February 25, 2009 Wednesday

Bolinas	Straight out from the ramp
9:15 am to 10:30 am	3' to 4', setshead high
Mid incoming tide	Slight offshore breeze
High overcast	Good session

The wind had finally turned and the swell had picked up. After continuous south winds for the two and a half weeks, the wind was from the north, which is offshore at Bolinas, and the ocean was finally settling down from of month of wind swells.

The peak straight out from the ramp had returned. Last year from January through March this peak appeared with consistent clean left curls and good rights. With the spring and the return of the sand the peak disappeared. Today it was back. Strong 3’ to 4’ waves lined across the beach from the house south of the ramp to the north end of the seawall on the other side of the ramp.

Nate, one of the owners of the Proof Lab surf shop, and Kaylee were out there connecting on one good wave after another. The above photo is Nate executing one of several bottom turns I witnessed this morning. “I want some of those,” I said to myself after watching them. As I entered the water they were leaving. Nate and Kaylee live in Bolinas and often get in a few waves in before heading over the hill to open up the shop. I chatted with them briefly and as usual asked Nate how’s business.

“We’re keeping the lights on,” he said as he rushed up the ramp to his car. In today’s tough economic times I took that as a positive response.

The waves were bigger and more powerful than they looked from shore and were difficult to catch. After a couple of frustrating attempts, I moved inside to take off late. Waiting until the waves were cresting, I would move close to the nose, paddle hard, push myself over the edge and then drop down steep faces and cut left into some fast line-ups. Several waves closed out on me, but for the few I made the ride was thrilling to say the least, fast and long. In one hour I caught plenty of good waves, exhausted myself paddling out through the strong waves and went in after a good left curl put me next to the base of the ramp.

After changing into my street clothes, I had that glowing feeling of healthy exercise and the satisfaction of having tamed some challenging waves. It was a good day.