Catch and Ride

It took me years to realize the huge difference between catching a wave and riding a wave.

I was in the “catch a wave” stage for a year and a half.

But within the last month or so, I entered a “ride a wave” stage.

For me, finally being able to ride the face and turn—following the wave and throwing a little style. Catching a wave was “Ok, I’ve paddled and I can feel the wave has me. Now I am just going to sort of hang on for dear life.”

P—s and A'-’s.

Met up with Angie at P—s after applepicking at the amazing moneymaking machine that is Applecrest Farms. It was fairly mild, in comparison to what it had been the last couple days, and uncrowded. I was essentially out of my mind not having jumped in the water, and having sat watching at Long Sands this AM, the clean, friendly lines that were rolling through and hardly any wind at all.

Felt like the swell kept moving south, and the current kept pulling us north. Got a couple nice lefts that left me Swamp Thing-ed in the huge collection of red algae that was kicked up from the storm nearly the whole stretch at the beach. We were there for a bit but the waves looked better north, which made sense, as we were a couple hours passed high tide so we traipsed north. And I am so glad we did.

We hit it a little north of A-’s. It was damn hard to get through the white water and I was trying not to get gassed on my way out there. I’m still really struggling with turtle rolls. I don’t do them. A couple times some 8 footers rolled through and I just had to ditch my board and swim through. There was no other way to safely get out, and I made sure that no one else was around when I did it.

Then I charged.

We had some overhead waves rolling through and people just weren’t going for them so I did. I had a couple rides that just lasted forever and attempts at turning that are baby steps of progress. But these waves were just so generous. They were moving a shit-ton of water, and they were heavy, but the two I rode all the way in were so generous. Angie said some really nice things and it totally lit me up. She was like, “You’ve been surfing!” and it made me feel good. I’ve been working out, watching my clips, skating and above all, surfing, and I’m just having so much fun and getting better. Life is really good. I am thinking of trying to take a week off to just surf up here since the waves are rolling through and the water is still so nice and warm. Today was ridiculously amazing—no wind, bright sun and warm water. Thankyouthankyouthankyou.

Tuesday Lunchtime

14th. Sometimes to know you have to go.

I come back to this quote again and again.

The forecast said diddly about Tuesday and then I went out at lunch and, granted, it was small, but so so clean.

“This isn’t bad!” I said to my neighbor out there.

“I’m not complaining!”

I had a couple really sweet rides before I had to jump back online.

Margaret Gets a Seshie, 1 Foot Lies and Last One Out at P----

Margaret and I went out on the water today. We parked at 12th and hopped down to the beach. The tide was already coming in fast. We got there at 4, and HT was set for 7:45pm. I’d been worried about that. The tide’s been so unpredictable and when it’s rolling in fast, it’s rolling in fast.

We did a quick sesh on the sand, going over

anatomy of the surfboard
some basic stretches
how to fall and protecting your head

The waves were 100% bigger than MSW had read. MSW said 1 footers with fair wind at 11s. The periods weren’t terrible actually, but we were consistently getting 2+ footers, which neither of us was prepared for. But Margaret was stoked. She told me that she’d been thrown into the deep end surfing before and that she was just so excited to be there for a refresher. Before last week, when she hit a spot in Rye, it’d been 5 years since she hopped in. I told her we’d take it easy and nothing too wild.

The waves were a little big at 12th so we walked south to 10th where they seemed a little more manageable. We started to head out but decided to just focus on the white water. She brought a gorgeous single fin long board and I was jealous. Just did some belly-riding and she kicked ass, holding her balance and getting up. I told her she’d tricked me with all her talk about “what a beginner” she was etc etc.

I love sharing the stoke with friends on the water. There’s almost nothing that makes me happier.

Clouds were rolling in and the waves were getting bigger so we ended the sesh but we’ll definitely be heading out again soon. She was so pumped.

I stayed out for a bit but it started to get a little crowded. There were two solid, nice and rideable waves, and 10 people on each, plus the tide was coming in hot. I wondered how P—— would be so I rode a couple last ones there, including a 4-5 footer that had me on a ridiculous vertical drop I somehow managed and rode straight in kookstyle. After a few nice rides on the shoulder, I jumped in the car and headed north.

It was sooooo clean. And there were only two people out, and a couple waves not being surfed by anyone at all. I fucking love this beach. I’ve loved it since the first time Melissa took me there. There’s something so friendly about the waves on a nice day. I just knew it’d be cleaner there and it was. Gorgeous periods and perfect shapes.

This paddling for every wave like a nut job has completely changed the game. I’m so galvanized and I’m riding better because of the fact that my whole energy is different and higher. I caught a left during this session that still has my head spinning. I ripped it. I rode it high and I didn’t even know what was happening in the most euphoric way. The turns I’ve been practicing on the Carver totally came into play. I rode this left, my backside, more artfully than any other wave I’ve ever ridden and I was so fuckin’ stoked.

I stayed for a while, just going for nearly every way, since no one was around me. My arms were so exhausted but I really didn’t want to leave. I pushed it and was the last one out. I could hardly see the waves anymore and hated heading in but finally had to. Thankyouthankyouthankyou for such a beautiful day, with wildly threatening clouds overhead that never split the sky with lightning.