Tuesday

Tuesday, South of R————-s.

I’m usually north of R’s but I told myself I gotta start surfing the entire swath of beach, and seeking out the better waves, rather than just getting comfortable where I always paddle out. Tuesday, I think the forecast on MSW was something like 1-2 or 2-3 but so so clean.

I popped out (the parking meters have been taken out for the season—hurray!) where it seemed like I could catch either a right or left. I was out for a while and the waves were just so so friendly. I paddled a little north and came upon a rock garden, so good to know, just south of R’s. I was really trying to practice getting off my board with more control/more safely, and it was the perfect day, and that was the perfect place to do it. I’ve been practicing my cross step and though I don’t think I quite did that, I did have a little more fluidity moving around my board. I found the perfect plank that’s perched on the path behind me to practice on dry land. Met a guy out on the water from RI who said that of all the places he’s ever been in the world to surf, RI folks can be the most possessive of their waves. I find this hilarious.

Tony S had posted about Hot Wax Shaping School and I’m going to call them and find out about coming down for a class. Auntie Jayne said I could stay with them, of course.

My wavecasting book came in from the library and I’m still plugging along Tony Butt’s Surf Science: An Introduction to Waves for Surfing. I really want to be able to understand what spots are going to be better and why, and be savvier with reading models/wave forecasts.

Anyway, Tuesday was a great day. Surfed until the sun went down and the ocean was just throwing some surprisingly fun, clean 2-3-footers.

I haven’t been out since Tuessday. We just got a Nor’easter overnight and the waves are supposed to be massive so I can’t wait to run down to SS and see. Possibly going to clean up after work so I might be able to pop in but wind is supposed to be upwards of 25mph and I don’t love that.

Peace.

Tricking Yourself into DP

I shoulda gone out for DP today.

I told myself I’d just let myself wake up when I did which I did, but I coulda gone.

Tips for Getting my Sorry Ass Out of Bed Next time for DP:

• Bathing suit out

• Coffee and water already in pot

• Workspace 100% set up for when I’m back

• Towel and wetsuit bucket in car

• Bag ready w keys

Sweet Leftovers and seaweedpalooza

LS. Got out a couple hours after HT. North side parking was practically full so I parked just north of the BH and met Gary who said he’d seen me around. He’d been out Saturday—crazy people! Saturday was way too heavy for me.

I ventured further south, toward R————--s and quickly understood why no one was down there (SEAWEED) but I refused to leave. There were sweet waves rolling through that I nearly had to myself, save one SUP-er named Mark from KBPT and a shortboarder who seemed to be doing not much of anything at all. These waves were so generous — I was throwing some turns and riding them all the way in, and then getting stuck in the seaweed-created impact zone. Like, this was an epic seaweed situation. I was out for maybe three hours when I got so tangled up in seaweed I just had to leave. I saw a dead baby seal on the beach and realized it’s ear was stuck in the seaweed in my leash. It was time to rinse off.

I caused a major hulabaloo at the shower trying to get the seaweed out of my hair. A French Canadian girl said “That was me yesterday.” I looked at her hair and said, “I guess there’s hope for me.” She said, “Mm. I don’t know. Mine wasn’t that bad.” She said there was a lot of shampoo and conditioner in my future.

I went home and spent approx. two hours doing the following: combing the seaweed out of my hair and attempting to ensure that the seaweed did not clog up the shower by placing a paper towel over the drain and letting the water seep through. Let me tell you. These commercials about the strength of paper towels, I now believe. It would hardly let the water permeate!

I took a walk down the SS and the waves were friendly and nice. Everyone was happy. The sun had come out around 10am, right at the end of a sweet wave I got, and stayed out nearly all day. I walked up to LS and the waves looked fairly clean so I went out again, because I knew I would hate myself if I didn’t take advantage of the holiday, sun and sweet little friendly waves.

This vision/FOMO/proactive avoidance of self hatred for not going encouraged me to go out for the double sesh. (C) Sara Dyer

An onshore breeze had kicked in by the time I drove back but I still got some fun stuff and also got my ass handed to me a couple times. I thought we’d be dealing with ankle biters but they were still 2-3+ here and there. A shortboarder was near me and he’d been out in the AM too.

Everyone is stoked and smiling and happy because of all the waves rolling through.

I love Sept/Oct in New England. It’s the best.

The carnage that was seaweedpalooza:

Feeling concerned that this may never come out. (C) Sara Dyer

You are sort of getting the picture now. (C) Sara Dyer

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On Another Note Bad Habits that I really need to stop:
My board dismount
What I do when big waves are rolling through
My shimmy