Gazos Creek, 15 August 2009

It's been quite windy lately but at least that's brought us some NW windswell. L and I planned to surf at one of our secret spots on the Lonely Coast this morning before the wind ramped back up, but on the way south, we diverted to a new break that looked good from the highway.

There was a small group of guys out at Gazos Creek on the main peak, which was sometimes overhead. A second peak appeared a bit less daunting but I admit to a niggling aprehension as I suited up and walked to the beach with my shortboard. One good thing about surfing with L, as when I surfed with SoCal deserter D, is that it forces me to push my boundaries, both of comfort and skill.

Although the short-period windswell had the waves stacked up to the beach, we lucked into a slot and I got out the back with only one (successful) duckdive. Returning from the inside was not so easy other times, and an outside bomb later sent me spinning when I couldn't get deep enough under it. The waves were often moundy and hard to get into, but then jacked up very steep - close to vertical - in the blink of an eye. L pulled off several rides, nearly free-falling to the bottom, and I just tried to make the drops. L gave me some tips: angle more, shift weight back immediately after popping up to flatten the board so the nose doesn't drop, be quick. I didn't land any this time, but next time I will!

On the way home, S and I bought a warm loaf of artichoke garlic herb bread from the Country Bakery in Pescadero. Two thumbs up as a post-surf snack.

The air was smoky from the large wildfire burning north of Santa Cruz.
Speakers on for an audio preview of The Time Traveler's Wife by L.