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September 30, 2005 (Friday)
Post-session
Smallish and messy but do-able. Rainy and windy with intermittent sun.
Posted at 12:57 PM
September 29, 2005 (Thursday)
Post-session
Nice conditions, smallish waves (about 1-2). Un-crowded.
Posted at 12:33 PM
September 28, 2005 (Wednesday)
Post-session
It's about 1-2.
Posted at 10:08 AM
September 27, 2005 (Tuesday)
Post-session
It's bigger, for sure, and there's definitely something new pushing in. Went to the physical therapist this morning, and he gave me a knee brace, and I was wearing it. It really threw me off. Anyway, I'll probably be using it for a while.
Posted at 9:19 PM
September 26, 2005 (Monday)
Post-session
Tiny and mushy. Good day to stay home and relax.
Posted at 12:49 PM
September 25, 2005 (Sunday)
Post-session
About 1-2 with light SE winds. Not too crowded.
Posted at 12:42 PM
September 24, 2005 (Saturday)
Finals Finally
Long day. There were a lot of heats, and that meant much waiting and idling for everyone.
I accomplished one of my previously-stated goals: to make it to the finals in the Open. But there's a qualification: there were only three of us (supposed to be six) in my first-round heat, so we all automatically advanced. In the next round, I won my heat and advanced directly to the finals. That was cool. I was stoked. I ended up in last, 6th, though. Oh, well.
For the Senior, only three of us (supposed to be four) in my first-round heat. We all advanced to the finals, and I came in last--surprise!--6th, again. I was bummed.
Two 6th-place finishes. Bitter-sweet.
Posted at 10:43 PM
It's On
The next event is running this morning at Courts. My knee is bothering me.
The Voltaren the doctor prescribed has removed the pain I had when I extend my leg, and so it's allowed me to walk more normally and comfortably. But now I can confirm for sure after yesterday's session that my knee hurts when I surf. The medicine did eliminate the swelling, just like my doctor said, but I wonder if the swelling had a beneficial stabilizing effect in the sense that it cushioned certain structures that allowed me to surf without discomfort?
So in other words, the situation has reversed and I can walk but there's pain when I surf. It's not going to affect my performance, I don't think, because I can simply block it out while I'm riding the wave. And mostly it's afterward if I bend my knee as I paddle that I can really feel it.
My shoulder seems to be okay. But it doesn't feel 100%, you know? I guess it's psychological. I don’t feel that I can summon full power from that arm when I stroke.
Anyway, there should be something at Ala Moana. Hope it's at least slightly bigger than the previous two events at Courts.
Posted at 7:13 AM
September 23, 2005 (Friday)
Post-session
About 1-2 with maybe some 3s. Light SE wind causing mushy form.
Posted at 1:09 PM
September 22, 2005 (Thursday)
Post-session
Seems like faint south with some east wrap mixed in, very weak and without push, about 1-2 with maybe soft 3s.
Posted at 12:40 PM
September 21, 2005 (Wednesday)
Chemicals Are Wondrous Things
The full effects of the cortisone have kicked in, and I have regained almost full range of motion in my shoulder. There is weakness, however; for instance, if I extend my arm in a certain position and raise it while resisting a weighted object, then there is pain.
Immediately after getting the shots this morning, there was miniscule improvement, if any. Then as the hours passed, my shoulder began to feel better and better. It wasn't until about six hours later, though, when I could say there was significant improvement. And now--voila!--tonight, ready to surf.
Gonna get a massage tomorrow morning. Then will head to the beach right after.
Posted at 11:31 PM
Rx
Two cortisone shots. The doc said it was the way to go if I wanted to get back in the water the soonest, jump start healing, and have the best chances for a full recovery. It was almost like he wanted to give me the shots. He said he does 5-6 a week and is good at it. Done deal--I want. Based on his advice and how I feel, I'm not even going to attempt surfing today.
Posted at 10:07 AM
Better
My shoulder has improved greatly overnight. It's still sore, but I have increased range of motion. Also, the painful area is gone. Last night, there was a place about the size of a quarter that was painful to the touch. Earlier in the day, it had been like a fingertip-size and it got bigger until just before I went to bed. Now it's no more. I wonder if it was the ice, the (Chinese) topical herbal solution, the massage, the rest, or any combination thereof that did it?
Update: Just made a doctor's appointment for 9:00. Wonder if he'll give me a cortisone shot?
Posted at 8:37 AM
September 20, 2005 (Tuesday)
Hurtin'
I'm in bad shape. Got my knee problem and now my shoulder. But, whereas my knee didn't prevent me from surfing, my shoulder is a deal killer. I'm self-diagnosing it as a rotator cuff tear. Right now it's the most painful it's been. I'm going to call the doctor tomorrow to see if I can get a cortisone shot.
Posted at 11:48 PM
Afterward
Bad day. Shoulder is very sore. Tried to go out and couldn't paddle. I was bummed.
Went to a friend's house, one of the regulars who lives nearby and is a masseuse, and got a massage from her. Then I went back to the beach. I still couldn't paddle, but I went out anyway. I didn't catch a wave and went in after about 15 minutes.
It was a beautiful day--hot and sunny--and the waves looked fun. And it was un-crowded. I felt like crying.
Posted at 5:57 PM
Injured
Hurt my shoulder on Saturday when I got pitched with the lip and landed hard. It was sore but felt okay, and I continued to surf. It's been progressively getting worse, and today it's the most painful.
Been surfing through it and will try to surf later this morning. This is the first time in a long, long while that an injury might actually keep me out of the water. Already took four ibuprofen (plus the anti-inflammatory I've been prescribed for my knee), and probably will down two more just before I head to the beach.
Posted at 10:39 AM
September 19, 2005 (Monday)
Post-session
Same size with excellent conditions and form.
Posted at 12:51 PM
September 18, 2005 (Sunday)
Post-session
It's nice, about 1-3 with good conditions and form.
Posted at 12:50 PM
September 17, 2005 (Saturday)
Post-session
Mediocre. About 1-3. Windy.
Posted at 5:23 PM
September 16, 2005 (Friday)
Post-session
It's dropped a lot, and it's doing so quickly. Windy.
Posted at 12:56 PM
September 15, 2005 (Thursday)
Post-session
Think it’s slightly bigger. Pretty much the same. One monster set at about 10:35.
Posted at 12:34 PM
September 14, 2005 (Wednesday)
Post-session
It's junk. About 3-5 and shutting down and washing through at my regular spot. Stayed out for only an hour. I'm sure somewhere it's good.
Posted at 12:30 PM
First Observation
I had to go check it because of all that I was hearing and reading. Needed to get a look myself.
Would say it's a solid 4-6, I don’t think 7 or 8 yet. But it's really difficult to say given I wasn't actually in the water. It's windy and chunky and disorganized. Quite consistent sets. S-SW angle.
It's funny what happens when there's some size. First, barely any cars are parked. Typically when there's a swell, cars would be lined up everywhere. Second, usually at this time in the morning the core old timers are out. However, there were less than a dozen people surfing, spread out among three breaks. (I'm not going to tell you where because it's my usual spot.)
Saw several of the regulars and others as they came to watch. Saw a friend, and we talked. We agreed it looked like we didn't need the big boards just yet. Saw another friend down the road as he was walking from the beach. He surfed one of the premier big-wave places and said it wasn't that good.
So right now I'm saying there is decent size, but the form and conditions are subpar. Probably all locations are surf-able (i.e., not closing).
Posted at 9:12 AM
Almost Here
Yesterday was disappointing. Not so much because it wasn't big, about 1-2 with some 3s, but rather because the form was so bad.
The swell is close. It's interesting looking at this saved image of the period map that the longer-period waves in the leading edge heading to us are getting clipped. Whereas, the maroonish-purplish SW flow moving toward the US mainland remains intact. That always happens; that is, when it gets near and is met by the NE trade wind vectors, there seems to be some kind of submergence (I don’t know what else to call it--how about subduction?). Anyway, another striking feature is the straight-south direction.
Posted at 12:20 AM
September 13, 2005 (Tuesday)
Post-session
Yes, it's bigger, but the high tide was ruining it at my regular spot. There was a nearby place, though, that was looking quite good (sorry, can't tell you where because the regulars would kill me).
Posted at 3:28 PM
On the Way
I'm not hyping it, just observing and commenting. Looks like a solid, well-developed, direct-south behemoth (saved image). What actually materializes is anyone's guess. Last night's TV news said Tahiti was hit quite hard, e.g., flooding, etc.
Posted at 11:27 AM
September 12, 2005 (Monday)
Sound The Alarm
Alert, alert. Take a look at this (recently-saved) image of the period map. That is some serious (southern) stuff.
Posted at 11:36 PM
Post-session
Lots of small-wave action initially, almost non-stop, now backing off. S-SW direction.
Posted at 1:05 PM
September 11, 2005 (Sunday)
Post-session
Very, very sloppy from the wind and tide. Occasional head-high.
Posted at 1:07 PM
September 10, 2005 (Saturday)
Post-session
The tide is killing it. There's something. Un-crowded.
Today's event was cancelled. That's good for me in several ways, which I won’t go into right now.
Posted at 1:10 PM
September 9, 2005 (Friday)
Post-session
Surprisingly fun. Some decent sets. Trades alternating between light to moderate. Empty.
Posted at 3:51 PM
September 8, 2005 (Thursday)
Post-session
About the same size but with better form.
Posted at 12:34 PM
September 7, 2005 (Wednesday)
Post-session
Smaller. Windy and sloppy.
Posted at 1:02 PM
September 6, 2005 (Tuesday)
Post-session
Windy, sloppy, and fun. Empty.
Posted at 4:30 PM
September 5, 2005 (Monday)
Post-session
Windy, un-crowded, sloppy and messy. Some head-high and rare over-head.
Posted at 1:02 PM
Post-session
Windy, un-crowded, sloppy and messy. Some head-high and rare over-head.
Posted at 1:02 PM
September 4, 2005 (Sunday)
Post-session
Windy and sloppy. Un-crowded.
Posted at 1:10 PM
September 3, 2005 (Saturday)
Post-session
New pulse? More push, bigger. Not too crowded (UH v. USC game?).
Posted at 12:47 PM
September 2, 2005 (Friday)
Post-session
Pretty crappy. Disappointing. Smaller. Sloppy. Moderate trades.
Posted at 3:44 PM
September 1, 2005 (Thursday)
Post-session
Better take something to read. There are some looooong lulls.
Posted at 12:24 PM