• Break: El Porto
• Board: Revolver
• Waves: 2-3
• Water Temp: 59
• Weather: Heavy clouds, cool
• Surf Session: Fun

Another sluggish, lumpy surf day.  BUT we did have an actual El Porto Friday with Josh, Mike and Uzair.  So, no matter what the waves were like it was great to get out with buds and made for a fun surf session.

After the surf session, Mike and I clowned around with various cameras and his sweet tripod.  I do have some video from the day, but that’ll have to wait until next week as I am just about to leave for Joshua Tree.  But the video will give me something to do if it rains…AGAIN!

• Break: HB Pier, Southside
• Board: Revolver
• Waves: 2-4
• Water Temp: 58
• Weather: Light overcast, light breeze
• Surf Session: Decent

Same waves today as yesterday – sluggish shoulder-high swells that refused to pitch over.  On very rare occasions the some lovely peaks would appear, but they’d peter out just as fast as they built up.  I only saw one guy ride a wave all the way from the outer break to the shore.  We all tried to make it that far, but it just wasn’t happening.  But I did take the Revolver out which definitely made the difference between catching a wave and just missing it.  But they were all short lived victories.  I know those epic sessions were only a few days past, but it seems like so long ago.

The most fun waves were on inside break, but that area was clogged with surfers trying to get their photo ops taken care of before the tours start back up.  Fighting for any of those was out of the question.  Although when I was paddling in, I did see one dude get the longest, sweetest, tiniest barrel.  He was crouched down as far as he could go, but rode the green room all the way.

• Break: HB Pier, Southside
• Board: Electric
• Waves: 2-4
• Water Temp: 59
• Weather: Warm, sunny
• Surf Session: Decent

The big swell has left us, leaving sizable waves that lack the impetus to pitch over. The waves would build to the tipping point, then ebb, then build again and finally break on the inside. But every so often, a great set would come and break on the outside. But by the time that set came most everyone had lost their patience and gone to play on the inside scraps.

I took the Electric out, in my continuing theme of a different board everyday. I nearly took the Revolver out. Looking back, I think the Revolver might have been a better choice. I might have caught a few more of the waves I was on the cusp of catching. I ultimately opted for the Electric thinking this would be my last chance for some sizable waves with it, but alas…it was not to be.  Tomorrow, Revolver action for sure.

But as always, I caught a few good ones and I was grateful to be able to paddle out.

• Break: HB Pier, Southside
• Board: Haut
• Waves: 4-6
• Water Temp: 58
• Weather: Sunny, warm
• Surf Session: Fun

Yet another day of terrific, chunky bombs out there.  Caught a few more exhilarating overhead waves.  I decided to take the Doug Haut out today to continue riding a different board each day of this swell.  My Haut is the only thruster I own.  I always have a hard time adjusting to three fins.  It takes a few wobbly drop-ins before I start getting comfortable.  Unfortunately the moment of comfort often coincides with the time to head in.

Today I had a lunch meeting to run off to, so the sesh was cut extra short.  But the good news was that I was able to take my nice camera since I could keep it in the car.

Super fun session.  What an awesome swell this has been.  I’ll be sad to see it go.

• Break: HB Pier, Southside
• Board: Junod
• Waves: 5-7
• Water Temp: 59
• Weather: Sunny and warm
• Surf Session: Fun

This surf session was fraught with bomb waves, but one in particular was stellar.  I took the Junod out today having learned from yesterday that a longer board doesn’t ease the paddle on a big day.  And today was especially big – most waves coming in well overhead.  Nearly every wave that came in was a nice beefy wave with a huge face and power like I’ve rarely seen in California.  Every ride felt like a 10.  And again, like yesterday, crowds were low, so wave count was high.

The wave in particular was my last wave (what luck!).  I had asked a near-by dude the time – it was time for me to head in, I had a lunch date to get to.  And right away this massive wave started building on the outside.  I grew and grew and turned evil.  I asked the two dudes near me if they wouldn’t mind if I took this wave.  The time-guy said, “Sure,” and his buddy said, “I don’t want anything to do with this wave.”  I positioned myself for optimum take-off and readied my paddle.  I started getting into the wave and then some rogue back-swell jacked the face up and extra foot or more and locked me into the wave.  The bottom looked a million miles away.  But a weird and wonderful calm came over me, muscle memory popped me up and I sailed down the face.  I dragged my hand through the face of the wave and stood up tall like I always see in the movies.  So fast!  I raced like a bullet all the way to the beach.  Adrenaline was at an all time high when I hit the sand.  I grabbed my board and started running full speed up the beach.  A toddler wielding a plastic shoveled stared at me as I approached.  I implored the kid, “DID YOU SEE IT?!  DID YOU SEE IT?!”  Nervously, he shook his head, “No.”  I went on, “Oh MAN!  It was AWESOME.  YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN IT!”  I described the whole wave to the poor kid.  He was a good listener.  Thanks, little dude.