Winter Sunday Parking

An exceptional way to close out the year at the Park:


34 degrees as I left Pasadena, passing the empty stands erected for the Rose Parade and staring into the Southern winter sunrise as I toured South on 5.

Bret had driven up from Cardiff and was watching from the rail as I arrived.  The swell was just starting to fill in.  Very clean lines, well separated in long interval.  Glassy surface with an offshore breeze combing the tops of the set waves.  Sand bars fighting to create peaks in the straight lines coming in...sometimes working, sometimes close outs.  Very hollow, sparkling under the early morning sun in clear skies.


A beautiful day.  Hugh and Neil had pulled in by the time we went to suit up, and Mark eventually joined us.

From the North of Main Peak all the way to the steps, a stretch of surf to share amongst only six bodysurfers.

In the water, great aloha amongst the SCSP die-hards along with a welcome cameo appearance by Bret da
Threat, in cowl and all.  

I lost count: smooth drop in over glossy surface that quickly steepened into a vertical wall onto which to cling as a clear curtain pitches overhead, morphing first into a wide tunnel centered on a Southeast morning winter
sun, then into an illuminated blue-green glow as the closed tube held wide open for elongated seconds. 

Interlaced were a few well-placed corners offering long slides into the inside.

A sparkling morning!

A video of the morning and pre-session at YouTube - click here or the title above.

Breaking in Venice

Rode today more just 'cuz it had been three weeks and mostly to get in the water with Joe & Allan.  I've not been in the water with Allan in ages, and Joe's just back from 5 months in Ghana.  Joe had some great sessions in South Bay Thursday and Rincon Friday, but the swell fell way off for the weekend.

After a family brunch on the coast, I met up with Joe & Allan North of the Venice pier at one of  Allan's regular spots.  I'd not been in there, before.  I can see the promise with a bit more size as there are some sandbars creating peaks and a little jetty that would throw off rights.  They call the right off the jetty Romo's...but that's another story.

It was small - waist to chest - but very clean and glassy for most of the session.  I've not been out in the afternoon since summer, but the conditions were great.  Though many were closed out, there were some fun rides to be had on set waves, a few good tubes and a couple of longer rides.  Chilly water, filtered wintry sunlight on a glossy surface.  A handful of surfers spread out from the pier up to the jetty, four blocks North. 

The real joy was being in the water with Joe & Allan.

Duldrom Musings

Recently, Hugh referred to San Clemente State Park as "our" place.  Got me thinking.

Five years ago, I'd never ridden SCSP.  I found it through the Bodysurfers email list.  Now, I really do feel that it's "mine."  I love mixing in other places, and I'm still possessive of the Newport peninsula between 10th & 15th in summertime, but I've developed an attachment to SCSP that exceeds anywhere else. 

In five years, I've ridden the Park in every season; in ankle-slapping smallies and heavy slabs raging well overhead; in waters ranging from frigid to balmy; in every tide and every swell direction; in an enduring red tide pocked with jellyfish and in crystaline azure punctuated by dolphins; alone and in crowds; when there was only a skinny strip of eroded sand and when there was an expansive, sandy beach; in chopped up slop and glossy, slick glass; in sun, cloud and rain; with winds offshore, onshore and still; lefts, rights, peaks, peelers, closeouts, coming in hollow & tubular and weak & crumbly; with Golden /_\ ohana, good vibe sticks, a**hole drop-ins, aggro kneeboarders, clueless parkster longboarders, with both my sons, and many friends; at dawn, at dusk and every hour in between. 

I may live 73 miles away, but it's mine.  And I appreciate SoSideSC calling it "ours" more than you can know.

Looking forward to the next session at our spot.