Newport Beginnings

[Sorry, no surf photos, yet, so I've included a couple of Newport scenes to break up the text.]

It's midday, day three of our annual stay at Newport.  I've been out each of the three mornings at 18th Street - "the Point" - with my sons, Allan & Joe (Joe missed today), Joe & Allan on boards.  Already, there has been one, quite exceptional day.

Our first morning out, Thursday, though, was anything but exceptional.  The only positives were that the water has warmed up to the upper 60's and on Thursday, we had the water all to ourselves.  Of course, there was a reason! The waist/chest high waves were messed up by a surprising, steady onshore breeze.  Under persistently overcast skies, I managed to catch a few of those classic Newport tubes, amongst the slop, but left with a hunger for many, many more.  Thursday afternoon, at 6th Street, held a promise of improvement. Another foot or two of swell was showing and the late afternoon was, atypically, cleaner than the morning.

 Beach View at 6th Street

The promise of Thursday afternoon was manifest Friday morning: just an outstanding morning at the Point!  Long interval, thick swells were throwing up 6 to 8 foot, sometimes 9 foot, faces with wide open barrels.  Clean lines on a glassy surface.  Sticks doing full stand up cover ups in the the tube.  

Sure, some of the sets were walled up, but there were plenty of peaks and corners for the patient.  I took away a number of memorable rides.  On one, I happened to be right at an 8 foot peak that, after a fast drop in and trim up to mid-face, leveled into a steep, 6 foot face, which then hollowed into a wide barrel that held open, full cover-up, for a good four seconds before collapsing around me.  My hoot of exuberance started before I even broke the surface.

There were a few lulls, but they were just time to reminisce for a few minutes until the next sets arrived.  A pod of maybe a dozen dolphin was rounding up a school of bait fish just outside the break, then drifted in and were weaving amongst us in the break and even inside, passing within a few few and occasionally sharing a wave.  As I was swimming back out once, diving under a wave I heard loud and distinct dolphin chatter - chirps, beeps and pops.  As I emerged, Joe and Allan, both a bit inside of me, wanted to know if we'd collided: one of the dophin and I were a foot apart and apparently headed on crossing paths as I dove under the wave.  He was a few feet off by the time I saw him afterwards.

Something very special about hanging with the dolphins, riding some thick Newport grinders and just being there while the Newps Peninsula is doin' what it's supposed to do....

The Bay

Yeah, photographic evidence of the morning Friday would have been in order, but was I really going to hang around shooting pictures when I could be in the water on a morning like that?  No way.  The only improvement would have been if there'd been some sun.

This morning, our hopes were up but expectations moderate.  The swell had slacked off a bit in the afternoon session at 6th street and the wind had picked back up Friday afternoon.  But the air was still in the early morning and it looked like some decent swell remained as Allan and I walked onto the broad, 18th Street beach.  The simplest recap for Saturday morning is that it was half as good and twice as crowded as Friday. 

Maybe there were some pluses, but mostly shoulder-high waves.  Not quite as clean, not quite as glassy, as Friday, either.  But still quite peaky and I got a couple of long rights...longer than anything on Friday but slower and smaller.  When we first got it, about 2/3 of the way from 17th to 18th, Allan and I had a nice peak pretty much to ourselves.  Then Allan snagged a couple of impressive lefts and suddenly there were a dozen surfers paddling our way from above the 18th St. LG stand.  For the rest of the morning, from mid-way between the two stands on to the Northwest was a solid line of sticks.  In fact, when we were leaving, I counted 20 boards in the water just in the half block Southeast of the 18th St. stand. 


Mark Ghattas showed up midway through the session, and we just worked the far less consistent but also far less crowded peak around the 17th Street stand.


Altogether, it's off to a good start.  Warm water and swell.  We can deal with variable conditions and we can go several years without a session like yesterday.


It's great to be here!

Surprise - It's the Park ... Again!

The intent, today, was to hit the Newport peninsula.  Friday afternoon through Saturday morning, a good pulse from Eugene was hitting the Southland. With the steep South source, the greatest energy should be in North Orange County, so I had arranged to meet up at 15th Street with Mark Ghattas, as well as Paul Tordella - the latter coming down from Hermosa.  Mark was concerned about 15th perhaps being walled up, facing the swell a little too directly, so planned to check the Newport jetties - 30's & 40's - as a possible fall back.

[Click on photo for full size]

However, with John Rogers in tow from South Bay, Paul got to 15th early and called - nice size, but just walled up.  We discussed going to the jetties, but Paul voiced one of my objections: the jetties get awfully crowded with surfers, especially summer weekends.  Willing to sacrifice a little size instead, he and John decided to continue South to San Clemente.

I checked with Mark, who had just arrived at 46th Street and advised it was well formed but already fairly crowded.  After brief deliberation while I was heading down the 55, I decided to turn left at the 405 and continue on down to the Park.  As the above photos show, good call!  

Finding head high plus peaks, and only a handful of surfers out, I didn't tarry more than a few minutes at the rail, shooting these photos and getting a briefing from Hugh.

To the North, there was a concentration at Riviera - I count 22 heads in the photo below - but in a wider stretch at Calafia (the Park), from just South of the steps to the rocks, there were maybe eight people out.

Paul and John arrived, and we quickly suited up.  The spring "shortie" was plenty for the 64/65 degree water, and I was in the line up by 8:30.  Shortly afterwards, I watched John grab a set wave left at the corner and commence a 50 yard slide nearly to shore.  Sweet.

For an hour and a half, we worked the glassy, peaky swell.  Some real interesting ones - a quick drop in at the peak would open into a slow, fat section for three or for seconds before bumping up further inside into a steep fast tube like the photo above.  For most of the first 90 minutes, John and I had the area between Main Peak and the Rocks virtually to ourselves while Paul worked Main Peak with a couple of sticks and a couple of sponges.

The peaks - see above - were fun and consistent.  Only minor lulls.  With lots to go around, and, apparently, most surfers elsewhere in search of more size from Eugene, the vibe in the water was relaxed and low key.

Around 10:00 a mild breeze picked up, texturing the surface. Meanwhile, the swell was backing off a bit and sets becoming less frequent.  In another 20 minutes Paul and John hit the beach.  I hung outside, every hopeful, and was rewarded by a final, head high set of four waves, of which I was able to catch both the first and last.

A perfect conclusion was the introduction of Paul and John to Adele's.  Adele was there, being, as ever, Adele.

San Clemente - SoCal Bodysurfing Championships

Two weeks ago, as part of San Clemente's annual Ocean Festival ("The Greatest Show on Surf"), we staged the fifth annual Southern California Bodysurfing Championships, the first in the California circuit that continues with the International Bodysurfing Championships in Manhattan Beach as part of its Surf Festival (today) and the World Bodysurfing Championships in Oceanside in late August.  There is also a Huntington Beach contest in mid-August and a Santa Cruz competition in October. 

The San Clemente contest, initiated by Golden Triangle founding member, Eric EY_\ Yeisley, is hosted by the Golden Triangle, while Manhattan is hosted by the Gillis Beach club, Huntington by the Chubascos club and Santa Cruz by the Santa Cruz Bodysurfing Association.

Without "holding periods," where the contest may be held any time during a several week, or even month, period, the contests are on pre-set dates and at the mercy of nature for the conditions.  Unfortunately, too often, San Clemente and Manhattan have been plagued with poor waves.  This year was no exception.

As I did last year, I participated as time keeper for the event, which permits me to photograph as well as help to host the event.  However,with meager waves, I left the camera in the bag until after the heats...choosing instead to document the stoke and characters that comprise the broader California bodysurfing ohana. 

The album from the event is up at Picasa, which can be reached by clicking this blog's title above or this link here:

SC Bodysurfing Championships

I've included a few choices below:

Russell "Riptide" Riopelle, one of our judges, joins Beachmaster Chuck "Kahuna" Herpick, above.  Russell and Chuck make regular appearance in my blog.

Below, event organizer Steve "Too Tall" Short is shown with one of the O'Gorman clan.  The O'Gormans, usually competing under the Golden Triangle banner, formed their "4 G" team for this event.  "4 G" refers to four generations of bodysurfers...something I hope to see the Haldeman ohana surpass sometime in the next decade.  We're also four generations at present, as both my grandfathers bodysurfed, as did my father, and both my sons.

Steve stepped into tough shoes as organizer when EY_\ departed for the frozen waves of Colorado.

Several O'Gorman generations are pictured above.  Great ambassadors for our sport!

Another superb ambassador for bodysurfing is Rodrigo ('rigo) Bruno.  As I wrote, and pictured, last year, 'rigo is from Brazil, who brings infectious enthusiasm wherever he goes.  Last year, he toured California, and was fortunate to encounter outstanding waves at the Wedge, and yet test the waters in San Diego, San Clemente and elsewhere during his stay.  He got another decent swell, not quite so large, at the Wedge this summer, and again was able to compete in our contest.

Rod Bruno is shown above with another valuable promoter of the sport, photographer Rod Hepburn.  A San Diego denizen, Rod's photos have become popular in the worldwide bodysurfing community.  His photos from the competition may be seen here:

San Clam 7-17-11

Two weeks have passed, and I'm glad to get this posted, but no too happy about the reason.  Last weekend I was in Tahoe.  Two weeks ago, between meager surf and timing responsibilities, I only got a chance for a couple of waves.  I was looking forward to a good session today, in warm water with a moderate swell, but a West wind has decided to trash conditions the last couple of days.  So, I'm posting about the competition instead of what I'd hoped....

Good Waves and Great Pod

Solid waves today, but it was a great session due to the excellent pod in the water.

Did not dally to take a lot of pre-session photos...just enough to show that, within a few minutes, a decent swell was in evidence.  

I knew that Bret Belyea was coming up from SD County for a rare, these days, appearance in the Park, but had a pleasant surprise also to be greeted by prodigal Park perennial Bret "Crawdaddy" Crawford when I pulled in about 7:45.  Neil Frank rounded out the crew checking it out from the rail and itching to get into glassy, head-high & overhead peaks that appeared to be consistently coming in.

It seemed equally consistent all the way down the beach, so we chose the deserted section in front of LG 1 and staked our exclusive claim to a 50 yard stretch for the next two hours.  Our initial pod of four was quickly augmented by Mark Ghattas and Rick Ciaccio.  About a half-hour in, Eric Ackerman showed, with the Lawyer, Dave MacPherson.  

We tolerated some aggravating lulls, but generally had about 90 minutes of nicely shaped surf...occasionally offering a long left deep into the inside...in cool but comfortable water (65 warming to 67) and generally glassy conditions.  Early on, Belyea, emulating Hugh "Driftwood" Berenger, went about 50 yards further South and snagged a series of sweet lefts.  Mid & late session, Ghattas was winning the position game with several of the longest rides off set waves.  Ciaccio continued his habit of hanging outside, waiting for the juiciest morsels while Ackerman & the Lawyer hung together, trading underwater butterfly take-offs.  

Besides having Bret up to join us - always a treat - it was great to see Brent come down to the Park after something of a hiatus and to see Neil return after neck issues.

A good showing for the Golden Triangle on a day when the Park delivered, in anticipation of next week's competition up at the pier.

Last shot: best seen full size, Cottons pumping in the background with LG1 in the foreground.

Small Surf on a Long Weekend

Sorry, no photos or video this entry.

The good news: 

• I got three sessions in, over three days
• Water is warm - 67-70
• There was more swell each day than the meager forecasts
• I got to reconnect with Bret Belyea, Chris Lafferty, Bruce Robbins and the 17th Street pod, including meeting Bob "Finman" Davis

The surf was, well, adequate...surfable, at least.

Saturday: SCSP ... what's "surf" v. "swim" ????

Saturday afternoon, I broke a tortuous, four hour, drive from Pasadena to Del Mar by swinging into the Calafia parking lot about 2:00.  With negligible hopes of a parking space on a holiday weekend whilst inland Southern California sweltered, having passed 150 filled spaces, I turned the corner onto the lower loop and was amazed to find an empty space just steps from the beach.  

The sun was out, water temp listed at 69, so I changed into a pair of trunks - first time "skinning" it this year - and hastened onto the sand with my fins.  The lifeguards had cordoned for "surfing" the entire area from the canyon outlet north of Main Peak to the pathway down from State Park - which is to say, virtually all the decent sandbars through the Calafia/State Park area.  A few beginners on boards were scattered through the area, while north and south, in the "swimming" area, hordes of summer beachgoers waded out or flailed at boogie-boarding ("sponging") or trying to dive into the waves.  

I slipped on my fins and waded out, just above Main Peak, one eye on the LG in tower 2, just to the north.  Gentle, waist-high rollers were coming in, and I slid into one, yards from any fiberglass.  After I pulled out, I glanced back at the guard, who signaled me to come north, beyond the surf/swim divide.  I waved that I'd go south, and he nodded.

So I swam south, just below the rocks, where a little peak was operating, unheeded by the fiberglass barneys in the water.  I worked that for five or ten minutes, until the white LG jeep stops ashore of where I'm surfing, and instructs "the swimmer in the water" to move to the south of the "swim/surf" markers at LG1.  Figuring they have enough to deal with, given the thorough paving of all dry sand with umbrellas and sun-block slavered bodies, I complied, and rode the inferior waves in front of LG1, weaving in & out of tourists and sponges, for 45 minutes.

So...I understand the need to offer all those holiday beachgoers a safe preserve, especially given the lack of control of the "surfers" in the water...but is it really necessary to EXclude surfers who happen to "surf" without a board from the only stretch worth surfing?  The only other place I've been where bodysurfers are lumped with "swimmers" and excluded from the "surf" zone is Scripps, and, even there, a demonstration of competency will back the lifeguards off.  

Sunday: Del Mar ... semi-solo late morning semi-slop

Overcast, cool and seeming unpromising, the morning recommended leisure.  Nearing midday, I scanned the horizon at Del Mar and saw some visible lines coming in.  At the hotel, the equivalent of a block's walk from the "blackball" zone at 17th Street Del Mar, I tugged on the spring-weight "shortie," grabbed my fins, and walked down to the beach.  Alone, I swam out, in cool but comfortable water, past the waders and sponges playing in the shorebreak and out to the outside break.  Not a soul between the "surf/swim" markers a block north and a block south.  Today, they were working for me.

It was choppy, and frequently sloppy, but I was surprised to find some shoulder-high sets...some of them quite ride-able, coming in.  For an hour, it was nice just lazing outside, with the place to myself.

Eventually, I noticed a bald guy swimming out to join me, breaking my reverie.  He observed that I'd been getting a few "good ones," and we introduced ourselves.  I've known of Bob "Finman" Davis, through mutual friends, for long time, but we'd not met before.  We spent the next half-hour, sharing waves, swapping stories and getting acquainted.  Skinning it, he chilled after a bit; not long afterward, I headed in as well.

Even less than ideal waves are good for the soul.

Monday: Del Mar ... good news for good friends

I'd pre-arranged with Bret Belyea to meet at 17th Street at 7:00.  When I arrived, he was already in the water, with Bruce Robbins, and Chris Lafferty was just pulling into the metered lot.  It was clean and glassy, and some fun, little waves were in evidence.  Today, I elected to skin it again, though the others were in springs suits and even a couple of full suits. 

I had a most enjoyable 2-1/2 hours in the water with the Del Mar crew.  For most, it was just Bret, Chris, Bruce and myself, with another local joining us mid-way.  About 9:00, there was an apparent shift-change, as Bret, Chris and Bruce worked their way in and the 17th St surf club took their places.  "Finman" bridged the groups.

It was a fun & satisfying morning of surf, accented by the solid bonhomie and banter in the line up.  I always enjoy surfing with these guys.

A highlight, not surf-related, was to finally (!) meet Bret's 22-month-old daughter, Thalia, who was digging in the sand with her mother, Kasey; to see Kasey; and...to find that Bret & Kasey are expecting a son in November!

A memorable morning, with OK surf, but great people.

Early Fireworks

Things were lined up well for a great session, but this morning far outstripped expectations.  Near perfection in the Park.  Even as I first walked out, a solid set, well overhead, was rolling in, green and glassy in the morning overcast.

 

Hugh was out in the water, giving different meaning to the phrase, shooting barrels (leftmost in the photo below...click for full size):

As I watched, there were slabs...

...and barrels...

...but the peaks were why I didn't wait long before heading back to suit up!

Russell Riopelle was there, for his first session since last year, and Mark Ghattas pulled in as we were pulling on the wetsuits.  66 degrees...shorty time, for sure!

Steve Harkins, whom we haven't seen in a couple of years, was at the rail and Rick Ciaccio pulled in, in a few minutes as well.  Including Hugh, already a pod of six, and Eric Ackerman joined us shortly after we got in the water. 

What a great session it was!  We swam out at LG1, which appeared as big & consistent as Main Peak, but far less crowded.  For the next 2-1/2 hours we had it by & large to ourselves, with minimal fiberglass to deal with.

First wave set the tone for me.  An outside set, a beefy 8 foot face, looked fairly walled up, but I wanted to get started, so took off anyway.  Surprisingly, the left face held up for a fairly long ride before the inevitable close out.

Today, the Park was offering all its gifts.  Though there were some distinct lulls, there was a steady diet of freight train lefts interrupted by interludes when the West swell would combine with the SSW for some nice corners offering long, fast slides to the inside.  The only hassle was a tough swim out.

Peaks...corners...bowls...tubes...long slides...a good pod...warm water...an overcast that burned off...plenty of stoke.  What could be better?

Above, Hugh at work (lower left) early this morning.

After a couple of hours fighting a stiff current and some tough swim-outs in sets up to 9 or better foot faces, we reconvened in the lot, to tell story...

Warm Water & Good Vibe...and some shots from May 30

Very fun day in the Park today, magnified by the great vibe in the water.

The swell was actually backing off from earlier in the week, but still consistently shoulder-high-plus. Entering the water, it was overcast but on the verge of burning off, the surface was glassy and I was already up, heading into 66 degree water in the spring "shortie;" it's so liberating to be free of the full suit!

Hugh B Water Shot from May 30
(as always, double-click for full size)

LG1 looked pretty good, but the main peak was working well, from the rocks to the south through the canyon outlet to the north, with maybe ten or so sticks spread out, so I swam out there.

Initially, I was working a peak on the north side, where the canyon lets out.  My second or third wave was a nice, five or six foot face.  I was right at the peak for a clean right, but the stick about ten feet south of me started paddling.  "Oh, well, here we go," I thought, as I stroked for the wave while keeping an eye on him.  Right about commitment time, I was about to pull back rather than come in under him, he pulled back and left the wave to me.  At the end of the wave, as I popped out the back, I waved thanks to him.  He responded, "I wish I'd had a camera, man...just a perfectly framed take off/drop in view; would have been great!"

HH Innatoob - Hugh B shot

The vibe continued through the morning as a pack of mostly locals drifted with the current and paddled back, working the multiple peaks of the Main Peak area.  For the first 45 minutes, I was the lone body-surfer, but was given my share and all was cool.  Mark Ghattas arrived with Newport/Wedge regular, Rendell Swart - first time for Rendell at the Park.

Late in the session, I noticed a surfer on shore, stretching before entering the water.  Dark, and with a Hollywood shadow, he wore a "designer" white & black full suit and had a sharp-looking short board.  Entering, he paddled out right where I had been enjoying the left coming off the rocks pretty  much to myself.  Hot shot with an attitude, for sure, I thought. 

First wave came, I had position, and he let me go without any effort to take the wave.  Next wave, he took, several sharp cutbacks, a long left and a nice floater to close.  Good surfer.  A lull arrived, and he comments to me, with a strong Portuguese accent, "I need to get my fins; I no longer have them here.  In Brazil I would bodysurf three times a week."  We spent the next 45 minutes trading waves and chatting.

Twice I expected the worst; twice I got the best.  In between, a lot of water chat and great rides.

Another Hugh B, with Cottons in the background

I've not written about the past two weekends - got out at the Park both of them, as well.  Fun, but still cold; even wintery last weekend.

No photos from the last few sessions, but I've elected to include Hugh's water shots from three weeks ago.  What a fun day THAT was!  Thanks, Hugh!!!!