November 23, 2009 Monday

Bolinas	Groin
9:10 am to 10:45 am	3' to 4', sets to 6'
Low outgoing tide (3.2 ft at 10:00 am)	Slight offshore breeze
Sunny and clear	Great session

Bolinas at its best

My first wave was a good one. A four-foot well-formed wall approached. From taking pictures this morning at the overlook, I knew the waves were difficult to catch and breaking hard and fast. I hesitated a second to let the swell build and then paddled towards the peak. I glided into the wave, dropped over the edge, turned sharply left, hung there an instant and then dropped to the bottom. I climbed up the face of the wave, planted the inside rail under the lip, crouched down and hummed down the curl of a steep, fast wave. I stood there high in the curl and went on and on. I shifted my weight to stall a second and then leaned back into the curl. On the inside, near the shore, my legs went into shock-absorber mode as a series of backwash ripples that had reflected off the south seawall bounced my board. This great ride set the tone for me this morning. In the hour and a half I was out there, I repeated this ride at least six more times.

On the Internet, prospects for waves looked good: 9.8 ft north swell at 12 seconds, a NNW breeze and a warming trend had begun. Yesterday morning it had rained, but by the afternoon high pressure had moved in causing the air to warm up. Conditions were ideal: sunny day, glassy smooth, three to five-foot lines pouring in and only eight people out at the Groin.

The usual crew was present getting some good rides. Hank pulled into a three-foot wall and milked it for fifty yards. Doug caught a set wave, turned left, crouched down in the middle of his board, grabbed the outside rail and hung on for a long, long ride. Jim the jazz guitarist who paddles for everything was there paddling for all the big set waves; some of which he made and some he didn’t. David who rides the Becker board, Marty and Professor Steve were out there getting their share of long rides.

“Oh no, I’m in trouble,” I said to myself. I was paddling out when David stroked into a fast three-foot wall. As soon as he glided into the wave and even though he was yards from me, I knew from judging the size and speed of the wave, he was heading right for me. I had a brief “deer in the headlights” moment and froze. He was gaining speed, was perfectly locked in the curl and heading right at me. I quickly moved to the left into the white water of the breaking wave as he shot by me. He missed me by two feet. I looked back. He remained locked in the curl all the way to the shore.

A few minutes later, I was paddling out again and here came Marty on a fast four-foot wave. He too was heading right at me. Marty stood at the base of the wave right ahead of the breaking part of the curl. He moved in and out between white water and swell and he was heading right for me. Again, I quickly moved to the left into the white water of the wave as Marty shot by. He too passed within two feet. Marty rode that wave up to the shore. Later, he told me that was his best ride of the morning.

I was sitting way outside with Professor Steve when a big set wave approached. We both went for it. Steve was ten yards north of me. It was a huge wall. I coasted into it, stood up, turned left and dropped to the bottom as the wave closed out in front of me. But I caught a good glimpse of Steve as he streaked down the face. At the last moment, he turned and coasted down the wave. The lip of curl towered a foot over his head as it collapsed in front of him.

We all agreed that it was one of the best sessions that we have had in a long time. After changing and going into town for coffee, Marty and I returned to the seawall to check out the waves one last time before leaving. Thus at noon, fourteen people were out at the Groin and the waves were still good, possibly bigger than when we were out there.

“Loren,” Marty exclaimed, “I arrived at 7:30 this morning and here it is four and a half hours later and the waves are still good.” It was an incredible beautiful Marin fall morning topped with five hours of great waves.