September 20, 2011 Tuesday

Bolinas	Channel
8:50 am to 10:30 am	2' to 3', sets to 3.5'
High dropping tide	No wind
Bright, sunny and warm	Fun session

Beautiful weather - that was the story of today. A beautiful day and the waves were inconsequential. I was going out no matter what - clear blue sky, warm air, warm water, no wind, glassy smooth surface and small nicely formed peaks coming through the Channel. Last week all the weather guys on television were forecasting a heat wave; something we haven't seen in months. Summer was a no-show this year - just constant "June Gloom" from May through August, three months of overcast, cloud cover and on-the-deck fog at the beach. September first rolled around and things changed. Starting from this past weekend we jumped from gloomy spring to sunny fall weather.

With super beach weather, I made plans to surf Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and the swell predictions looked good also. Per Stormsurf, the Gulf of Alaska had awakened and the first NW swell of the season was coming in today and would last through the weekend. The NOAA weather radio was warning boat owners that a storm in the East Pacific was sending large long period swells our way. The buoys reported 7 ft swells at 12 seconds. My hopes were up. But maybe the swell was a little too north because the waves at the Channel were a disappointing two to three feet with long waits between sets.

Six surfers were bunched together at the only peak at the Channel including David who rides the Becker board, Jaime the starving artist cartoonist, Doug, Rob from Dogtown and Mary. No one was at the Patch. Despite the wave size, the other factors were good: clean, glassy, and well shaped; I had to go out.

Since the waves were small and gentle, it was a good day for conversations. "So Jaime, this is it!"

"Yes, the operation is tomorrow." He was going in for some surgery that would keep him out of the water for a month. One day in the hospital and four weeks convalescing. We didn't have to worry about him sitting around, because he has several art projects that he was working on.

"Mary, thanks for forwarding the Groundswell poster to your friends." Surfrider Marin had organized an art show of surf, sea and coastal art at the Bay Model in Sausalito. Mary has two fantastic paintings in the show.

"Doug, it's do or die time for the Giants."

"You've got that right! They have to win all nine of their remaining games." The San Francisco Giants were currently on a winning streak and still had a slim chance at a wildcard spot for the playoffs. They were three back of Atlanta and St. Louis in the wildcard chase and four behind Arizona for the lead in the West.

Jacek came out on one of his smaller boards, sat way outside and managed to connect on one wave of every set.

"Can you believe that guy? He was paddling right in front of me." Jacek was annoyed by a younger, but big surfer who lacked the proper surf etiquette. Jacek was paddling for one of the few decent three-foot waves when this guy angled over and started paddling in front of him. Jacek had to pull back when this guy caught the wave.

"Jacek, you just have to take off. Let him know you are there. As Nuke LaLoosh, the Tim Robbins character in the movie Bull Durham would say, 'you have to announce your presence with authority!'"

This guy frustrated me also. Twice he took off in front of me, but I got back at him. A good set wave came through, and I turned to go for it. I noticed that our friend who was a good twenty feet down the line started paddling for the wave also. Being in the steep part of the peak, I was up early and going. I locked my rail under the lip, gained some speed and was heading right for him as he stroked into the wave. I was on him in a second and ran the nose of my board under his outside rail as he hung at the top of the wave. He saw me, got spooked and grabbed his rail, which pulled him up and out of the wave, while I glided on. Jacek and I didn't see him again after that.

"Hey David, it's almost lunch time." I shouted to him after an hour and a half in the water. My arms were spent and I was ready to go in.

"Loren, it's beautiful, there aren't any surf camps in the water and I'm not cold." I took that to mean he was ready to continue on for another hour or so. I went in and changed, and thirty minutes later David came walking by dripping wet with his board in his hand. "It's lunch time."

"You live in Berkeley, what do you do for lunch?"

"I have a sandwich in the car."

"You make a sandwich the night before, right?"

"Yes, it's just like going to work. I put together a sandwich, a piece of fruit and some carrots." Now there's a real shift in attitude - surfing has taken on the same importance as work. He prepares his after-surf lunch every night, just like he used to do for going to work. But I bet you that David has a lot more fun now going surfing than going to work.

Everyone agreed; the weather was so nice that it didn't matter what the waves were doing. It was fun just being out there.