Into S&S (Dunes)

Since Independence Day fireworks and full moon night surfing was aborted due to coastal fog a couple days ago, I've been jonesing to surf. I planned to be on it following my doctor's appointment this afternoon. My wrist has gotten worse since I saw Dr. Ina Hurry the orthopedist a few weeks ago, so today I went back and met with her assistant. Turns out a months-old X-ray shows I have some arthritis (arthritis!) in my thumb joint, and immobilization in the splint aggravated it, which is why that part of my hand got messed up. As to the general worsening of my original complaint, she chalked that up to "happenstance." Grrr. In any event, the next course is a month of physical therapy. Fingers crossed that gets me moving toward better instead of away. The splint stays off unless I'm asking my wrist to work hard, e.g. surfing.

I stopped home for Emm and gear and headed to the coast, after texting up a surf buddy. Luke just got back from a trip home to Canada and it was easy to talk him into his second session of the day. His initial suggestion, Kelly, had a little crowd on the only peak that was really working, and it looked a bit big (head-high) and short-period rough for me in my invalid state. We drove north to Dunes, which was smaller (shoulder-high) and delightfully empty, though the same onshore breeze chopped the surface.

Luke took a walk while I paddled back to the peak

Getting out was a bit of a challenge, but a lull eventually let us through. Luke rode a couple waves on his shortboard while I rejected closeouts, bailed or got rolled by a few I was too deep on, and missed some moundy ones. Then I dropped into a left with a too-short shoulder and rode it to the inside, then faced the paddle out through another set with Luke. Back in the lineup, it was more of the same for both of us. Luke surprised me by making a few closeouts, though he crashed some too, and got worked on the inside getting back. As I wasn't catching anything else, I didn't have that problem.

The current pushed us south, and after riding a wave near shore, Luke got out and walked back up the beach to our original peak. Since I seemed to be in close-out land, I paddled back there, getting my exercise for the day. Luke caught a couple more and exited to the beach, so the pressure was on for me to get a wave in.

Happily I didn't have long to wait, and wave #2 was a good one. I took off left but a section closed in front of me, so I banked and rode the whitewater until it reformed into a right, bouncing over a mogul, taking what the wave gave me and riding it over the nearshore trench too, then hoping off in thigh-deep water for a few quick steps up to dry sand where Luke was sitting. Woot!

Luke: I missed being in the ocean. It's good to be salty again. 

Me: And sandy! Don't forget sandy. 

Luke: Yeah, salt and sand. Some people are into S&M, but we're into S&S!

Surfline: A jumbled mix of modest NW windswell and building SW (235-200) groundswell prevails today with mainly 3-4' surf and occasional plus sets at top exposed spots. Winds remain onshore from the SW to WSW at light/moderate levels as the tide hits a 5.3' high at 2:30pm. Buoy 46012: (Wave) SWELL: 5.3 ft at 10.8 s NW 50 / WIND WAVE: 3.6 ft at 5.9 s NW / WVHT: 6.6 ft / APD: 6.6 s / MWD: 310° (Met) WSPD: 14 kn / GST: 17 kn / WVHT: 5.9 ft / DPD: 11.0 s / WDIR: 310° / ATMP: 56° F / WTMP: 58° F. Tide: Almost 5' dropping below 4'.