months?! I asked for a cortisone shot, which he has never denied previously, and he said no. Argh.
Hit the end-corner with a friend. Pretty much the same but seemed slightly bigger. Probably the windiest day in a while. Had to be 25-35 mph with gusts of 40. That's my guess, anyway. Tried to stand once but couldn't. Lots of decent ones hitting the reef at that ideal east angle.
Although the trades have been blowing it out, these really are fun times for us. Once there's been sufficient days of strong E-NE winds to generate wind-swell, the inside, end-corner starts going off. And of course, with these conditions no one is out because it's too rough and choppy for almost anyone but the core regulars.
Posted at 11:33 PM
December 22, 2011 (Thursday)
Post-session
Friend let me use his brace that had a hinge, but it hindered more than helped. It's probably all in my head. Couldn't get to my feet because the brace made it difficult to bend my knee and stand. But my friend uses it all the time to surf, so it's just me.
The waves were fun. More inside, end-corner action. Windy, east wind-swell. Empty due to the wind. So it was my kind of day. The kind of conditions I love: blown out, not crowded, rippable small bowls hitting the reef at an east angle.
Posted at 10:18 PM
December 21, 2011 (Wednesday)
Post-session
Finally. Was able to stand once. But my knee was sharply painful for about five minutes afterward, and that's definitely a sign that it's not yet ready. Used a brace, and it didn't do anything. Guess it's more psychological benefit.
The inside, end-corner was in classic form. Windy, east-y wind-swell at low tide with lined-up doubly bowls breaking far. Would've had fun if I could've gotten to my feet.
Posted at 11:11 PM
December 19, 2011 (Monday)
Post-session
With a friend at Regular. Some decent ones. First day back in several. Stayed on the far inside, end-corner. Tried to stand once but couldn't. Came close but my knee is still resistant. There were some rippable bowl-ages, and I was bummed.
Posted at 9:24 PM
December 15, 2011 (Thursday)
Post-session
Small and looked fun. Crowded because the winds were light and the form decent. Couldn't stand. Knee still sore. Paddled to BM's and back for exercise. Heard there's supposed to be a smallish bump for the weekend.
Posted at 8:01 PM
December 11, 2011 (Sunday)
Post-session
Regular with a friend. Tried to stand once but couldn't. Knee is still sore. It's when it's near full flexion that it's painful, which means it inhibits the very initial stage of jumping up from lying.
Another nice day. Windy and no one out--desolate, just the way we like it. It's pretty surfable and fun looking, so I'm bummed.
Posted at 11:22 PM
December 9, 2011 (Friday)
Post-session
Regular with a friend. Paddle out but don't stand. I'm scared to attempt getting to my feet so just bellyboard. My knee is definitely tender. Been icing it twice daily.
It's a nice day; breezy and small but definitely doable. It's uncomfortably weird just lying on my board and riding waves.
Posted at 10:09 PM
December 6, 2011 (Tuesday)
Knee Problem
Wow, it's pretty bad. The pain has moved from the side to under the knee cap. No way I'll be able to surf today. Kinda frustrating since I can't link the cause to any specific event. Must be overuse and old age. Body just isn't as durable as it used to be.
Posted at 9:42 AM
December 5, 2011 (Monday)
Post-session
Small and doable but boring. Knee has been bothering me. Don't know what's wrong. It's not the result of any specific trauma. It's on the inner side...medial collateral ligament (MCL)? Right now it's really bad, and I can barely walk. It started several weeks ago. Just mild pain. First noticed it when i was doing my routine morning stretching. The other day, kinda tweaked it surfing backside. The mild pain level stayed the same. There was no indication that it was worsening. Then after today's session, it hurt a lot.
Posted at 11:26 PM
December 4, 2011 (Sunday)
Post-session
Solo at M's then two friends join. Windy, very choppy, and fun. Much better than expected. Blew it on a few good ones. Friend was scoring a lot on the inside. I persisted farther out and started getting skunked so moved in and started scoring too. Eventually a few irritating longies paddled out and we called it a day. Need I ask? Is it representative or symptomatic of your life situations that you guys have to take every single wave that comes in, ALWAYS sit deeper and farther out, and snake others? How we would analyze that? You guys are extremely self-centered and selfish, a pathological need to dominate others? Or is it the opposite, a direct expression of frustration at being constantly stepped on and exploited?
Posted at 10:24 PM
December 3, 2011 (Saturday)
Post-session
Overall smaller. Moderate east wind and choppy, which is normal, not crowded (in fact, pretty empty), which is not. Started at M's. Okay. Caught a bunch then went to Regular. Did the inside, end-corner for about 45 minutes. Some fun ones. More waves and juice than yesterday. Relaxing and satisfying session.
Posted at 8:10 PM
December 2, 2011 (Friday)
Post-session
New energy, as forecasted. Biggest in months? Started at M's alone. Friend was at BM's and beckoned me over. The place was going off. The lefts were the best I've surfed at that spot since summer. About 45 minutes of non-stop, lined-up, bowl-y, long, doubled-up, over-head goodness. Funny because we heard the morning was small, so the swell jumped up in a matter of hours.
Posted at 10:43 PM
December 1, 2011 (Thursday)
Post-session
M's alone then finish at Regular. Still small but showing signs.
Posted at 10:57 PM