February 16, 2012 Thursday

Bolinas	Patch
9:30 am to 10:30 am	1' to 2', sets to 3'
Mid dropping tide	Slight NW cross breeze
Sunny and warm with high wispy clouds	Exercise session

Surfers are eternal optimists. "Give it a little time and I think the Patch will start happening." Hank was suited up and had his big yellow paddling machine under his arm as we stood on the seawall checking out the waves.

"When the tide drops, the waves will get steeper and those lines that peak way out there will start breaking," I chimed in. I had my camera at the ready to capture the conditions. Hank was deciding where to go out - the Patch or the Channel. No one was at the Patch. Frank the stand-up guy was just out there and now was paddling back to the ramp. We could see lines stretching across the Patch reef that would peak but not break. Only the small shore pounders were breaking.

The Channel didn't look any better. One surfer was out at the furthest peak. I thought that was David who rides the Becker board, and two surfers were at Seadrift going for the rights, that must have been Doug and Jim the jazz guitarist. None of them caught any decent waves in the ten minutes that Hank and I stood there. A few minutes later, Doug and Jim had given up on Seadrift and were paddling back to the Channel.

"I'm going to the Patch. I'm positive it will get better." Hank turned and headed across the seawall towards the Patch.

"I'll join you," I called to him. That's Hank paddling out to the far peak at the Patch in the above photo.

Hank and I had the Patch to ourselves for an hour and the waves didn't get any better. The tide continued going out, exposing more and more rocks, and the waves didn't get any steeper. The surfing became more precarious as the water became shallower. We both caught several waves, but nothing to write about. They were difficult to catch, difficult to stay in them and they were slow with no force or punch whatsoever. After an hour, we worked our way in to try the small rights near the shore. After a couple of attempts, we gave up on those and went in.

"Hank, this is what I call an 'exercise session', meaning the waves were lousy."

"But we got in the water and that always makes it a good session."

Hank was right. The elements were beautiful - clear skies, warm weather, and a glassy blue surface with pelicans gliding over the water. I wasn't cold, my arms weren't tired and I had that good feeling that comes after a brisk workout. Yes it was worth it.