Perfect Session to Christen the GoPro

Have only had one session since receiving the GoPro from my kids on my birthday - the day after Thanksgiving.  Between the size, and drizzly weather, of that session (blogged here: Swell Sliding in the Rain ), I chose not to try it out.  Today was the virtual opposite of that Friday session.

A stunningly beautiful winter morning started a crisp 45 degrees as I left Pasadena, but was 68 as I drove into the Calafia lot and over 70 by the time we got in the water.  Tiny smallies glittered under the bright morning sun.  Only a couple of surfers were out in the Park, scrapping for what they could get, while to the north, Riviera (below) was more consistent.

Mark arrived, as starved as I for surf, and a few minutes later, Hugh's van pulled in as well.  The chilly water (59) was a refreshing contrast to the balmy air.  Slowly, the high tide drained, and the sandbars started catching a few swells, for some waist high - sometimes larger - rides.  Other than a short period where the wind shifted to the south and threaten to blow the session, it remained calm.

Perfect conditions to try the camera!  Unintimidating, though not non-existent, surf; bright sun; little wind and no crowd.  We camped on the main peak and I messed with the camera.  Check the results:

1st GoPro Session, SCSP 12/15/2013 from Hank Haldeman on Vimeo.

Actually, not too bad, shooting literally blind.  To explain, a number of the shots are the beginning of my endeavor to show my point of view.  The GoPro is strapped to my left wrist.  On several "rights," I tried riding with my left arm extended up at about 45 degrees, shooting the wave face and ahead.  On one shot, I left in the sequence of paddling, as the hand (and cam) rotate under water then skyward, before dropping into the wave.  All sequences have been slowed at least to some degree.

The monotony of these experiments is broken by a few shots of Hugh on his board and Mark with the handboard.  With some practice, and working into bigger surf, maybe these will get half-decent.

A fun, but small and sketchy, session on a great morning.  Nothing wrong with that!  Hugh seems stoked to have gotten his first water time since Thanksgiving!