August 27, 2010 Friday

Bolinas	Groin
9:00 am to 11:00 am	Consistent 3' to 4', occasional 5'
Low upcoming tide	NW cross wind
Sunny with fog on the horizon	Great session

After the good sessions I had last Monday and Wednesday I had high expectations for waves today. The south swell was still running but it was fading and today would be the last of it. The Internet data looked ok: 6 ft NW swell at 8 seconds, 3 ft south swell at 14 seconds, strong NW wind, upcoming tide and 56 degree water temperature. From the base of the ramp I saw six surfers at the Patch including Mary, Matt, and Russ and Frank on their standup boards. Doug, Creighton and Jeff the contractor were at the Groin going for three-foot fast peeling lefts. The waves were too fast; Jeff and Doug had trouble catching them and when they did the waves quickly closed out.

I walked down to the Groin wall to take some pictures. I was hoping that like last Wednesday the waves would get better as the tide came up. I stood there for ten minutes and only Jeff caught a wave. That’s him in the above photo with Creighton exiting the water. Watching Jeff get a decent ride and thinking about my good session Wednesday, I decided to go out.

Back at the car, Jack the Dave Sweet team rider was waxing his board. “Loren suit up, get out there. I’m going for those good curls at the Groin.” Jack was more optimistic than I was. As I walked down the beach with board in hand, I saw Jack knee paddle into a three foot wave; he jumped up, stayed high in the curl, stepped to the middle of the board, crouched down and shot through a fast section. Then I knew it was going to be a good session.

While standing at the Groin wall to take photos of Doug and Jeff, a fisherman arrived and set up. I had forgotten how elaborate fishing can be. He set down his bucket and backpack, stuck one pole stand in the sand and then another, and planted a pole in each stand. He tied weights to one line, baited three hooks, cast it out into the surf and set the pole in one of the stands. He repeated these steps with the second pole while all the time keeping an eye on the first pole, just in case something might strike. Now surfers worship the sun and dress to soak up as much sunlight as possible. Fishermen are the exact opposite. This fellow had on a hat with flaps, bib rubber overalls, sweatshirt and knee length rubber boots. No ray of sun would ever touch any part of his body.

“What are you going for?”

“Surf perch.”

“What else do you catch?”

“Halibut and salmon, but mostly surf perch.”

His line was close to the Groin wall. He talked about being careful around the surfers because they don’t see his lines. Sweeping his hand towards the ocean, he commented that the most important thing about fishing was being outside with the wind, the waves and the birds. Catching fish was secondary. He said all of this without taking his eye off of his poles.

Two hours later while exiting the water I saw him pull in a small fish. “You caught one. I saw it. What did you catch?”

“Surf perch. They are good eating.”

“How many have you caught?”

“Two!”

“That’s one an hour.”

“Who cares?” he laughed. “That’s not the point. I have had a great time being at the beach with the wind, the waves and birds and now I have two fresh perch for dinner.”

All that made sense to me. I too had a great time being outside, in the water and catching some great fast Groin curls. But I don’t have two perch for dinner.

August 25, 2010 Wednesday

Bolinas	Groin & Channel
8:30 am to 10:30 am	Consistent 3' to 4', sets to 5'
Low upcoming tide	No wind to slight onshore breeze
Warm sunny day - heat wave	Good session

All the elements came together this morning: 3 ft south swell at 17 seconds, no wind, upcoming tide, warm heat wave weather, and a bottom that groomed all swells to continuously peel to the left. The much-anticipated south swell had arrived and would continue strong through tomorrow.

The north coast surf community had followed this swell’s progress for a week on the Internet and they showed up to greet it. At 7:30 am all the parking spots on Brighton Avenue in Bolinas were taken. Expectations were running high. After three months of fog, wind and no surf, everyone was ready for some good waves. The skies had cleared, the wind had stopped, and fog had lifted, so bring on the waves.

The Bolinas regulars were there: Mary, Marty, David who rides the Becker board, Robert the Larkspur carpenter, Cathy from the Russian River area, Hans, Matt and Jack the Dave Sweet team rider.

Jack was in his wetsuit waxing up his prized Dave Sweet longboard as I walked by to check the surf. Monday Jack and I had stood on the overlook above the Groin and Jack didn’t think it was worth it and didn’t go out. Today he was amp’ed with excitement. He had connected with great waves yesterday, including some long rights on the Seadrift side of the Channel.

“I’m going out to the Channel to get some more of those rights. Hurry up Loren, check the surf and come on out.” Out in the water I met Jack at the left peak at the Groin. He tried the rights on the Seadrift side of the Channel and got plummeted. It was too shallow. A head-head wall sucked out in six inches of water and slammed him into the bottom. After that he decided to try the left side of the Channel where the water was deeper.

The high expectations brought out surfers that I had not seen in months. Usually they can only surf on the weekends, but due to the strong Internet predictions they altered their schedules, changed their plans, called in sick and informed the boss they were working from home.

Twelve surfers were out at the Patch. I walked down there to take some photos. The outside peak had some size but not much punch. The rides were long and slow. But the inside rights looked good and Jeff from Mill Valley was on them. I watched him catch four fast inside curls in a row. The waves would peak over the rocks of the reef and would connect with the inside beach break. Jeff rode those curls right up to dry sand. That’s him in the above photo.

After my session, Jeff drove by, stopped and rolled down the window to say hello. I had not seen him in months. “I got some good shots of you on those inside curls.” Jeff was excited about his session. “When people paddled out and asked how is it? I told them that the far outside peak was pumping and waved them on.” That way he managed to keep that inside break to himself. We laughed and he drove on.

Barry the management team trainer exited the water. I had not seen him in months. “Barry how are you? Where have you been?” Extended camping was his answer and his training business was going well despite the economic slow-down. Barry had just given up on the slow Patch waves and was walking down to the Groin.

Walking down the beach towards the Groin I watched a longboarder crouch down and duck under the lip of a peeling fast left that put him next to the Groin pole. He popped up and waved to me. In the bright sun I couldn’t make out who it was. Could that be Yoshi? That’s his style to crouch low on inside curls. I paddled out and it was Yoshi.

“Loren the waves are getting better.”

“Yoshi how are you? I haven’t seen you in months. Ever since the Marin IJ had that full-page review of your restaurant, you disappeared. How’s business?”

“Up and down as usual and I have been busy.” Yoshi and his wife own Umi’s sushi restaurant on Fourth Street in San Rafael. Umi’s is definitely another entry in our Surfers Eateries blog. It’s not close to the ocean, but its owner and chef, Yoshi, is an excellent surfer.

Paddling out from Seadrift to the Channel peak was Jeff the Stinson Beach local. The last time I had seen him was during the good swell last January when the Stinson holes reappeared to form some great peaks. Jeff was here at the Channel because Stinson was nothing but closeout walls.

Doug paddled over from the Seadrift side. I hadn’t seen him in months. “Doug where have you been? Have you been surfing?”

“Yes at Salmon and Dillon’s Beach. I have been going out three days a week. The winds have been down. Here’s the trick; if the buoys read a NW swell at five feet or less Salmon will be good for longboards. If the swell is above five feet I go to Dillon, the swell will be smaller there.”

Ken the knee boarder paddled out. I had not seen him in months. Ken is an electrician and only surfs on weekends. Before I retired I saw him often in the water. He was taking the day off because conditions were good.

“Ken these are perfect knee board waves.” The Channel waves were steep, fast and on the edge between makeable and closeouts. Paddling out I got a good side view of Ken humming down a four-foot wall with the lip coming over his head as he screamed by me.

“Scott, it’s Wednesday and you are in the water. All is right with the world.”
Scott who only surfs on Wednesdays was out at the Channel skillfully cruising down several left walls. Scott is a psychiatrist who keeps Wednesday mornings open on his calendar so he can surf. After our session Marty and I ran into Scott while he was busily changing into his professional uniform.

“Scott careful. That bar of wax in your back pocket might stain your black slacks,” Marty said. Scott laughed. What a transformation from full wetsuit to black slacks, blue dress shirt and hard shores.

“Scott, are you changing into your Clark Kent uniform?” I called out to him. It’s great that this professional can make time to get some waves and then quickly convert back to the business world.

When I exited the water I ran into Barry, “Mr. Throwback”, walking down the beach with his single fin longboard under his arm. I had not seen him in months. Barry is from the old school of surfing: no leash, no wetsuit, no booties, no nothing except his aloha swim trunks.

“Barry you must be into surf music. We need to talk. I’m an avid collector of old surf tunes.” Barry has combined the two loves of his life: surfing and music. He produces music jingles for commercials and is quite successful at it. This allows him plenty of time to surf.

“Of course I’m into surf music. I grew up in Hawthorne, the home of the Beach Boys. They played at our senior prom.”

“I’m still in contact with my old friend Paul Johnson who started the Bel Aires and wrote the tune Mr. Moto.”

“I remember the Challengers and all those old groups.”

“I went to high school with the Challengers.”

“You’re right, we have to talk.” There’s a conversation I’m looking forward to.

The sky was blue, the air was warm; I was in shorts and sandals feeling the glow of having dropped down the faces of several beautiful blue-green walls. Again it was another great morning in Marin.

August 23, 2010 Monday

Bolinas	Groin
9:00 am to 11:00 am	2' to 3', sets to 4', occasional 5'
Mid upcoming tide	Slight onshore breeze to no wind
Warm, bright sunny day, heat wave	Good session

“David when did you come out?” It was 10 am, I had been out for an hour and David, who rides the Becker board, and I had separated from the pack at the Channel.

“I came out about seven.”

“How was it earlier?”

“On and off. Fifteen minutes of good waves and then nothing for a long time.” A good set of three and four-foot waves came through.

“David, I think it is getting better.”

“I think you are right.”

From ten to eleven the so-so waves picked up and a continuous flow of three to four-foot walls marched in. David and I picked off one long peeling wave after another.

I had high hopes for waves this morning. Internet conditions looked good: 4 ft north swell at 8 seconds, 3 ft south swell at 17 seconds, 5 knot NW wind, up coming tide, 55 degree water and heat wave conditions. The weather had changed. The cloud cover that had hung over the coast for the last three months was gone and our first day of real summer was finally here.

I met Jack the Dave Sweet team rider at the base of the ramp at Bolinas. He was discouraged. The waves looked weak. Jack was working on a house above the Patch and wanted to get in a few waves before working on his project. Where was the south swell? We went up to the overlook above the Groin. Four surfers were out including David and Marty. We watched Marty catch a couple of waves. That’s him in the above photo.

“Loren, there’s no thrust, no push, no green line to cruise down.” Stormsurf.com claimed that south swell #S6 was arriving today and would peak on Wednesday; four to five feet at 17 seconds, that’s big.

“Jack, Wednesday, the south swell peaks on Wednesday. Be here Wednesday.” Disappointed, Jack decided to go to work and hope for a better day. The heat wave was enough of a reason for me to go out.

I paddled out to the Groin peak to join Marty and David. The waves were gentle and fun; wind ripples piled onto three-foot ground swells. Being a warm day the crowd picked up; lots of new faces I had never seen here before. David drifted north and inside to separate from the crowd. Paddling out I saw him connect on a good inside, steep and long section. That’s what I want. I had gone out to the far peak twenty yards further south to catch the waves when they first broke. Good idea, but most waves closed out before I could get going. David has the spot, I thought to myself as I watched him cruise down another inside curl. I moved over to join him.

The inside waves ended close to the Groin. “I almost pulled a ring from the Groin pole,” David said paddling back after another long ride. He was referring to the Merry-go-rounds in the old days that had a chute filled with metal rings that one could lean out and hook with a finger as their horse passed by. I bet most of you cannot remember these old Merry-go-rounds. “And if you hook the gold ring, you get a free ride,” I chimed in.

As the tide came in, these inside waves got better. For an hour David, two other guys and I traded waves. Each set had four to five waves, thus with patience David and I connected on several long beautiful rides.

“Why are you not at the far peak?” Claude called out as he paddled by.

“We’re separating from the crowd and catching these good inside walls,” I replied. Thirty minutes later Claude paddled back to join us.

“Claude how was it over there?”

“My first wave was great, a right that reformed into a fast long section, and then nothing.” I told him to wait here for the sets. He did and he too connected on several good ones.

After two hours I was spent. David was pushing four hours in the water and still going strong. Another set came through and I stroked into a three-foot wall, stepped to the middle of the board and cruised down a long section that took me close to shore. I called it a day. Walking towards the ramp I looked back at the Groin and another set of good waves approached. David dropped down the first wave, Claude was on the second one, and Robbie, a Stinson Beach local, caught the third one.

What a beautiful day and what perfect conditions. I’m coming back for sure on Wednesday for the peak of the south swell.

August 7, 2010 Saturday - Part 2

Kahuna Kupuna Surf Contest – Part 2

Meet Roy Earnest (on the left in the above photo) the founder and force behind the Kahuna Kupuna surf contest. For eleven years Roy has attended to all the small details needed to guarantee successful contests. I first met him last Wednesday when I drove here to Linda Mar to sign up. The weather was miserable, foggy, cold and windy, only three surfers were in the water and there was Roy bundled up in a hooded sweatshirt standing next to his pick-up truck that had a large sandwich board in the back advertising the contest. I’m sure Roy stood out there in the cold five to six hours in the hope of signing up more contestants. I came here yesterday and Roy was there again in the parking lot waiting to sign up more people. Here he was this morning standing on the judges’ platform microphone in hand announcing the start of all the heats.

The Kuhuna Kupuna surf contest is the only amateur surf contest in the world specifically designed for older surfers, beginning with age 40 with six age groupings through age 79. Kahuna is Hawaiian for “big chief” and Kupuna means “older member of the community who everyone turns to for advice.” I like the spirit of that, don’t you? The original contest started at age 50 and was longboards only. The contest has expanded since then. Today’s version had 22 heats, 81 contestants from age 8 to 78. It included longboard, shortboards, standup boards and men and women divisions. This year Roy added an Intergeneration Teams Division. Six teams of six members each where a team had to represent three generations (a generation equals 18 years) with three members under the age of 40 and at least one member under the age of 20. Team members could ride anything that floats: longboards, shortboards, standups or boogie boards. This year’s contest also included a standup heat for the first time. Given today’s rough conditions, blown-out five foot close-outs, the standup guys had a difficult time, but they were there taking off on these huge walls. Kahuna Kupuna is local Pacifica family orientated event with heavy emphasis on picnicking on the beach. At least a hundred people milled around, stood, sat, ate, hooted, took pictures, watched and enjoyed the thrills of all the heats.

To pass the time, Don Holm, a Bolinas regular, and I sat at an empty fold-up table next to the judges’ stand and watched the heats. Don had come in second in his 55 to 59 year old heat and was into the final that was scheduled for 4:15 pm. Don lives in Berkeley and loves to surf Bolinas. But depending on conditions he often heads to Pacifica or Santa Cruz. Don was a member of the Pedro Point Surf Club, has entered this contest several times and considers Roy a good friend. He loves the spirit of this contest. Roy came by to say hello to Don. I asked Roy if he had met his target of 70 contestants. He had and was pleased that expenses would be covered and a sizeable amount would be passed onto the contest’s charity, the Pacifica Environmental Family. Don and I worried about the swell, the chop, the wind and the current. Roy worried about judges not showing up, slow raffle sales, and volunteers disappearing. He was relieved that AmeriCorps had supplied four volunteers. Roy pointed them out; four college-age youths who really hustled and enjoyed what they were doing. Within a couple of minutes Roy had to hurry off to take care of another detail.

I commented to Don that Roy was obviously the spirit behind this contest. Events like this one, as for all volunteer endeavors, depend on a small number of “doers”; one or two who do all the little things needed to make the event a success. Roy was that person.

“Loren, Roy is amazing. He brings people together and makes sure everything gets done. He has even produced a movie.”

“A movie?”

“Yes, a movie, Surfing for Life. Have you seen it?”

“Seen it! I own it. I was there at its San Francisco opening.”

At that moment everything fell into place for me. Roy a gerontologist and past president of the California Specialists on Aging produced Surfing for Life, a movie that depicted the stories of ten people in their sixties, seventies and eighties who still surf. Featured were my childhood heroes: Rabbit Kekai, Fred Van Dyke and Peter Cole. The highlight of the film was Woody Brown, the inventor of the catamaran, who in his eighties with the help of friends still surfed the waves at Waikiki. But more than that was his spirit. In his eighties, Woody was still fired up on life and extended himself to help others. Always positive and upbeat he was a regular volunteer at a convalescent hospital and took patients on walks where he would inject a little of his optimism into their lives. Surfing for Life is an inspiring film for us older surfers. If you just keep doing it, you can continue surfing, enjoying the ocean and elements and remain digging life well into your eighties. If you haven’t already seen this movie, rent it, borrow it or buy it. You must see it.

When the film first came out a review I read mentioned that the concept for movie originated in Pacifica when the producer overheard in the parking lot a group of teenage surfers bitching about all the geezers in the water. That did it. These young punks didn’t realize who these people were. How tough they were and what interesting and exciting lives they had lived. That producer was Roy. He teamed up with filmmaker David L. Brown to tell the story of older surfers.

So this humble guy who was running around making sure everything came off right also produced a CLASSIC surf movie. Technically the film was well done which meant David Brown did an excellent job. But after watching Roy here today, I could easily imagine that it was Roy who attended to the countless details required to produce an excellent product. And I wouldn’t be surprised if someone told me that Roy served the salad at the contest’s banquet that night.

I had a great time and so did hundreds of others. Roy thanks for everything and I will see you again here next year.

Check out my photos of the contest. Click on the link below.

Kuhuna Kupuna 2010

August 7, 2010 Saturday - Part 1

Pacifica	Linda Mar
1:10 pm to 1:30 pm - that's right, 20 minutes!	3' to 5', sets overhead
High dropping tide	Strong west cross wind
Patchy sun and strong winds	Frustrating session

Kahuna Kupuna Surf Contest – Part 1

“So how did you do?”

“Humbled!” I had just exited the water with my board in hand after my heat in the 65 to 69 year old “Legends” group. “Humbled! The ocean won!”

I was frustrated and disappointed in my performance. I had such high hopes of scoring big, but it didn’t happen. As I walked up the steep beach a photographer ran up, took my picture and gave me a thumbs up. A woman focused a camera, snapped away and waved. People on the beach congratulated me as I walked along. What’s going on? I sucked out there. Only later after reflecting on the whole experience, I realized that people were congratulating me for just doing it, not for my performance. I’m 65 years old and I’m out there doing it. The first surf contest of my life was over in twenty minutes and I was disappointed.

“We waited around all day for this?” I greeted Jack Ellis, the Dave Sweet team rider, when he got out of the water. He too was frustrated. Jack won this division last year and had expectations of ripping it up again. He got one good ride and did nothing on his other two waves. Expressing more frustration was John Fordice, the third Bolinas regular in our heat. He connected on one good wave and then got trapped inside.

At 8:30 am when I arrived, Linda Mar was shrouded under a blanket of high fog, a cold cross wind howled and the swell had picked up from yesterday. On the beach north of the parking lot were two tents, a platform for the judges and a crowd milling around. Posted on the judges’ stand was the schedule of the heats. I scanned from top to bottom and near the bottom, the last heat before the start of the second round was the “Legends” 65 to 69 years 1:15 pm to 1:30 pm, a four and a half hour wait.

“Jack, fifteen minute heats? That’s not much time.”

“That’s right. Here are the rules: they blow two short blasts on the horn meaning there is five minutes left in the current heat and the guys in the next heat may paddle out. So you paddle out and wait for your heat to start. One blast on the horn marks the end of one heat and the start of the next one.”

“Sounds like a sprint to me.”

“That’s right. You have fifteen minutes to catch three waves. Max number is four waves. They count your three best.”

“And if you catch less than three?”

“They score three waves, meaning zero points for waves less than three. So make sure you catch three waves no matter what. Also if you take off in front of someone you are disqualified. And you must not catch a wave after your heat ends that will confuse the judges. Belly a wave in, don’t stand up or you will be disqualified. Got it?”

“Got it.”

Don Holm, another Bolinas regular who I surfed with here yesterday, chatted with us while waxing up for his 9:15 am heat. He was in the 55 to 59 years group. Jack and I watched his heat and I took pictures. Conditions were rough: big close outs, howling wind and a strong north current. There was Don with no booties and no leash. If he loses that board, the current and the force of the waves would take it north and all the way into shore. Don struggled to get out, as did the others in his heat. He took off, sailed down a big left wall, climbed to the top, trimmed through another long section and pulled out near shore. He was now north of the channel and in the impact zone of the next peak. Wave after wave pounded him and the current pushed him further north. He was now at least a half-mile down the beach; just a speck, I could barely see his orange jersey. Through pure effort he struggled past the breakers and made it back to the peak in front of the judges stand. He caught another one that broke all over him when the double blast of the horn sounded. That’s Don on his second wave in the above photo. He managed to catch his third wave just before the final horn sounded. Don placed second and was into the finals.

An hour before our heat, Jack, John and I suited up and watched the heat before ours, the intergeneration team #6 led by veteran Greg Cochran. Intergeneration teams were an interesting concept and unique to this contest. A team consisted of six surfers from different generations with at least a 30 year spread between the oldest and youngest members. During a team’s fifteen minutes they tried to rack up as many points as they could. Thus there was no competition in the water; each member encouraged teammates to score big.

Greg Cochran was also in our heat. Jack let us know that Greg was an excellent surfer. He was the founder of the San Pedro Point Surf Club, surfed here at Linda Mar everyday and was one of the founders of this contest, which he has won several times. We studied Greg in his team event. His strategy would be our strategy. Greg knew where the channel was and he easily paddled out without getting his hair wet. He sat inside, took off on smaller perfectly formed left waves, cruised down long shoulders and smoothly paddled back out to do it again. He had the placed wired. All we had to do was follow his lead.

The double horn sounded, Greg was there and entered the water. Jack, John and I followed him and stroked out with no problems. Following Greg was easier said than done. We were outside but had to wait a couple of minutes before the start of our heat. The wind and current sucked us north. I was frantically paddling back to the peak in front of the judges’ stand when the horn sounded. Greg immediately caught a wave and I never saw him again until the heat was over. Time was so short and I was so focused that I never saw any of the rides of the others in the heat. I saw Jack take off as I paddled over a wave and I didn’t bother to look back to see how he did.

“Catch a wave and break the ice,” I was thinking to myself as I paddled for a wave and missed it. I went for another one and missed it also. I turned around and here was a huge overhead set breaking outside. I went under the white water of the first wave, then under the second one and barely paddled over the top of the third one. I tried for another one and missed it. Next came a close out wall and I went for it. The wave was breaking when I stroked into it. By the time I stood up the wave broke all around me. The white water was up to my head; I rode it out and pulled out quickly. I didn’t want to lose time riding the soup.

Outside another big right wave came through, I turned to go for it and so did John. I saw him drop down the face as I turned around again to go over it. John later told me that this was his best ride. Another big one approached. It looked left; Jack was next to me, and we both paddled for it. Jack pulled back to let me have it. I dropped down a steep face, turned left, locked the rail under the lip of the curl, sped down a fast section, cut back, turned into the shore break and dove over the top of the wave as it broke on the sand.

Now I was north of the channel and the double horn had just sounded. I struggled to get back out. I needed one more wave. I tried for an inside smaller wave but missed it. I quickly turned around and fought against the incoming waves. A huge set wave approached and broke several yards outside. I turned, caught the white water, jumped up hoping the wave would reform, it never did and I rode the soup all the way in to shore. At least now I had three waves. I attempted to paddle back out but there was too much white water pouring in. With the strong current and the thrashing turbulence I couldn’t get beyond the shore break. I kissed it off and let the incoming waves push me to shore. Thirty seconds later the final horn sounded. That was it, twenty minutes and it was over.

The contest directors announced the results of all the finals at the evening banquet, which I didn’t attend. Jack promised to email the results and pick up my trophy. All of us in our heat received a trophy because with only one Legends heat we were in the finals. Next day around noon Jack’s message arrived, “Bolinas crew did all right: 1. Greg, 2. Jack, 3. Loren, 4. John and 5. Gary.” Wow, I came in third! The 2-Mile Surf Shop in Bolinas posted the results in its morning blog. I received emails of surprise and congrats from Mary, Marty and Matt. Suddenly my disappointment faded. I did it, I came in third, and I got a trophy and a tee shirt. Just wait until next year!

August 6, 2010 Friday

Pacifica	Linda Mar
9:00 am to 10:30 am	3' to 4', sets 5' to 6'
High upcoming tide	West cross wind to onshore wind
Overcast to patchy sun	Fun session - confidence builder

Wednesday I signed up to enter tomorrow’s Kahuna Kupuna surf contest at Linda Mar. Jack the Dave Sweet team rider talked to me months ago about entering this contest. He has entered it every year for the past eight years and last year he won his age division. I was non-committal. It sounded like fun but in my thirty-five years of surfing I have never entered a surf contest and besides I had other things to do. Monday at Bolinas Jack was driving off in his truck when he saw me; he stopped and rolled down the window.

“Have you signed up for that contest yet?”

“No. I haven’t made up my mind.”

“Loren, do it! This is the only time in your life that you have to be in the finals of a surf contest. In our age group there is only one heat, thus all contestants are in the finals.”

“That’s a good way to put it.”

“Then do it! They have extended the deadline to Wednesday, they need contestants.” And off he drove.

Tuesday I mentioned to my wife Kate that I was oscillating about entering the contest. “Oh you have to do it. It will be fun.” That was just the push I needed to do it. Wednesday morning I printed off the entry form, threw my checkbook and my surf gear in the car and headed off to Linda Mar. I figured if I mailed the form in Pacifica it would get there before they closed off the entries. Also, I wanted to surf Linda Mar to prepare for Saturday’s contest.

I pulled into the parking lot and the weather was miserable, howling onshore wind, low fog and freezing cold. Only three surfers were out, which is unheard of at Linda Mar, usually twenty people are in the water regardless of conditions. A pickup truck with a big sandwich board advertising the contest sat in the front row of the parking lot. An old surfer about my age stood bundled up in a hooded sweatshirt next to the truck.

“I’ve come to sign up!” I greeted him with the entry form in my hand. “Great,” responded Roy who runs the contest every year.

“You’re 65?” Roy was looking at my entry form. “That puts you in our 65 to 69 group. That’s the one we call the legends.” Sounded great to me. Now I was committed. Meanwhile the surf looked terrible; I didn’t bother going out.

“Roy what if it’s like this on Saturday?”

“Well conditions will be the same for everyone. Thus we will go out.”

This morning I was determined to go out. Tomorrow the weather will be the same as today. I would go out to get the feel of the waves, the chop, wind and currents. The wind was from the west, a cross wind, that didn’t impact the shape of the waves. Twelve surfers were bunched together at a three to four foot peak just north of the restrooms. The waves broke left into a channel. My strategy was set, paddle out through the channel and then south to the peak. The waves came in close together pairs with the first one looking good and hiding the second one that was always bigger. I learned quickly to let the first one go and get prepared for the second one. On my first ride I paddled over the first wave and the second one was cresting when I first saw it. I had a split second to decide whether to go for it. I went for it, dropped left down a steep face with a “SHOOSH” sound, the shoulder went flat, I cut back and worked into the shore break and pulled out before it slammed into the embankment of a steep beach. That was the first of one big drop left after another.

At one point the waves disappeared, the crowd thinned out, the fog lifted, some sunshine broke through and the wind shifted onshore. For twenty minutes only four of us were at the peak. Soon a consistent set of several waves came through and the crowd swelled to twenty, all within a few minutes.

An older surfer ventured out who looked familiar, a Bolinas regular with dark hair with a little gray on the sides, riding a clear single stringer longboard with no booties and no leash. I watched him skillfully come down the face of a head-high wall. Now I remembered him. I have seen him several times at Bolinas. He was always on the big wave sets picking off the best ones. A few months ago he was the one at the Patch who told an arrogant stand-up surfer to “F - off” when the Stand-up guy complained about dropping in on him. We happened to be at the outside peak together and he recognized me.

“What’s up? Is Bolinas too small? Is that why you are here?”

“No. I entered that Kahuna contest so I’m here to practice.”

“Good for you! So have I. I’ll see you here tomorrow.” Meet Don, an excellent surfer and I sure hoped he was under 65 and not in my group.

I caught one more sizeable left and paddled in. Let’s not over do it, I thought to myself. Save some for tomorrow. After changing I chatted with Roy who was again standing by his pick-up truck with the sandwich board advertising the contest.

“Roy, how many sign-ups do you have?”

“Around sixty-five. I want to get at least seventy. I’ll probably hit that this afternoon through beach sign-ups.” His target of seventy covers the contest expenses and provides a decent contribution for the contest charity, the Pacifica Environmental Family.

“What’s the weather forecast for tomorrow?”

“Same as today but the swell is supposed to be a little bigger. I come down here everyday and it’s never the same. The wind and fog are always different. One year it was Victory at Sea out here, howling onshore winds and big white caps. We almost didn’t hold the contest. We moved to the south end into the shelter of the bluff and people persevered.”

What a great morning. I drove off feeling refreshed and confident. If the waves tomorrow are anything like today’s, I will do fine and it will be fun.