September 2017 – Norcal Surf Log

Location : LM
Time/Length : am/1.5
Rating : ***
Performance : ***
Board : 94 AL
Notes : BIG CHILL OUT Coming over the bend and looking down onto Linda Mar I knew things were going to be rough because the judges tower was set up on the South End – in front of Taco Bell. Meant waves were too big further up the beach where they usually hold the contest. It was a large mushy disorganized swell. Bit onshore winds. No clear channel out. Waves breaking everywhere – an OB like washing machine. Every 5 minutes or so outside clean up sets would arrive which had some outliers that seemed well overhead. Contest organizer GC looked a tad more nervous than most years – maybe that was my imagination. Was he thinking – How were the 75 + age group going to get out in this soup? What about the wee ones -the 8-12 year old bracket? I guess that’s why they have you sign a liability waiver. Six in my grand masters age group heat (50-59) including MS; someone from Santa Cruz Long boarders Union and a hot shot from Hawaii. Best I could hope for was 4 th out of six. I donned my orange contest jersey. The paddle out was brutal. An endless pummeling. Waves folded over and the whitewater came at you you with a sloping downward force – sweeping you back to shore. Instantly erasing every meager gain. Hard to maintain breath control because it was a near constant barrage. Throughout the ordeal you are hearing them announce your progress from the tower. “Ohh boy Orange is not gonna scratch over that monster set on the outside.” Thanks for the foreshadow. Then, a lull. It was shallow enough that I could still stand – which I did to gather my breath. I pushed on and finally made it outside – a little bit past MS. The waves were heaving and churning all around us. All you could do was try and select a wedge -make a line for a corner – hold on through the closeout section and surf the (substantial) whitewater reform. I should have waited longer for my wave. But I didn’t. It was a large steep wedge. I thought I heard MS say “no” but was not sure. He probably did – because I instantly knew I had made the wrong choice. Poised on top of the lip I managed to get to my feet – but the face was already too vertical. I think I stood on the board in mid air. I free fell down the wave face in slow motion- just like a car accident. I tried to fall left of my board. I hit the water hard. Then the wave came crashing down on top of me. It drove me straight down until my right cheek was grinding into the sand. (Good thing it wasn’t a rock.) The wave rag dolled me. Churned me like butter. I felt the sleeve of my wetsuit roll half way up my arm. I surfaced completely disoriented. Where was the judge’s booth? I panicked. I realized I was looking the wrong way. I thought out to sea was shore. I also couldn’t find my board. I tugged my leash and it surfaced to my right in the roiling white water mess. I grabbed it by the tail and pushed it away from myself as another wave landed on my head. I resurfaced to -blessedly – a lull. I flopped onto my board and paddled back out. Then further out just for good measure. I gathered my breath and surveyed the scene. Could barely see the other competitors because it was such a roly-poly mess. Everyone seemed to have there own strategy of how to grab a wave – and where. Seven minutes left and just one colossal wipeout under my belt. Finally I saw a left ratchet up near me and I went for it- surfed it decently – including the reform – a solid wave given the conditions. I did not have the strength to paddle back out again. I got as far as the impact zone and took three whitewater waves. They reformed so you could eke out some footwork on the inside. A lot of people were doing that strategy. Not even trying to get outside – just working the inside whitewater. I came in with two minutes left in the heat. They scored the best two so I figured that was the best I could muster. Everyone that competed was just walking around with these stunned shell-shocked faces. I gathered my breath and walked down to boat dox. The paddle out was easier and I managed two sizable rides – outside waves. I came back and checked the board. I somehow got fourth which meant I would advance to the Consolation Round. (Every surfer that came in fourth in the masters or grand masters heat got into the Consolation Round. The Consolation Round consisted of six surfers who each came in fourth in their heat. Also nicknamed “The Salami Round.” 10:45 AM – I was looking forward – so to speak- to another go in the battle of the fourth placers. Unfortunately by 1045 the swell had not dropped as everyone had hoped. It looked like it got bigger. This paddle out was even worse than the first round. It just wouldn’t let up. A wave knocked my left contact lens out of place. Half blind! Then another wave knocked the left contact lens back into place. Full sight! I kept getting walloped and dragged by the current. Just when I thought I would make it out another wave would detonate on top of me. After a spell I looked up and realized I was dragged PAST the A lot pump house – and way outside the contest zone parameters. I got out of the water and walked back up the beach dragging my board behind me like a caveman’s club. I entered again at Taco Bell. Only eight minutes left in the heat. A lull. I got out fairly fast and recovered. My hearing was all plugged. It felt oddly serene because I was so far outside I knew I was safe. The judges stand seemed miles away. After gathering my breath I stroked further in and set my sights on a right. A good open mush wall wave that I surfed all the way to the inside. Too tired to paddle back out I managed a few decent inside waves and came in before my heat was even finished. It seemed when folks came in there was this moment when you just put your hands on your knees and gulped in breaths of air. That’s what I did. Hours later every bone in my body was aching. Feels like I just went 15 rounds with Ali in his prime. Who got the Salami? I guess they will post results in the next few days…
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Month: September 2017

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