Beer Can Beach

Redemption Session

2012-02-09T20:22:00.000-08:00

Chest high on the sets, offshore, hardly any current, no leash needed. So chill and so fun. I had to pay for parking, but gave my ticket to some other dude as I was leaving. Keep the stoke flowing along...

I Was Wrong

2012-02-08T21:13:00.000-08:00

I thought it was going to be fun, peaky windswell. No. It was thumping groundswell.

Dear God I am getting old.

Spent

2012-02-02T19:07:00.000-08:00

I flailed around four days in a row this week. As a result, my shoulder is feeling thrashed, so I need to take a few days off. Ah, decay.

Eh...

2012-02-01T20:55:00.000-08:00

It was pretty terrible, but still better than anything that happened at work.

Oh My

2012-01-31T20:54:00.000-08:00

I caught a few fun waves and laughed at the welcome mat.

Flat But Perfect

2012-01-30T21:29:00.000-08:00

I was chatting with another guy when a woman began wading into the water while her companion looked on. She yelled to us, "I was going to go skinny dipping , but you guys are out here."

The dude I was with smiled and replied, "Don't let us stop you."

Mellow day. Everyone at the beach was smiling, as they should be.

Ego

2012-01-27T21:25:00.000-08:00

It could have been such an awesome session, but I let my ego get in the way. I just had to paddle out on my shortboard. I'm not sure what I'm trying to prove sometimes.

Forget It

2012-01-24T20:44:00.000-08:00

I wasn't much worried about the runoff. I just had to get wet. It's supposed to get very, very warm over the next few days and the swell is fading. Crowds, yet no surf. Forget that. See you sometime next week.

One For The Record Books

2012-01-17T20:35:00.000-08:00

As I walked to the water I was thinking about what a freak fest this place can be. I had no idea what I was in for. Usually it was the humans that are the issue, but today it was all animal.

It began with the trio of harbor seals that decided they did not want me in the water. One of them approached me and began slapping his tail in the water to make a really big splash. He kept doing it and edging closer, so I paddled the hell in. After a while, the seals cruised down the beach and I went back out.

I couldn't have been in the water for more than 10 minutes when I saw a dog running down the beach. It looked at me, then ran straight into the water and paddled straight for me. It was slopping around, hitting my board with its paws and pretty much wanted to hang out. I worried about the pooch getting hit by a wave, so I decided to call it a day. The dog and I paddled in and he went running off down the beach.

What a day.

Hideous

2012-01-13T20:32:00.000-08:00

It was another hideous January in So. Cal. Mid-70s, no wind, a pod of dolphins hanging out in the water and no crowd. Perfect.

100%

2012-01-11T19:39:00.000-08:00

The Crime Scene was nothing but rocks and kelp, so here I was. Today there were 100% fewer SUPers around me today than yesterday, so all was well.

Sat On

2012-01-10T19:35:00.000-08:00

It was a very pretty afternoon despite all the SUPers. They seem to be multiplying. Oh well.

Eh...

2012-01-09T19:24:00.001-08:00

It probably wasn't the best day to take out the shortboard, but at least is was nice and wet.

Biggish

2012-01-05T17:53:00.000-08:00

It was big again today in Ventura county. I paddled out and was once again humbled. All the spots I surf in L.A. are going to feel like bunny slopes compared to the past three days up here. Oh well. Time to head back. This time next week I will be getting snaked by some SUPer on a 2' dribbler at Sunset.

*sigh*

Heavy

2012-01-04T11:45:00.000-08:00

Man, there was just so much water moving around. The sets were overhead, but getting caught inside was a punishment. I'm going to rest up and attack again tomorrow.

Here It Comes

2012-01-03T11:33:00.000-08:00

I'm up in Santa Barbara. The swell is starting to hit and with come lots of paddling, heavy currents and getting caught inside. Ugh. Still, I caught a few fun ones at least..

Last Session

2011-12-31T11:21:00.001-08:00

My last session of 2011 was special. I brought the whole fam to the beach and a nice time was had by all. Surfing is always better when it's shared with people you care about.

Pretty Okay

2011-12-28T18:52:00.000-08:00

The shape wasn't great, but there were a few fun rides to be had. I brought one of the groms to the beach again, While I surfed, he flung himself off sand dunes so a good time was had by all.

Stinking It Up

2011-12-26T22:44:00.000-08:00

I stunk it up today on that new 6'0". It rides so differently from my 6'3". Ugh. Tomorrow I will massage the ego by taking out my old fart board. A highlight of the session was bringing one of my boys to the beach. While I flailed, he chucked himself off sand berms, so at least one of us had fun. ;)

Not So Good

2011-12-23T16:05:00.001-08:00

It was pretty awful, but it was still nice to be out. I was very patient, so I was rewarded with a few waves. I'm going to rest up for a few days and try again on Monday.

Winter in So. Cal.

2011-12-22T19:18:00.000-08:00

Now I remember why real estate costs so much. What a gorgeous sunset.

Cruised on a 7'6" McTavish Carver today. A fun board to ride. I'll get back on my 6'0" in a few days when my shoulders are ready another beating.

Back-up Plan

2011-12-21T20:37:00.000-08:00

Another gorgeous day. Too pretty for words.

That new shortie is wearing me out. It really needs a punchy wave to make it go and the past few days have been weak. I'm just worked from paddling like a fool. Tomorrow I'm going to pick up a 7'0" funshape for gutless days.

Perfect

2011-12-20T20:34:00.000-08:00

It was a perfect, gorgeous day. Too bad I paddled myself ragged trying to dial in that new shortie. My arms, they ache.

Maiden Voyage

2011-12-19T17:27:00.000-08:00

I took a new sled out into the water today. It was rainy, cold and walled up, but as always it was nice to get wet. It's going to take a while to get that board dialed in. At 6'0", 18 3/4" and 2 5/16" it's a bit smaller than what I'm used to. Can't wait to see what it can do.

Better Now

2011-12-13T20:37:00.000-08:00

Before my session I was feeling sick to my stomach and had a headache. Then I slayed waves all by myself in the cold and things were much, much better. I don't think there is a God, but as I was out there I had to thank the Man for such a beautiful opportunity.

Not Seeing Straight

2011-12-12T20:35:00.000-08:00

I surfed in the rain. It was so cold that I wasn't seeing straight after my session. That's okay, though. It was just good to be alive and in the water.

$3

2011-12-09T20:53:00.001-08:00

Parking was $3. For that I got a few okay waves, an empty line-up and a nice sunset. Not bad at all.

Cold

2011-12-07T19:08:00.001-08:00

It was cold and flat, but it was still better than most things.

At Least There Was A Nice Sunset

2011-11-30T19:47:00.001-08:00

My second wave was incredible. The rest of the session was awful. At least there was a pretty sunset to watch.

Gobble Gobble

2011-11-24T13:50:00.001-08:00

I used to go on these great surf trips down to Mexico with my parents when I was in high school and college on Thanksgiving. Now that I'm older I like to keep the tradition alive by always getting wet on Turkey Day.

There was plenty of surf and lots of smiles. Such a great vibe in the water.

Gobble gobble!

Driven

2011-11-21T17:50:00.001-08:00

You and I are the same. We don't surf because we want to. We go because we have to.

Never stop.

Fluid

2011-11-18T17:37:00.000-08:00

I really should have brought a longboard to the beach today. While I was out there, I watched some guy just killing it on an 8' soft top. The guy was just so fluid, so smooth. It's amazing how some guys are artists on any board you give them and in any conditions.

There Is No Lifestyle

2011-11-16T18:53:00.001-08:00

It was cold and pretty much flat, but I went anyway. There was a ROXY photoshoot on the sand. I tried not to pay attention, but it was hard to miss. I mean, look at the size of that damn bus. Teenage girls were twirling and spinning in bikinis, posing for ads to sell the surfing "lifestyle." There was no effing lifestyle out there. It was cold, onshore and 2'.

I don't know why it bugged me, but it did.

365 Days of Fall

2011-11-14T18:12:00.001-08:00

I don't know how good the waves were, but it felt so great to be in the water. I wish it was cool, crisp and fall 365 days a year.

Man, what?

2011-11-10T18:24:00.000-08:00

I only paddled out because I had to pee. I was glad I did because I chatted with a few mellow guys I know. It was pretty much flat and freezing, but at least the company was good.

When I finished up I saw a woman standing along the road. She was wearing these black tights, with knee-high boots and a leather jacket. She smiled at me and was waving at people in the water. I saw her walk up to some guy and start chatting as he was suiting up. I pulled away, did a u-turn and headed home. As I drove past - just a few minutes later - the woman and the guy were gone Where did they go? His car was gone, so I'm guessing they left. Together.

I have no idea what that was all about.

Keep Your Head Up

2011-11-08T20:22:00.000-08:00

When you surf some spots, you keep your head down. You don't want to catch anyone's eye. When you're here, it's mellow. I've surfed with some really cool people in the past two days. It's a nice change of pace.

This Is Why We Do This

2011-11-07T18:27:00.000-08:00

Just a handful of guys in the water, a bit of juice to the combo swell, a sunset and crisp air and water temp. Man, days like this make up for all the awful ones.

Once

2011-11-03T15:11:00.000-07:00

I only paddled out once this week and it kind of sucked. Eight dudes wedged into one, small take off spot. Man, it's easy to get burned out when you live and surf in L.A.

Oh well. It always gets better. Always and eventually.

Gorgeous

2011-10-27T11:55:00.000-07:00

Such a pretty day. There's not much else to say other than it was just gorgeous. :)

Kelpy

2011-10-26T18:51:00.000-07:00

The tide was really low, meaning it was very, very kelpy. Every time a set came through I was mired in the green stuff and couldn't find any stoke. I eventually gave up and paddled in. After, I saw two young guys head out. Of course, they were able to avoid the kelp and managed to rip. Dang kids these days!

Hello, Birdies

2011-10-24T19:56:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure what these small, green tropical birds are, but I've seen them in the valley and on the beach. As I sat out in the water, I listened to them making all kinds of noise in the trees. It was cool, though. I was the only person in the water so it was better listening to the birds than to other people.

Yep. Still Awful.

2011-10-21T21:04:00.000-07:00

I surfed on Monday and it was lame. I paddled out today and it was still lame. What a week.

Waiting in the Cold

2011-10-17T21:00:00.000-07:00

Me and some guy sat in the cold waiting and waiting. Then we waited some more. That's about all there is to say.

Behold the Ravages of Time

2011-10-14T19:51:00.000-07:00

Some kid up at County told me that he thought my 6'3" was big enough to be a longboard. Man, what the hell is that about? Kids these days.

Freak Fest

2011-10-13T19:44:00.000-07:00

It was a pretty day, but there was no surf. Long waits for nothing. The highlight of my session was watching the queen of the SUPers get repeatedly dropped in on by some chick in a pink bikini who also wore booties. What a combo.

Thoughtless

2011-10-12T19:32:00.000-07:00

The surf wasn't very good today, but it was about 80 degrees and I paddled out in board shorts. There were wahines in bikinis on the beach and I had not a single worry in my head.

Yet again, water>land.

Amazed

2011-10-11T19:29:00.000-07:00

People at work are amazed that I surf everyday. I'm amazed that they don't. How can you work next to something so beautiful and not be part of it?

I Need A Better Week

2011-10-10T20:32:00.000-07:00

It felt really great to be out in the water. Last week was a bad one for me for surf, but I hope to get after it this week. Fingers crossed.

Sick of Being Sick

2011-10-06T20:29:00.000-07:00

I've been sick all week and it rained yesterday, but who cares. I snotted and coughed my way through a session anyway. When you surf as poorly as I do, being sick really doesn't have an adverse effect on my performance.

Forgettable

2011-10-03T20:26:00.000-07:00

I don't remember much about this session. The tide was a bit too high and it was just me and one other guy. At least I got wet. That counts for something, I think.

Gotta Go

2011-09-30T19:59:00.000-07:00

It was raining just a bit with some thunder right before my session. It cleared up, though, and I had me a little surf. Sometimes you just gotta go.

Ugh

2011-09-28T19:56:00.000-07:00

There's not a lot to say other than it was pretty awful. Still, the only sessions I truly regret are those that I don't have.

Room to Work

2011-09-27T19:53:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd hit up the Crime Scene. With a low tide and bit of a south swell, I was hoping to find some waves in the bay. I found a few, but nothing too great. Hard to complain, though. It was nice having a lot of room to myself.

A Nice Run-in

2011-09-26T19:52:00.000-07:00

I ran into my buddy Jim after my session. It's always cool to see a friendly face. Long waits out in the water, but it's always wonderful to get wet.

Long Drive

2011-09-22T11:01:00.000-07:00

After work I drove too far for really bad surf. I hate when that happens.

Buzzkill

2011-09-21T10:56:00.000-07:00

I still can't wrap my mind around the fact that I now live in the Valley. Like so many Vals before me, Topanga Canyon gets me to and from the beach. What a long drive. By the time I get home my stoke is usually gone.

I don't even recall too many details of the session, other than I sat pretty deep in order to turn my back to the crowd. People seem to be everywhere I go. Bummer.

So It Goes

2011-09-20T19:09:00.000-07:00

I haven't paddled out at the Crime Scene in a while, so I gave it a go today. This place is what it is. I go, I get some waves, I leave.

Man, I get homesick for San Diego more and more as the days go by. I don't want to get old in LA.

Solitude

2011-09-16T20:08:00.000-07:00

I made a hike down to tower 2 at Zuma. I love the sandbar that sets up there. Once it gets chest high, you get these fast, hollow sections. Today, however, it was knee high and kind of lame. It felt great to be out, though. I had the ocean to myself. Just me and the seals and the dolphins.

Facelift

2011-09-15T19:56:00.000-07:00

Someone gave the ol' girl a facelift. Mellow session. I got to surf with Jim and that's always a treat.

Long Waits

2011-09-14T19:52:00.000-07:00

Long, long waits, but I had some good company and the ones that did come through were pretty fun. I was particularly loving the gray skies. I have never been a fan of summer and look forward to gray, miserable days with few people out.

The Anticipation Was A Turn-on But You Let Me Down

2011-09-13T20:23:00.000-07:00

It looked good from the car. Out in the water it wasn't so great, however. I guess it's like that now and again, the ocean being on its own time and all that.

Warm

2011-09-12T20:20:00.000-07:00

The sun was shining, the water was warm and I talked to an attractive woman about the aforementioned water temp. Life is good.

Booties?

2011-09-09T19:43:00.000-07:00

I'm body fat challenged, so I get cold easily. Still, I paddled out board shorts. In light of that, I'm not sure why some dudes went for the fullsuit and booty combo. To each his own I guess.

Feeling Good

2011-09-08T19:40:00.000-07:00

It wasn't very good, but it sure felt good to be out there on such a pretty day.

Pass

2011-08-31T12:21:00.000-07:00

I paddled out on the first day of the swell, caught a single, forgettable wave then went in. I passed yesterday, today and will shine the whole weekend on.

I'm tired of summer.

All I Need

2011-08-29T21:11:00.000-07:00

Sunny, glassy, hardly anyone out. It was all mine and it was pretty fun. That's about all I need, I guess.

Bad But Good

2011-08-25T21:09:00.000-07:00

The surf was awful, but it felt good to be alive and in the ocean.

Old

2011-08-22T14:30:00.000-07:00

Sometimes when I am in the water I feel old. You know those moments. You are just a bit too slow on a popup, or your arms don't have quite enough juice to push the board down as deep as you'd like on a duckdive, or you can't find that paddling gear you need to get into position.

But then again, I bet I'd feel a whole lot older if I didn't surf at all.

One

2011-08-18T14:25:00.000-07:00

It was one of those mornings where I said to myself, "Well, if I drove all this way, I might as well get wet and try to catch at least one."

So I did. Just one.

Click!

2011-08-17T15:02:00.000-07:00

"Hey, honey, can you take a picture of me on a wave?"

"Sure."

Feeling Human

2011-08-15T13:24:00.000-07:00

My career and I were re-united. To celebrate I went for a surf. It was glassy, fun and it just felt so great to be back in the land of the living.

Best Days

2011-08-04T19:39:00.000-07:00

The best beach days are the ones when the groms clap and cheer, acting like every 2' dribbler is a perfect 10 at the Pipeline Masters.

Too This, Too That

2011-08-01T22:09:00.000-07:00

The water was too cold, the tide too high and the wind blowing too hard.

But the company was perfect.

Like Winter

2011-07-14T09:19:00.000-07:00

It was gray, misty and kind of gnarly looking this morning. Some older guys were checking it, but then they bailed, so what the heck. It's not everyday you get Clowny to yourself. I paddled out and was pleasantly surprised. The combo swell made for peaky conditions and the waves had a bit of punch. It was easy to get caught inside, but fortunately there were lulls now and again.

It was one of those rare days where it looked rough from the beach, but wasn't too bad once you got out thee. I bet the points were great today.

Early

2011-07-11T16:48:00.000-07:00

It was really fun this morning, but you had to be out really early - at least at BCB - to get some before the tide came up too much. Lots of fun rides in front of the tower, while most people battled near the stairs. That stupid funboard is growing on me. The shame. ;)

Slump Busting

2011-07-07T10:03:00.000-07:00

In an attempt to bust a slump I've been in, I took an old, battered funboard down from the rafters. I'm not sure how I feel about funboards, but I do worry about the stigmas attached to them. Well, I'm not worried so much about the stigma, but I know that there are some who glance askew at those 7'6" wonders.

Regardless of their status, I've been having a hell of a good time the past two days. After a year straight on a shortboard, I've been eager for something new. Even though there wasn't much of a swell, I caught plenty of little waves and had a fine time indeed. I'm going to take the next few days off, so I'll see you next week.

Not So Bad At All

2011-07-06T08:44:00.000-07:00

It wasn't very good, but you could not have asked for a prettier morning. By default, I guess that makes it okay after all.

I saw pelicans zooming the water, a seal, a dolphin and felt the eel grass brushing against my feet. It was really quite nice and I am glad to have had the experience.

I Wish

2011-06-29T16:35:00.000-07:00

I wish I wouldn't have surfed here today, but nostalgia got to me. Too many people on 9'6"s. How does a 40 year old guy on a 6'3" compete with that?

I blame myself for choosing poorly.

Only Five

2011-06-28T16:31:00.000-07:00

Only five guys out at Zeros. Fun waves coming through. Kind of sectiony, but that was okay, as it gave everyone a bit of space to work. The water finally feels warm again.

Not So Good

2011-06-24T08:48:00.000-07:00

But at least it was wet. A beach break was a poor choice for a south swell, but the tide was high and Topanga and Malibu were wedged, so what are ya going to do?

I Went To Go See The Ol' Girl And She Treated Me Well

2011-06-16T17:59:00.001-07:00

Allocation

2011-06-13T14:16:00.000-07:00

Terrible, but I went anyway. Most days I stop, check the surf and if I see more than a half-dozen people on a peak, I go home and work in the garden. It hasn't always been like that, but it's just this thing I'm doing now until some life stuff blows over. You have to be careful about the allocation of your resources and paddle battling is not high on my list of things to do.

Ups and Downs

2011-06-01T14:14:00.000-07:00

Surfing and I are going through this tough time right now. Like any relationship, it has its ups and downs. I'm sure we'll work it all out eventually.

Bit of a southie today, but there was some backwash due to a weird sandbar near the shore pushed up by a recent heavy swell.

2011-05-26T16:22:00.000-07:00

I get out of work and I rarely have the energy to surf. it's just s draining knowing that you are losing your gig due to no fault of your own. It makes no sense.

When I do have the energy I head up to Zuma, like I did today. You can just get away from people and all their noise. No one looks at you, talks to you or lays their trip at your feet. You just find an empty peak and let go.

Go Anyway

2011-05-20T16:19:00.000-07:00

Despite my cold, I paddled out at Secos. I just had to score a bit of that impressive swell. My last wave of the session was an overhead bomb. My takeoff was ugly, but the ride was beautiful I didn't even bother to turn or carve. I just glided along the face and tried to take the whole thing in. Even on a wave, it's nice to just slow down and chill.

Flee!

2011-05-13T15:42:00.000-07:00

I fled north to Zuma again. I chose poorly, though. When I pulled up, it wasn't really working anywhere. An hour into it, however, and it was really starting to work down by Westward. It looked super fun, but I was stuck way down by Trancas. Oh well. The water felt great and I screwed around and had a fine time all in all.

Escape

2011-05-12T15:39:00.000-07:00

Year three of layoffs at work. Sometimes when I get out of work I'm too stressed and anxious to even surf. All I can do is go home, water the yard and lay on the couch. I often feel like this nation of ours is in an accelerated rate of decay.

Today, though, I paddled out at Topanga and had me a nice session. It wasn't very good, but the water felt so good. It was really hard to leave. While packing up my stuff, I was enjoying the fact that from a certain vantage point, I could see a pine tree, a palm tree, the moon and the ocean. It was all rather nice.

Zuma Bound

2011-05-05T12:58:00.000-07:00

Westward was looking so good with no one out. I was worried, though, that if I got on it I would soon have several guys all over me. You know how it is. You can be on a deserted stretch of beach, but inevitably a clown car will pull up and everyone will head straight for the peak you've found.

I ended up halfway along Zuma and had a nice time. I love getting up here whenever I can. You just have so much room to do your thing.

I surfed three days this week. I feel like I am getting better at striking a balance between home, work and surf.

Wonderfully Flat

2011-05-03T12:47:00.000-07:00

It was so beautiful today. One of those rare, yet wonderful, 1' and perfect days.

One Last Look

2011-05-02T12:35:00.000-07:00

This is usually my last view of the ocean before I turn and head back to the 818. As I look at the water, I sometime wonder if it's the last time I will ever see the ocean. It's an irrational anxiety, but then again most anxieties are just that.

As things settle down with the new pad, I hope to get more time in the water. I miss it terribly.

That Figures

2011-04-25T12:32:00.000-07:00

That figures. On my first day back into the water it was onshore and weak. The ocean is definitely on its own time.

Kicked in the Swallowtail

2011-04-09T21:38:00.000-07:00

I didn't plan on surfing, but there was little to no wind after work and a nice swell. I paddled out into much colder than expected water and had me a nice sessions. Lots of recent yard work meant that my back was tight, so take offs felt a little slow, but that's okay.

I picked up a little ding in the tail of my sled. I got it my kicking the damn thing while paddling for a wave. Yeah, I'm not sure why I give a few little kicks when going for a wave. It's an awful habit.

I went from bad to worse.

2011-04-04T20:57:00.000-07:00

I haven't been getting out very often. Instead, I've been here, turning a jungle of a yard covered in sand, wood chips, shredded bark and overgrown shrubs into a micro-mini farm. Holy guacamole all I do is weed, build, dig and make covert dumpster runs to jettison crap the previous owners of my house left behind.

But a man must surf, so I gave myself an hour to flail, kook out and generally spaz in the water. I was a marginal surfer before the house and friends, surfing just once every two weeks or so isn't doing me any favors. The horror...

There used to be a playhouse and a ton of shizzle in the space that now houses a compost bin and three soon-to-be-painted planter boxes.

Scarce

2011-03-28T11:11:00.000-07:00

I haven't been in the water much. I think this was my first time in two weeks. The rains kept me out of the water, though the Crime Scene was firing all last week. Mostly, I've been terrible busy at home. I'm working feverishly in the backyard and that's been taking up my time. It's okay, though. I love being back there. You know the drill - being happy in your own space doing your own thing.

I think that tomorrow I may hit up Beer Can Beach. I kind of miss that place.

After my sessions I pick up rocks and driftwood to bring home. I put them in my garden so that I have a bit of the beach in the SFV.

Strange Currents

2011-03-11T09:08:00.000-08:00

It felt really weird to surf today, the day of the tsunami in Japan. So many people were killed by the very ocean I was attempting to have fun in. It seemed...wrong in a way. The currents were bizarre, tiny echoes of the catastrophe across the sea.

No Time To Think

2011-03-08T19:53:00.000-08:00

It was sloppy and pretty out of control, but I like it like that. When you are constantly paddling, chasing shifting peaks and squinting through the howling wind, there's no time to think about anything else. I think that's one of the things I love most about sports and surfing in particular - you are forced into the moment. There's no tomorrow, yesterday or what ifs. There's just the moment.

Not So Bad

2011-03-04T21:28:00.000-08:00

I had a hockey game to go to yesterday. (Go, Kings!) If I didn't have tickets I would have surfed most definitely. The Charthouse was actually working and looking way fun. There were two guys out and one of them was killing it. So cool.

Today, however, was a different story. I sat in the bay and waited for some south to dribble in. It wasn't so great, but it was surfing and that's not so bad sometimes.

Trash Talking

2011-03-01T08:25:00.000-08:00

rocks for the garden..i always bring a few home with me

When I was in the water two friends were having a great time, talking trash and swapping lies. It was pretty cool. Ever since Ripper and Pappy bailed CA, I've missed that. I work with women and children, so I have to play things very restrained. It was always great to get into the water with my buddies after work and to just let loose. Sometimes you just have to be a dude.

You Gotta Go

2011-02-28T08:07:00.000-08:00

This was one of those sessions that was motivated solely by the fact that I hadn't surfed in five days. I just needed to get wet. It was pretty awful, but I was glad for the chance to paddle out. There was just a bit of south swell in the water, so I hoped to catch some in the bay, but it just didn't work out so well.

Val Surf

2011-02-23T21:51:00.000-08:00

The bank bought a really cool house out in the valley. They are letting me live there provided I write them a check each month for, like, 30 years. Today was my first session as a Val and I hope I repped the 818 well enough. Due to my new geography, I switched surf spots and will be kooking up the Crime Scene. I used to go there a lot, but got burned out. In the photo above is a flag that is an awesome wind direction indicator. Today it was sideshore. Odd.

My drive to work is doubled in time, but my drive home is the same. Man, I got so burned out on a 45 minute drive to go eight miles. I just kindof zip along now, the chants of, "Go back to the effing valley!" echoing in my ears.