June 4, 2009 Thursday

Bolinas	Channel
7:40 am to 9:40 am	3' to 4', occasional 5'
High upcoming tide	No wind, occasional offshore breeze
High overcast	Fun session

After yesterday’s fun session and with the prediction of a building south swell I was determined to get out there early. The night before I got my surf gear ready and set the timer on the coffee pot for 5:30 am. The plan was to be on the road at 6:00 am. Alarm went off at 5:30 am, the coffee was ready; I loaded the car, filled my travel mug, brought Kate a cup of coffee and was out the door by 6:15 am. At Bolinas I chatted with Russ and Pete who were suiting up. I took some photos from the cliff above the Groin and was suiting up when Marty pulled in.

“Check your watch,” I said to a surprised Marty. This was the first time I ever beat him to the beach. I entered the water at 7:40 am. Not bad. This was the earliest I have been in years.

I was worried about the crowd. The only rideable peak was in the Channel and four surfers were on it when I took my photos. Doug and Jim had just headed for the beach, and Russ, Pete, Marty and I were suiting up. That would make ten surfers at one break. But luck prevailed. The four surfers ended their session; Doug, Jim, Russ and Pete paddled over to Seadrift and that left only Marty and I at the peak in the Channel. For a half-hour we had it to ourselves.

The waves were smaller and more infrequent than yesterday. I was disappointed. All the Internet sites were predicting the south swell to be building. But the set waves were good. Long power glide left waves like yesterday. Russ and Pete paddled back over from Seadrift. Thirty minutes later, Doug and Jim paddled over. Seadrift was walled and closing out, they reported, big slammers on the sand. Eight of us ended up at the one peak in the Channel, and as the tide came in the waves became more infrequent. With patience we sat through the long lulls and waited for the good sets waves. We were a mellow bunch and enjoyed sharing the waves.

After two hours my arms were giving out, and despite 55-degree water, which is warm for Bolinas, I was cold. I finally caught a good one that took me near the shore and decided to go in instead of making the long paddle back out. My hands we so cold and numb I had trouble turning the key in the lock and had difficulty pulling off my booties and wetsuit. When the hands become numb they loose strength to grip anything.

Professor Steve showed up in his newly detailed old Volvo.

“Wow! Is that a new car?” exclaimed Marty.

The usual crust of five years of dust, dirt, mud and junk had been removed. The old surfboard racks were gone. The silver gleam had returned and the tires were a shinny Armoural black. Steve had received a two-for-one offer from a detailing shop in San Rafael. We couldn’t believe the difference and we gave him a boatload of grief about it.

Today was the second day of the good south swell, we were on it and appreciated it.