Bouncy (HMB Jetty)

Yesterday Scott and I drove to Half Moon Bay for lunch and a beach walk via Pacifica to avoid the horrible traffic from pumpkin-seekers on Highway 92. As we approached NorCal Surf Shop, I thought, might as well stop in on the outside chance they have an Xcel Infiniti 4/3 in women's size 4. In the wetsuit section, I gravitated toward the few with a bit of color in a sea of black, and the smallest of those was just what I was looking for. I tried it on and the fit seemed pretty good, so I plunked down my credit card and walked out with it, after hearing that they'd just put the suit out on the rack. Serendipity!

New wetsuit in my Trunq gear box, I got to the Jetty just past dawn to beat a 5'+ high tide midmorning and pumpkin traffic. It didn't look like there was a lot going on and three surf-checkers decided to keep driving. They missed out, because outside of those lulls, chest- to head-high sets were rolling through.

The incoming tide kept things bouncy. I paddled for a left only to get lifted out the back by a reflected wave returning from the riprap wall protecting the highway. Unlike Friday, I did wipeout today, and silently reprimanded myself for not concentrating enough on wave judgment. On one wave I crashed when I tried to turn too soon, before I was planted on the board. Timing. I got a handful of short rides but none memorable. The two guys who'd just beat me into the water were joined by a few more and then another few, making a small crowd of ten on just two working peaks. I triangulated at a good postion away from the pack and was amused (and a bit annoyed) when they all ended up surrounding me. A shortboarder was getting a lot of rides, some of them of the turn-and-stroke-twice-into-it variety. Not there yet.

The lulls grew longer and I remarked to a guy nearby that the tide was starting to shut it down. He asked, "Are you Surfergrrrl?" I confessed it, and he introduced himself as Mark. He was on his first surf with his new shortboard, and I hope got some good waves after I left. I was responding to his questions about my camera when I saw an incoming right walling up behind him, so as I finished my sentence, I paddled into position and caught it. It was my wave of the day. Not taking the nearly head-high drop all the way down, I turned as soon as I was solidly to my feet and rode the face. The wave started to break but then reformed and I got another little drop, riding on almost to the wall. Woot!

I paddled back out to Mark grinning and thinking that I couldn't possible top that ride, but a few minutes later got another almost as sweet. As Emily says, stokey stoke!

Surfline: NW swell continues to fade today, mixing with easing SW-SSW (195-210) energy. Decent exposures see waist-chest-shoulder high waves early, while top breaks hit head high on occasion. Light wind prevails for generally clean surface conditions. A mid-morning 5'+ high tide slows things down later. Buoy 46012: (Wave) SWELL: 4.9 ft at 7.7 s NW 82 / WIND WAVE: 3.6 ft at 5.3 s NW / WVHT: 6.2 ft / APD: 5.9 s / MWD: 311° (Met) WSPD: 12 kts / GST: 16 kts / WVHT: 6.2 ft / DPD: 8.0 s / WDIR: 330° / ATMP: 55.2° F / WTMP: 57.2° F. Tide: 3.5' rising to 4.5'.