Superbowl Sunday Summery Session

A chilly 40 degrees as Sunday dawned in Pasadena, there wasn't a cloud to be seen, following a series of summer-like days in the dead of winter.  Often, I'll commence the 72-mile drive in very different conditions than I find in San Clemente, but today I was hoping for sun and a rapidly warming day.  I was not disappointed as I navigated the access to SCSP Califia parking:

Not a single surfer was out - stick, sponge or body - which made the first few waves I saw a surprise. Shoulder-high, glassy peaks were combed by an offshore breeze, with a fun-looking bowl at Main Peak.  None of the crew had arrived, but within a minute or two, Brent "Crawdaddy" Crawford appeared, to validate my conclusion that we should waste no time getting out to enjoy fun-looking wave in solitude. 

Before we were suited, Hugh Berenger had appeared with a ken to actually swim out & bodysurf with us, rather than lugging the camera.  Shortly, we were in the chilling water, still in the mid-50's.  While the peak shown above would show occasionally, and there was a left here and there, mostly it was sweeping rights from the Northwest, like these two:

A little closed out, an occasional set, aspiring to head-high, would pop up, but chest to shoulder high crests regularly arrived over the next two hours.  Over time, a smattering of sticks came out, succeeded by a handful of sponges, but the Park was basically left to the five of us - Mark "Sailfish" Ghattas joined Hugh, Brent, a local, Casey, and me, about a half hour into the session. 

By the time we exited, a full, summery day had blossomed in Southern Orange County.

Sets were still lining up, cleanly.

And the fast right in front of the steps still peeling.

Brent, Mark and Hugh joined me at the steps, for post-session documentation, before dispersing.

A little better than last week, an altogether decent way to prepare for the Superbowl.  Wonder what it's like in Indianapolis?

Published in Water Sport Magazine

Check it - two of my photos from 2007 World Bodysurfing Championships - one of Krista Johnson and the other, I think, of Pat Castinelli, the women's & men's champions - published in Spain's Water Sport Magazine!  Click this link: WSM or open below & go to page 60:

Open publication - Free publishing - More kite

Fit for a King...

...of the Smallies!

Ok, let me explain: for many years, the most regular of regulars at San Clemente State Park ("the Park") was Eric Yeisley.  "EY_\", as he is known, would work the inside, getting three times the number of waves that I, for one, would, waiting outside for the sets.  More to the point, EY_\ could milk the most out of any wave, including those inside "smallies," turning spinner after spinner, grinning ashore while styling across the face, and loving every minute.  This earned EY_\ the sobriquet, "King of the Smallies."  

A couple of years ago, EY_\ moved to Colorado.  He stays in touch, occasionally making it out to the coast for a session.  Today was for him.  Not too much text, but I'll let the pictures tell the story of a fantastic winter day at the Park, but with only smallies for surf:

 

Above is a "set" wave from this morning.  Mostly waist to chest high...not too much more.  Fortunately, there were enough to keep the morning fun.

 

A local was in front of the steps, taking advantage of the brilliant early morning sunshine to shoot the sand textures in the tube.

 

Size notwithstanding, Neal, the "Real Deal," Frank arrived with a big smile.  The dean of our extended pod, let's just say he's well established as a septuagenarian.  I hope I've got that smile, and half his water time, in another 20 years!

 

On a brilliantly sunny morning, with Catalina a backdrop for the seals on the offshore rocks, you wouldn't suspect that the water was the coldest thus far this winter.

 

But while the sun sparkled over vistas north to Dana Point and south to Cottons Point,

 

the water was cooled to the lower-mid 50's by a sustained offshore wind flow, leaving "ice cream headaches" and aching hands, and a renewed appreciation for my new 4/3 wetsuit! 

 

There were lulls, but the swell lasted through the morning - these are taken after I exited, following a full two hours in the water.

 

Still a little offshore, and still the brilliant sun.

 

But the Park was offering up those peaky lefts and rights, as it so often does.

As EY_\ is fond of saying,  the Park....DELIVERS!

First Swell 2012 - Highlighted by some Hugh B photos!

All week, a big swell was projected for Friday, lingering into Saturday.  Anticipation was high for a good session to start off the year.  Since New Year's Eve, Southern California has been blessed with summer-like weather - blue skies and highs in the upper 70's.  

But Saturday morning dawned chilly (39 degrees) and gray in Pasadena.

Arriving in San Clemente, it was still gray and a steady offshore breeze combed the peaks, but brought a penetrating chill.  Chunky sets, 7 - 9 foot faces, were rolling in from the west as a handful of sticks and two bodysurfers struggled to maintain position at the main peak against a sweeping current running South.  It actually felt good to don the warmth of the new 4-3 wetsuit.

 

By the time we swam out - initially, only Sailfish (Mark Ghattas) and myself, the two bodysurfers were gone - turns out that Eric Ackerman and Dave MacPherson did dawn patrol while we were waiting until after the early high tide had started to drop, and only a few sticks were spread out to the south.  We started North of the Main Peak, at the "corner" visible in shot above.  For the first half-hour, I didn't get much and was beginning to worry.  Then, a repeat of the wave above - good 8 foot face - but with a softer corner, popped up.  A fast drop in was followed by nice, long slide on a fat face eventually walling up for full-tube end.  Even with no more waves, the day was made!

 

But there was plenty more.  After about an hour, the O'Gormans showed up, and Hugh set up shooting on the shore.  Shawn, Cheyne and Ian O'Gorman joined us in the water, while Heather and her daughters in law watched their husbands from ashore.  The cloud cover thinned and the sun sporadically peaked through as the wind slackened and the surface glassed over.

Sailfish appears above, while Shawn shows some real speed, below.  These shots - best viewed full size if you click on them - are courtesy Hugh Berenger.

 

Cheyne is caught styling, below:

 

This was one of my last waves.  A moderate, right wall, that I drove to the end, mindful of the photographer ashore.  I paid the price, though, as I scraped my forehead on a shallow bar underneath and came up a bit bloody.  Ah, well ... price to pay later with Heather, though!!!!

 

Hugh caught a quick-post session debrief amidst abundant white water...

 

A very satisfying start to 2012!

Christmas Eve Day in the Park

It was a chilly morning, even with a relatively late start: 37 degrees in Pasadena.

But, it was a brilliant winter morning, with nary a cloud in the sky, from Pasadena to San Clemente.

Still a bit swamped by the tide, some swell was showing through nonetheless while the winter sun glittered on the smooth surface and a soft offshore combed the peaks.

Few were in the water, which was a bracing 57 degrees...just right to test out the new 4-3 wetsuit!

Neil was waiting in the lot, Shawn O'Gorman arrived right on my heels, Ian right behind him.  Mark and Craig T. showed up while we were suiting up.  In short order, we had a good pod of eight in the water (Mark Ghattas, Shawn & Ian O'Gorman, Craig & Sean Tomson, Neil Frank and myself), while Heather O'Gorman and Mandy Ghattas basked ashore in the sun.

There were plenty of waves to go around, as the sticks gradually filled in.  Wave of the day was a beautiful, long left slide by Mark, from lineup to shore, witnessed by all.

While the swell never quite filled in, with the receding tide, to the degree that we'd hoped, it was a great holiday session on a beautiful winter morning.

By the time we exited, approaching noon, the holiday traffic jam was on....

A great way to finish the year at the Park!  Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to all.

Shivering Sunday Session in the Park

Per force, this will be short on words tonight, but wanted to share a sampling of Hugh's great photography from this morning.  Click on the photos to see full size/higher resolution - it's worth it!

When I arrived this morning, at high tide, it wasn't just swamped but the size was well under what we'd hoped.  Shivering in the modest, off-shore breeze and low-50's air temperature, it was tough to be tempted to get in!

(HH, slotted)

After a half-hour's watch, without enough to tempt us out of warm clothes and into wetsuits and chilly waters, Mark Ghattas & I decided to give it some time and headed up to Adele's for a quick bite.  On return, it proved a good decision.

(Mark Ghattas)

It was still smallish - waist to chest high (but was to grow significantly larger later) - but clean and hollow.  The air didn't feel so cold, and Hugh was in the lot, waiting to suit up & shoot some water shots.  The sand wasn't as frigid as it often is, walking barefoot in the winter, but the water was definitely chilly getting in!  Soon, though, enjoying the Park, entirely to ourselves - nobody within a 1/2 mile - with gradually building, consistent, hollow peaks, we were warm enough for a two-hour session which finally ended due to exhaustion rather than cold.

Through the two hours, it gradually picked up, until, by 11:00, head high and even overhead waves were regularly appearing (finally attracting a few sticks).  Still, the wind stayed benign - offshore or some side-shore, holding the rights open.  

 If you like these shots, enjoy more at Hugh's smugmug site: http://hughbphoto.smugmug.com/

 

My two most memorable rides of the morning began early on with one of the hollow rights.  It lined up perfectly, and as I dropped in, Hugh was at the end of the line with his camera.  As I slid, directly toward the black " O " of the camera housing, the lip arched up and enclosed us - me on one end, camera on the other.  I so hoped the shots came out.  The top shot, above, and then this shot below were the gratifying result!

High-Res Flickr Version Here

The later, most memorable, was a moderate-sized left that I dropped into upon Hugh's urging.  As the feathering lip overtook me, I prepared for the expected close out, but, as I continued to slide, the light remained constant inside the tube.  A couple of seconds passed, and the light grew as the feathering lip receded and I pulled out into the open face of the wave - a complete coverup and out again - my holy grail of bodysurfing!  Hooting, I continued in until the fade out at shore.

Above, Mark and I debrief the morning in the lot at Calafia, a few short steps from the water.

Reliving Last Saturday: Hugh's Photos

There's a dribble of surf this weekend, but it's gone chilly and windy.  Just thinking back to a great session last Saturday, I now can share some of the photos that Hugh took during the latter part of our session.

This one (above) was actually my last wave of the day.  This was one of the first shots of a 12-15 shot sequence.  A great way to finish!

Taking a high line to tuck into the curl.  This shows the glassy conditions.  Generally, it's only in winter that we get both sun and glass.

This is the first shot of another long sequence.

By this point, I am well past the kelp in the first photo, and looking forward to shack time... see below!

Thanks, Hugh!  http://hughbphoto.smugmug.com/