Pretty sure I know where you were and yeah that descent keeps many away.
Printable View
Pretty sure I know where you were and yeah that descent keeps many away.
As well as the thickness.
There is another slab a 1/4 mile hike under the cliffs north of the creek. That peak has three surfing it.
Access and lack of distinct channel keep most away from there as well.
... now imagine the trepidation in trying to figure out the 'rules of the break' as a kook haole on a SUP!
First thought is if there are other sups out in the line up you are good to go. Until the day I was watching this break and the only sup guy came out and he was the classic leather brown haole who had been on island for 25 years. First thing he chastised me for parking with tire on the white line on the road. Then proceeded to tell me the only reason he could sup there was because he'd put in his time otherwise... ok buddy. in general the rule still applies .
So I try to be over respective of not pissing people off. Which usually means avoiding busy breaks.
One time I was at Kukio and there were just two locals taking turns. I kept hanging back, hanging back, just watching from the shoulder until they called me in... new best friends!
Closest to actually getting ass kicked?
I'd been surfing/supping at the Lahaina break wall most every day all winter. As it turns out that is the off season for south side swell on the islands. Lots of waist high to shoulder with the occasional over head set once a week type thing.
Then the first south swell of the season hit in early May. I rolled to the parking lot early got all baked and jumped in the water. To my astonishment there was like 100 people in the water. Not one paddle boarder. Whatever I thought as I literally bee lined out about 50 feet past the deepest guys. This is where the wave break so this is where I am going seems logical right?
It was a nice day, perfect glass and these waves had serious meat to them unlike the waves that had been coming through all winter. Then I noticed the silence. And then I looked around and realized these dudes were all tatted locals . No tourists to be seen. Then I saw a couple guys looking at me as one whispered and pointed at me.
Ah shoot, I know what is going on now. At least I was as tanned as could be but that only gets you so far...
I tucked tail before even trying for a wave and went on the inside where the inside breaks were surprisingly good! I caught 7 or 8 maybe but kept looking longingly to the sweet overhead glassy walls on the outside.
This was my last surf session of the year and was getting on plane back to Alaska the next day. Fuck this if I'm gonna sit in here picking up scraps on the best day of the season! I slowly made my way back out through the line up ignoring the stink eye. Right as I was near the front of the line up I could see a rogue set on the hazy horizon.
I saw it before everyone and just stated digging! Then they all were but I was in the lead. It was a 1,2,3 set with the tallest looming in the rear with the first of the three being bigger than anything else of the day anyway. I made it over the first one easy, barely made it over the second one. I figured that cleaned everyone one out but when I looked back I saw 8 or 10 dudes all smashing the water behind me . OMG they want to kill me! I thought as the monster wave stood tall. I had to muster all the skill in me to turn the board 180 deg as the face picked me up and right at the top of the lip I was in position and made the drop!
Now I was staightlining though the crowd that was duck diving. made one heel side bottom turn to the left and saw that 4 or 5 other guys snake my wave!
* pause* this is the point of the story about who has right of way, technically I do because I dropped in the deepest but I broke a bunch of rules to get there *unpause*
The wave basically smashed everyone to oblivion as I had to stayed on my feet and got in front of the huge pile of white water and rode straight to the beach. I double stepped to the parking lot fully expecting to get chased down for a beat down. Hopped in the van and drove away. That was my last wave in Maui.
On my first morning in El Salvador this Spring. I’m based out of a more mellow zone, but La Libertad is apparently going off, and my host is selling it hard and offers a ride, so I figured I’d check it out. It’s 6’-8’ glassy perfection, at least 70 guys out, and several pro level performers demolishing the sets. I hang out on the far inside, picking up scraps and trying to get my groove back after 6 months out of the water. I eventually decide to paddle towards the main peak for a closer look, casually making my way through the line-up. Still well short of the take-off zone a heavily tattooed, shaved headed, gangster vibe local is having none of it and calls my lily white ass out in the most aggressive way possible. We both know how this is going to play out. I’m the tourist here and accept my humiliation with as much grace as circumstances allow.
Yeah, my time in El Salvador was not a positive one either. Spent a month in La Libertad after my buddy Dom (he manages the Canadian surf team) convinced us to go. There really weren't too many tourists (it was us 3, a group of older Americans, a few pro girls, a few others) surfing Punta Roca, pretty much all locals. The first weekend on the arrival of a big swell, a bunch of chatter started up amongst the locals by about 9 am...turns out one of the local gang leaders was macheted to death on his way to the surf. Then later in the trip, when the American group was leaving, they gave the local kids a bunch of swag like leashes and t-shirts and so immediately after the kids came to our room after asking for stuff. We told them we would leave some gear when we were leaving and they started yelling at us "Malo, Malo, Malo", "bad-bad-bad". The next morning in the lineup we were getting bad treatment from the older locals after the kids told them what happened. My two buddies left early so I was alone for a week and kept to my absolute best behaviour...but I was scared.
Dom had multiple stories from previous trips when they would be in the water at Punta Roca while gun battles occurred on shore. On my flight home I stayed overnight in Houston so on the hotel bus these two women were chatting, one El Salvadorian and one American. The American women was on her way to El Sal so the El Sal woman was telling her how great her country was and what a great time she would have. When we got off the bus I started talking to the American and told her I just came back from there. She told me she was just being polite to the El Sal woman and how she was actually going there trying to get her money out of the country from when her husband used to run a company and was murdered 20 years previous.
Its funny when I talk to other people I know that have gone and they say what a great time they had...but they ONLY spend time in the touristy spots (EL Zonte) and have never done La Libertad.
Carpathian, I think you made at least 3 mistakes:
1. You SUPped
2. You SUPped in Hawaii
3. You aren't Laird, Jerry, or Kai SUPping in Hawaii
MY experience with wave SUPs is limited but we would run into Jerry Lopez a few times in Pacific City in the early SUP days. I think you have to spend time ingratiating the locals, sit out back FOREVER and warn of every approaching set, and in your particular example yelled out how many waves were approaching and that you were catching the last one...and then quickly setup the barbecue on the beach and have a lobster and beer ready for everyone;)
My guess is that lots of the town spots in Santa Cruz are worse than the OC beach breaks. Obviously the peaks right by the HB pier or right off a Newport jetty are competitive, but HB and Newport is something like 12 miles from Bolsa Chica to the Wedge, so there are LOTS of peaks to choose from. Even on crowded days one can usually find a peak which is not all that bad. It gets packed for sure, but a beach with many peaks can spread things out. socal is crowded, but if you are willing to surf a B level sandbar one can usually deal. That is what sucks about some of the upper jetties in Newport now, the sandbars don't seem to be as good unless you are right at the jetty, which is always a hassle. I have been surfing the lower jetties in Newport or HB more recently, occasionally paddling out at the upper Newport streets, like 68th. I used to love surfing near the 56th street jetty, but I rarely surf there anymore because the only good peak is usually right at the jetty.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ottime
I could be wrong, I have literally never surfed in the town of Santa Cruz, but it seems like mostly points and reefs in the area. That would be tough, as there are far fewer takeoff zones than you have with areas like HB, Newport and San Clemente if you leave out Lowers. That would wear on me after a while.