Out of the Blue and Into the Blue (Linda Mar)

Like a lightning bolt from a clear blue sky, yesterday I was laid off without warning in a mass firing from the company where I've worked for more than six years, replaced by someone younger and cheaper.

While I'm still in a bit of shock at the loss of what was my best job ever, the silver lining is that I now have more time to spend in the deep blue sea. For the next 60 days, I'll get my regular salary but am forbidden from showing up to work. So in a sense, I'm now being paid to surf.

Poor sleep made me miss almost-dawn patrol with Luke and J-Bird, and by the time I pulled myself together, the wind had come up a lot at Linda Mar. I walked toward the far south believing that the hill would block more of the breeze, but the sand was blowing at that end too. No matter; I needed to take the saltwater cure. (The cure for anything is salt water - sweat, tears, or the sea. -Isak Dinesen)

I found an emptyish peak that had potential and paddled out. I caught a couple of fun chesties, going left with the wind, not caring much that they closed out quickly. It was good to wash off the tension of the last day, at least for a little while. Another woman on the peak got to chatting with me, relating that she'd mostly surfed warm water spots around the world (lucky!) and had only just recently decided to don a wetsuit. Karen hadn't surfed Linda Mar before so she'd followed me out. I gave her a little rundown on the break and enjoyed her cheery company during the lulls. When I mentioned my still-stinging layoff, she said, "Good for you, getting right out here to surf!" And it was good, for Lindy; I found some fun waves on my 7'0" Emm. And a new surfing buddy too.

When you see this, it's time to head in.

C'ya soon, Mother Ocean. Thanks for the surf.

When one door closes, another opens. But we often look so regretfully on the closed door that we don't see the one that has opened. -Alexander Graham Bell (via Karen) 

Surfline: Ankle to waist high [wrong - it was bigger], poor conditions. A bit more size with rising NW windswell. Small Southern Hemi swell blend is also occasionally mixing in. Winds are onshore from the SW to West so most spots are bumpy with weak waves in the 3-4'+ range at best. Buoy 46026 (46012 is still down): (Wave) SWELL: 4.9 ft at 9.1 s NW 65 / WIND WAVE: 1.3 ft at 3.4 s W / WVHT: 4.9 ft / APD: 6.8 s / MWD: 305° (Met) WSPD: 6 kn / GST: 8 kn / WVHT: 4.9 ft / DPD: 9.0 s / ATMP: 52° F / WTMP: 53° F. Tide: 3' rising to 3.5'.