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.