Originally Posted by
Ottime
Finally did get a few today. Spent last week in upstate NY and next in the local hills. This afternoon, after I got everything unpacked, and then packed, was my only window. And before I left it was more of ski weather, than surf weather, with nasty, strong south winds. So today, it was nice to get in the water.
I think about how rog gets 39 waves in 30 minutes, and how you said you don't like waiting. Well, today was big. Not huge, but big enough, and weird enough to make the first 100 yards off the beach at Scotts a complete washing machine of a paddle out. Not seeing much in the sense of organization on the outside, I headed back toward town and figured I'd take out a smaller board. Having forgotten fins in the garage for my new 6'0", I opted to look at 4 Mile, thinking my 6'7" narrow square tail would be the call. The point looked less than perfect, but it did look about 10' and it did look like the channel went all the way to the beach.
The paddle out was easy off the beach, but it took at least 10 minutes to get out far enough that I was at the end of the wave, and then I started heading up the point, slowly at first, trying to get a sense of what was going on. Turned out all the folks I saw running down had abandoned their effort and no one was in the line up. Caught a few corners. While they had a little size, they were not what I had seen from the bluff, and they were not reeling. Rather more like a big explosive end to a wave setting up for some nice big carves.
So I paddled out deeper. Had a hard time finding the bowl. The peak that were working were easily 10 footers, some 12, and a few bigger. My board was not even a mini gun, so I start to wonder what I was doing out here all by myself. Then I heard a voice and two others were paddling out towards me, so I figured I had to man up, or lose priority. So I paddled out a little bit further, and quite a bit deeper. And then one swung to me. Double overhead drop, to racing wall. Was able to get up on it for my first top turn, generate some speed and blast through the section. As the wave started to slow down, I got one huge, fast carving turn in, and then it bowled up and started to swallow me. Pointed it, and came out down the line and the whole thing shifted into the channel. Felt good.
Got a few more, but none quite as good. A ripable 10 footer. An attempt on a bomb that ended in a pearl 2/3 of the way down, but some how spared me by tossing me out the back after holding me down for just about 5 seconds. Missed a few opportunities. Got drilled by a big set right after sunset. And found a smaller one that sent me in. Maybe 10 waves in 1.5 hours. Had a blast, and got a killer ride that will stay with me for days. And managed that one on a step up board. I can only imagine my wave count and session had I taken out the mini gun. Even if that was the only wave I got the entire session, it would have been worth waiting for. Sure is good to get wet. Now off tho the powder.
/blog