There and Back Again

My initial plan was to surf Crystal Pier at dawn, but Steve suggested Birdrock a bit later. It's been a long time since I've surfed there, or any reef break, so I was in.

I was already suited up when Steve texted that he'd just left his house. Since I was ambling instead of rushing to La Jolla to meet him, I stopped by the pier on the way up there. It didn't look great, but there were waves to be had, and the manageable crowd included some of the regulars I know.

Google+ gets artistic

So on to Birdrock. It didn't look all that appealing: lully, textured with a steady breeze, and 3 guys out getting short infrequent rides on chest-high+ waves. The water at the bottom of the stairs sloshed around noisily. Meh. I made the call to go back to the pier. Steve, who arrived after I'd driven away and half an hour late (his first surfing buddy demerit), saw something more promising and paddled out there.

Birdrock

My 6'2" isn't the board I would've chosen if I'd gone directly to the pier, but it turned out OK. Although there were a lot of closeouts, I got a few decent rides and some teachable moments, most notably the closeout drop I should've charged forward on but instead leaned too heavily on my back foot and fell off tailward. It's the same fear obstacle I have to overcome to successfully drop into the bowl on a skateboard.

With that wave in mind, I paddled for the next one. It was a right that jacked up more than expected, to nearly head-high as I landed the drop and made a small backside turn up the face before turning down with an oncoming section. Woot!

Back atop the bluff, a few dolphins swam past. If you look closely, you can glimpse them in the video.

Off of San Diego, the ocean temperature has dropped from the low seventies to the upper sixties. For the rest of the week, I'll be surfing in the warmer waters of Oahu.