Really Cold, Really Fast

Sunday selfie

Cold weather is here…already. It seems like we went from warm to cold in no time this year. The only good thing is that the leaves are changing and the beauty of fall surrounds me. I witnessed a pretty scene last Friday during my usual bicycling commute to work and my weekly visit to a wetland area near my work. Pretty orange and gold leaves surrounded the damp wooden walkway, and it made me feel at peace. I'm particularly glad that I've been able to bicycle to work and for recreation. I've also been able to run. But, when it comes to surfing, I've not gotten to surf as much as I'd like. As I've mentioned before, timing is everything for surfing in the fall. The cold fronts move in and if the swell has already been built, then the north wind cleans up the waves. And, as I've also mentioned, I have to be near the water when the waves clean up because they are not going to last long. I rarely get there fast enough, which means I don't get the clean waves very often.

The past couple of weeks, cold front after cold front has crossed the coast. I've missed them all so far this year. Work is unusually busy and full this year, and the fronts always come through on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday. And, with the days growing shorter, I can't make it down after work because it gets dark too early. But I still have the weekends. I had some bad news concerning my usual Friday afternoon surf sessions. Beginning in 2015, I won't be able to get off early on Fridays anymore. My 9-40 schedule has been replaced with five 8s. Oh well, it was good while it lasted. Until then, I hope to get some Friday afternoon surfing in. This past Friday, though, the wind and the rain made it impossible to surf.

By Sunday, the wind had kicked up some surf. It was a messy, windy, cold day, but I knew I had to go surfing. My surfing pals gave me mixed reviews about the waves. A couple of surfers said it wasn't worth going out, while others said that if you have a board and time, to always, always go surfing. That's what I did Sunday. When I made it to the 43rd Street jetty, no one else was out. A couple of people were out at the Pleasure Pier, but I decided to just stay where I was. I paddled through the windy chop and made it past the end of the jetty. Missed the first few waves, even got pummeled by one, but by the fourth one, I was able to pop up and have some fun. The rest of my surf time was hit or miss. I missed more than I caught, but the ones I caught made it all worthwhile. All of the waves I caught were whitewater, probably because being on the outside Sunday meant paddling way out, which was nearly impossible in all the windy chop. By the time I left, several other surfers were catching waves…all on the inside. I also had to wear my 5-4 wetsuit. I haven't had to wear my 5-4 this early since I started surfing. Most of the time, I don't usually wear the thick suit until January. I'm usually just barely getting in my 3-2 about now. Unfortunately, I think I'll be in the 5-4 until spring. But, at least I can surf. And, that's all that matters.

Here and There and 3-2 Wetsuits

We're in the season…not just the holiday season…the season that includes cold fronts blowing through, beautiful, "California"-like waves pushing to shore and wetsuits. I've surfed three or four times since my last post, but not on my usual surf days. When the cold fronts come through, the SSE wind-generated waves get cleaned up by the north wind. If I'm lucky and I've planned everything correctly, I'm surfing when it happens.

The first Thursday surf session (a couple of weeks ago) took place after work, right before we set the clocks back for the return of fall. I made it to G-town around 5:30 and surfed until after 7, well after dark. I was the last one out of the water, but I was having so much fun that I didn't want the sun to go down. I originally went out on the east side of the jetty with most of the other surfers, but, because of the crowd, I decided to join the one other surfer located on the west side. He seemed to be catching quite a few and once I located the sweet spot, I started catching a couple too. I stayed on the west side of the jetty for the rest of the night. The guy surfing also gave me tips. The waves were a little hard to read, but he offered advice about which ones would make it all the way to me.

Although it rarely happens,
I love when the cold
fronts come through
on the weekend.

I surfed on the wests side of the 43rd street jetty on Friday also. By then, everyone was out -- east side and west side. The waves were definitely clean and fun. One of the most fascinating things about that afternoon, was the family that was out surfing near me. Three little blond children, probably under the age of 10, on boards that were possibly 4 ft or shorter were surfing the waves next to me. And, they were doing quite well. Their father was out on a stand-up paddleboard and was also doing quite well catching waves. I had a ball watching them surf. What fun to see their entire family surfing one waver after another. The waves were definitely smaller than the night before, but they were also fun. I surfed for about three hours and loved every minute of it.

A front moved through again this past Thursday. A local weather forecaster had predicted it would come in early Thursday. I woke up with a severe headache, went back to sleep for about a half an hour,  woke up and was fine. I looked at the webcam to see the surf cleaning up nicely. I loaded a board and headed to G-town, and I'm so glad I did. I got a couple of hours of surfing in before I had to paddle in and drive back to the mainland for work. I surfed at 43rd, although when I first arrived, the best waves were at the Pleasure Pier. However, it was so crowded there, I knew I needed to surf elsewhere. By the time I was loading up to leave, approximately 6-8 surfers were out at 43rd with me. Caught a couple of marvelous waves, and felt wonderful about taking a couple of vacation hours to get in some surf time. The only unhappy part of this morning surf session was that I had to wear my 3-2 wetsuit for the first time since last spring. It seems early for me to have to wear a wetsuit because for the past couple of years, I haven't needed a full suit until December. But, I guess this year, I'll be wearing one from now until spring. Oh well, it's a small price to pay for having so much fun!

Surf Here and There

I've surfed three times in two weeks. I missed last week because of an out-of-town conference in D.C. that I had to attend, but I was able to go during the week when a rare norther moved through, and I went down after work. The waves were awesome. I had gone down a few days earlier and had a marvelous session because of well-formed waves and sets. So, when I thought I could do it again on a Tuesday, I loaded up the board and made it down about 5:30. I had about an hour-and-a-half of good surfing before the sun went down, and I surfed until the very last minute. What a blast! Many were out because of the waves, and I was glad I was one of them. I didn't see any other women, but they could have just been at another jetty. I caught multiple waves that night and had such fun!

I didn't get to surf
during my conference, but
I did get to pose with
a wax JFK.

The D.C. conference put a wrench in surfing and/or SUPing until I returned this week. Of course, by Thursday, it was FLAT. I kept my fingers crossed and the tide changed. By today, it was rough and choppy. However, I knew I wanted … no, I needed… to go out. Today (Sunday) after my 12-mile marathon-training run, I drove to the 43rd street jetty, got out and watched the waves to see if they could be surfed. Occasionally a set would come in that looked promising, but I decided to drive further down the beach just to see if there were more waves. I made it to 37th and sat on the seawall for a little watching the waves. I noticed that the waves on the west side of the jetty were actually cleaning up very nicely. I went out and after the first two or three waves, I knew that I had done the right thing. While no one was out before I went in, I was joined by a young guy approximately 30 minutes after arriving. By the time I was leaving an hour or so later, four surfers were out. I'm so glad I went out. The waves were fun. I look forward to going out again.

SUPing at night, racing and a little surfing

Another Sunday night and I'm bushed! I generally have a busy schedule, but lately my schedule has been unusually crazy. Last weekend, I went to Vegas to be a part of my nephew's wedding. It was a great family outing, and I sure hope they have a lifetime of happiness. I had been hoping to do a little SUIPing in Lake Mead, but alas, I ran out of time. Since writing on my blog a couple of weeks ago, I've had a wonderful couple of surf and SUP sessions though. 

The week before leaving for Vegas was a crazy one, as they usually are the week before a trip. The Sunday before the trip, though, I found some time to go surfing. A cool front had come through and even though it was a little gray, I  took Petal and headed to Galveston. I hadn't been out on the 9'6" board in awhile, and I had a chance to rediscover why I love that board. I went to the 37th Street jetty and had a blast. I was only out a short while, but I caught multiple waves.  Today, I  took my 9' Softop and went out at the 43rd. I chose the west side of the jetty because of the way the wind was blowing. Only one other guy was out, and he had been there a short while. He told me that he thought we might have been the only surfers finding waves. However, I had already seen several at 37th and a couple at 25th, so I knew that surfers were out down the beach. The afternoon was beautiful, and although I would have probably surfed better using Petal, I needed the Softop today because of a luncheon that would have my board sitting outside in the sun for a longer period of time. Sometimes, I just prefer using the Softop on days like this. The air temp was warm, but the water was cool…the intrusive hint of fall. I dread needing a wetsuit soon. 

I've also been SUPing a little more. A couple of weeks ago, one breezy weeknight, I loaded Penelope

I had a ball SUPing in the moonlight!

(my SUP) and met up with an SUP group in Galveston. The sun was on the verge of setting, and I drove down after a busy day at work. The group met at a parking lot on 61st Street on the side of Offat's Bayou. A friend from work also showed up. We unloaded the boards and dropped them in the water at the end of the boat pier. Just as the sun set, we took off across the water with lights and a required life vest.  The group stayed out about an hour, and I look forward to doing it again sometime soon. The experience was awesome. I met some people active in the SUP community, and learned about some events especially for SUPers that sounded like fun. One, in particular, was a race that took place this weekend (Saturday/yesterday). The race allowed people to register and compete in one of three events: 12' boards, 11'1 boards and an open category. I felt like I had nothing to lose and opted to register for the open event. Since I know so little about SUPing, I had no idea what to expect. Saturday was quite windy, so the course was rough. The route was three miles total, meaning two 1.5-mile loops. Racers lined up at the end of the pier at Moody Gardens' Palm Beach. About 30 racers showed up on various forms and sizes of boards. I could tell the racing boards from the boards like mine. They were long, narrow and thick. They were made for speed and the minute the bell went off, those speedy boards took off. I was pulling up the rear and struggling. The current was as strong as the wind, which was causing small waves to form.  Many people were falling off their boards, and, eventually, I fell; but only once. I noticed many were on their knees at the beginning, and I followed their lead. I got lapped by about six people, but I kept going. After I finished the first lap, I considered quitting, but opted to go on. I was sorry I did. The emergency crew rescued someone from the rocks, and, very soon, I noticed that only a few of the novice people had gone on for the second lap. I turned around and went back to the finish line. I was proud of my work friend who made it through most of the second lap. However, he didn't "officially" finish either. He's on an 11' board, which makes it a little easier for him, but I think the current was even a little strong for him. Overall, though, he did great! I'm a little jealous of his performance. I thought I handled the board well, but I have a lot to learn. I know that my board is really geared more for surf, but I still think I can get stronger on the flats with it. Practice, practice, practice!

Running, Cycling, Surfing, Bowling, SUPing

Until I bought an SUP about three weeks ago, the surf has been flat. So an SUP was the way to go. With my birthday a few weeks back, it was easy to decide what gift I was giving myself. I did a little research and decided to check out the sales going on at a store located near me called West Marine. Not only did they have a full selection of SUPs, the prices were pretty good. I dropped by the store to look at them, and I fell in love with a JimmyStyx 10' epoxy SUP that was covered with a pink design and a huge pink painted ribbon representing breast cancer awareness. I lifted it and found it more manageable than some of the other boards I have seen, lifted or used. I went home to think about it. I bought it two days later. I loaded it myself inside my vehicle. The hatch didn't close all the way, but I tied it down with bungee cords. The next day, as I was showing a picture of it from the website to someone in the office, I saw that the SUP was discounted even more. I immediately called the store and found out that would be getting $100 back. Not only did I get the SUP I wanted, but I got it even cheaper than I first thought.

Love my new SUP!
Thinking about naming
her Penelope.

I called my SUP friend and she and I decided to take out our SUPs on the following Sunday (two weeks ago now). She would be purchasing hers from a beach dude in G-town that day. Although the day was perfect for SUPing, getting hers purchased took a little longer than first planned. So, we played on mine for a little while. What a blast! Once hers arrived, she got out in the water for a little while and we practiced fighting current and attempted to catch some of the waves coming to shore. We had a ball. We've since gone again, but in Taylor Lake…close to home. The current was strong on that occasion, but we still had a blast. I had to maneuver getting on and off the board from the pier, which I managed to do without falling in the water. The only problem that day was that I jabbed my hand pretty hard with a nail on the edge of the jetty. But the blood and pain didn't last long at all, and I made up my mind that launching there should always be fun and easy.

Since starting this post, the waves came back for a short while. I surfed twice…once last Sunday morning (at 43rd) and once Thursday evening (at 25th). Both times, the current was strong and the waves were unpredictable, which made paddling out a little more difficult. But, both times, I caught waves. My Thursday evening surf this past week was, for the most part, out past the jetty, but on the inside of the waves. I caught a couple as they were breaking, but caught most after as forceful whitewater. Had a ball though! On Thursday night, I stayed out until it was almost too dark to paddle. It was great to be in the water and helped ease the stress of a crazy week, and I'm very glad I went.

Mixed in with all the fun water sports was my usual running and cycling. I continue to train for my next marathon, which isn't until early next year, but still requires training…lots of it. My cross-training includes hard rides on the bike, which I try to do at least twice a week. Finally, this week, I even went bowling and know that I should NEVER consider a career on the professional bowling circuit. I love staying busy, and I'm always looking for the next adventure.

Birthday Surf on a Sunday Night

Sometimes, no matter what the report says and no matter what your friends say, you just have to go surfing. I celebrated my birthday this weekend, and I decided that I had to get in some surf time. The only problem is that the waves this summer have been dreadful. Either they have been nonexistent or rough and unsurfable. Friday was flat, Saturday a little less so and, by Sunday, the strong west winds had churned up sloppy surf. Surf dude called and said that he thought it was too messy for surf. However, I was determined. I kept watching the 43rd Street jetty webcam and by late afternoon, I thought the waves seemed a little less choppy. Not sure if they really were or if I was just so determined that they needed to be a little less choppy so I could surf, but it sure seemed like the waters had calmed a tad. I saw a few surfers out, but it didn't look too crowded. I had already planned to go visit my mom and dad, but I decided to load a board just in case a late afternoon surf session was possible. (I loaded my softtop for the first time in a very long time.) At close to 5:30 p.m., I headed down.

Although the waves weren't beautiful, the seaweed was outrageous and the winds were a little strong, I

Sometimes you've
just got to surf!

unloaded and paddled out. I took the rip right behind a young boy on a shorter board than I was surfing. He paddled out and we both went for the same wave. However, I realized that the wave was probably his, so I pulled out. I rolled off my board, but that was the only time during that Sunday evening session that I was in the water. For the rest of the short time I was out, I caught every wave I attempted to surf. They were mostly white water waves, but they were strong and fast. Several of the others out were also catching white water, simply because those were the only ones holding together long enough to surf. I had a great time. I stayed out until the sun was almost setting…about 45 minutes. I'm so glad I ignored the reports and went down. About three or four other surfers were still out, and we all seemed to be catching our own waves. What a great end to my birthday weekend!

Waves One Week, None the Next

Because I don't exactly live in a surfing mecca, I long for some weather abnormality that gives me waves when I least expect it. So much depends on the wind. One of the reasons surfing is so much better in the winter when it's cold is because the North wind cleans up our usual mushy, messy waves. Of course, during the summer when the strong south wind blows, I depend on those mush, messy waves for my fun. This year, we've had some north winds blow through on a semi-regular basis. The timing has been good for me since it has been the weekend. A couple of weeks ago, north winds were forecasted. Friday was a rainy day, so I went SUP shopping with a running friend. I hadn't planned on buying anything that day, but I wanted to look at what was out there, lift them up and see if they were too heavy for me. I'm pretty sure I have it narrowed down to one or two, including one that Brian has that is very reasonably priced. The two I have it narrowed down to both have pink designs. Go figure!

The 43rd Street jetty got quite
crowded two weeks ago when
an unusual summer north
wind brought some pretty sets.

By Saturday (two weeks ago), the rain had stopped and the north wind had blown through bringing with it somewhat nicely formed waves. The beaches were crowded, not just because the waves had finally re-appeared, but because it was July. Local families and vacationers from afar packed the beaches. And, surfers crowded the breaks. 43rd was crowded so I went down the street to 36th. Had a great Saturday afternoon of fun. It didn't stop there. On Sunday morning early, with waves still appearing on the webcam, I headed to 43rd Street. I went out and caught the first wave i paddled for and had an incredible ride. I started on the east side of the jetty, but quickly moved to the west side because the waves looked a little stronger and the east side of the jetty was so crowded. I had a blast. I caught some and missed a few, but I had pretty waves to play in for a little while. I stayed for a couple of hours, and it felt good to be out. As I was packing up to leave, I noticed quite a few more surfers were out. In fact, it was quite crowded, especially on the east side of 43rd. I was so happy to have had a few waves to surf.

The past two weekends, though, have been completely flat. Last weekend, although flat, was too windy even to go out on an SUP, which meant I didn't participate in any water sports. But, by this weekend, I knew I had to get back in the water. Fortunately, although it was flat, the wind was weak enough to make SUPing a possibility. I contacted Dude B. about using a few of his SUPs. I had a couple of friends who wanted to go out on an SUP. Because of the wind direction, we decided it would be better to go out at 25th near the Pleasure Pier. What fun we all had. We began by paddling against the current toward the beach near Murdoch's (the old bathhouse turned souvenir shop). We paddled under the Pleasure Pier and safely made it to shore. Then we paddled back with the current. What a difference the direction made. Although it hadn't been unbearable to paddle against the tide, paddling with it was extraordinarily easy. We floated all the way back to the beach at 25th in no time. It was a wonderful morning and a great way to start Sunday Funday!

A Quiet Summer

This has been an unusual summer in G-town. For one thing, the seaweed has been the worst I've ever

Met pro surfers Teddy Navarro, Morgan Faulkner
 and Sunny Garcia while they were in
Galveston promoting the Mauli Ola Foundation.

seen. And, secondly, it's been unusually flat … especially on the Fridays and Sundays when I can surf. That hasn't kept me from getting in the water though. Thankfully, Dude B has been willing to let me rent/use a SUP. I'm even thinking about buying one. I've investigated a few. My problem with the SUPs is that I'm afraid I won't be able to carry one in my car or from my car down to the shore. The ones I've borrowed have been so heavy and long that carrying them across the beach is difficult. I can't imagine having to lift it to put on the top of my car, and I doubt that either of the ones I've used will fit inside my car. Hmmm… I've had a good time on them, and it definitely gets me in the water when there are no waves, but I can't decide if I should buy one.

On Friday, it was too flat to surf and dude wasn't able to bring the SUP. By Sunday, though, I knew I needed to get in the water.  Dude B thought the waves were nice enough for him to have lessons and even believed that if I had the right board, I might be able to surf. So, I packed up "Petal," my 9'6" Senator surfboard, which I don't surf often, and headed to the 43rd St. jetty. Fortunately, Dude B brought his 10'6" SUP too. I went out on the SUP and floated around for awhile, before deciding there might be just enough waves for me to go out on Petal. I got her out of the car, and I was glad I did. The waves were very small … so small, in fact, that I had to paddle really hard to get into them. In the end, though, I found a few small waves to surf. It may not have been pretty, but it sure was fun.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I will have something to play on this weekend wave-wise. Not completely sure that I will, but we will see. The surf forecast projects waves all weekend. The weather forecaster, though, also predicts some bad weather. As I mentioned in the first paragraph, I might even go take a look at the local surf shops to see if I can check out an SUP. Again, I will have to figure out how I will carry it. But, just going to take a look at them will be an adventure. And, I love adventure!

Squeezing In Surf Time

Beautiful blue skies, clear aqua water and clean waves make my heart smile. If I squint real hard, I have that every time I get to go surfing. Of course, in reality, I might have the blue skies, but the clear water and clean waves can be hard to come by. I take what I can get though. As I've moaned before, the good waves rarely appear on the weekend, which means I have to take what I can get. Last week, I made the trek down to Gtown after work on a Monday evening, because I could see a little surf on the webcam. It was rough and quite a few people were already out, so instead of surfing at 43rd as I usually do, I went out at 36th. I surfed for about two hours until it was almost too dark to see. It was a great way to end the day. 

SUPing is fun when I can't surf.

By the time the next weekend rolled around, surf had disappeared…at least on Friday. Saturday kicked up very rough, but un-surfable waves so a running friend and I decided to go paddle boarding. She had always wanted to do it, and I knew I wanted to get wet. So, I contacted surf Dude (aka Brian) and discussed either renting a couple of his SUPs or asking him to give us an SUP lesson. He was more than happy to do it and took us out to 99th street -- the bay behind the golf course. It was a beautiful afternoon, and we had a great time. Neither of us fell, and because the water was so calm in the bay, we didn't struggle to get up or find our place in the water as I had the previous times I had SUP'ed in the wavy Gulf. We floated through the water, laughed and paddled into some of the canals. Later I learned that gators hide out in the marshy area, which was a little alarming and may stop me from heading back to that area again. My friend said she was more frightened of snakes, which also had never crossed my mind. Fortunately, we made it out of the bay unscathed by the experience. But, although I will SUP again, I will definitely have to think twice before going out at 99th. 

This weekend, I made my first surf trip to Surfside. Many Houston surfers believe that Surfside is THE surf spot. On Friday, I loaded up and headed down. Waves were rough and the current was strong that day in Galveston, and the conditions were no different in Surfside. It's a new surf break for me, so I wasn't sure where or how to get to the outside. I saw three surfers outside, but most were just playing on the inside whitewater. I opted for the second choice since it was my first trip. I had a rough time even doing that. I don't know the beach, so I wasn't quite sure where to line up. Because the current was so strong, I got pushed quite a ways down the beach right from the start. I caught a small wave in and walked back down to my original spot. Basically, I fought the current the whole time…and watched the guys on the outside. I only stayed a little over an hour, but I plan to go back. I'm hoping to connect with some gals from Chica Brava, whom I've never met, but seem pretty cool through email and social media. 

Yesterday (Sunday), I surfed at my "home break." Again, the current was strong and the wind was

ridiculous, but I just had to get wet. I took the rip out and caught the first wave coming my way. It reminded me why I love to surf. I rode the wave forever, and even though my subsequent "rides" were weak and pretty awful, that one ride rejuvenated my soul. I can't wait to surf again!

Monkeys, Bats and Lots of Seaweed

A month has gone by since posting here. Waves have been lacking severely in G-town this year…at least when I can surf. I think there have been a couple of good "wave" days, but they have happened during the work week. I surfed in G-town about three weeks ago and had a blast, but it just hasn't been enough for me. So, I decided to go to Nicaragua a couple of weeks ago. I met up with my surfin' sistah Robin and her guy at a wonderful eco-lodge called Buena Vista Surf Club in Playa Maderas, Nicaragua. The food, views and people were wonderful.

Gertie and Alice

This trip marked my fifth trip to Nicaragua. I really like Nica except for one thing: THE BATS! No matter what I read or know about the bats, I just don't like them. I read about them carrying rabies, and I freak out about it every time. However, at the eco-lodge, I harmoniously shared my cabana with a couple of them. I named them Gertie and Alice. And, although we got along, I would rather not share my room with them. It definitely added to the experience though.

The lodge, located up a mountain road overlooking Playa Maderas, was in a wooded area that included howler monkeys. Although I'm familiar with the howlers, and have even been "up close and personal" with them, I've never had them so close that they were howling within three feet of my window. At first, the cries startled me, but I soon got used to it.

Walking to the beach was fun. The hotel was about a half a mile from the beach down a fairly steep

From the hotel deck,
we could see the tops of
the waves

and rocky mountain road. The only tricky part was hauling the 9' board with a shoulder strap when the wind was blowing. But, even that wasn't too bad. Fortunately, my upper body has gotten a little stronger so holding the board, walking down the rocky road and maneuvering with the wind wasn't too bad.

Although I've been to Playa Maderas several times before, I had never been there in May. I had always traveled to Nica in March. While the water temp could range from 3-2 wetsuit temps to just rash guard comfort, the waves were usually much smaller. This trip in May showed me a whole new side to Nica waves. They were huge. I enjoy watching other surfers take control of those waves, but I know better than to paddle to the outside and get in the line-up. The good thing to know, though, is that when a wave is that big, the whitewater is often very forceful and can be a lot of fun for "surfing." So, that's what I did most of the time I was there. I surfed the whitewater four out of five days. I stayed on the inside and caught re-forms also. I had a blast. And, I got to visit with my friend Robin, who opted not to surf during this trip. I traveled to some other beaches (Yankee and Remanso) and watched people surf big 8'-10' waves. One day at Remanso, I saw a longboarder catch a wave and his board got broken in two by the wave. It was a not-so-gentle reminder about the how powerful water can be. The surfer wasn't hurt, and he grabbed the part of the board attached to the leash and floated into shore.

Overall, I'm a little disappointed in myself for not at least getting in the line-up to see the wave from the outside. But, I just wasn't feeling comfortable. There's always next time. I had a long talk about surfing with surfer Don, and he explained that his skills came from years of day-after-day of surfing. I need more water time. I need some waves!!

Friday Fun on Mother's Day Weekend

It was a somewhat last-minute decision, but I felt like I just had to get wet. Despite dismal surf reports about strong currents and hefty winds, I followed my gut and went to Galveston on Friday afternoon. When I made it to the 43rd Street jetty, it was packed. I knew right away that if I stayed, I would be competing for waves. I met up with the dude, and he suggested that we go to 36th. No one was surfing down there. I arrived just as a school bus-load of kids from somewhere else in the state were arriving to have "fun on the beach." They weren't in bathing suits, so I knew I wasn't going to have to maneuver around them to get out in the waves. The tide was in, so I would be paddling out a little farther than usual, which is slightly more tedious at 36th since I'm not in a rip current near the jetty. I didn't care. I was ready to get wet.

The air temp was warm and, although the water temps are still in the mid-70s, I was able to get out in

A pic of Pipeline. Love my G-town waves.

just a 2mm long-sleeved rash guard. Many were out in just bathing suits, but I was glad I had my long-sleeved rash guard. I needed the extra warmth. I think I'll be in a regular rash guard by next week. The toughest part of 36th is, as I stated earlier, paddling out since there is no jetty. But, I made it out without too much trouble. I just have to take a second to regain my composure when I'm paddling out in this sandbar break. I felt completely in control though. I had a great session even though I did get wiped out by a wave once. I caught several and had wonderful and playful rides. It's not Pipeline, but it is a fun place to surf nevertheless. It's my home break, and I will always think it is wonderful.

Since Sunday was Mother's Day, I couldn't make it down. I had a friend who went to Surfside and the surf sounded a lot like the surf I had on Friday, messy but fun enough to make a trip worth it. I'm hoping to make it to Surfside a few times this summer. It's just a little further than G-town, but I'm willing to give it a chance…especially on those days when it is crowded.

We are scheduled to get a late season cold front this week, so I might have to break away to make a trip to the island on either Tuesday or Wednesday evening. We'll see! I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

A Windy Weekend, but a Well-formed Wavy Weeknight

I was just sure that I would be able to surf last weekend. However, that didn't work out like I had hoped.. It was incredibly windy. I went down on Sunday just to take a look. When I got out of the car, I knew I wouldn't be paddling out. The wind was howling and the sand was blowing. Everyone was

Last Sunday was a windy, messy
day on the beach.

covered in sand and those not wearing sunglasses were definitely rubbing their eyes. I ran into B. and another friend, Susan. She warned me about the waves. They were quite unruly because of the wind. Several surfers were out, but they weren't having a lot of fun. They would catch a wave every now and then, but they weren't catching them consistently. My guess is that they were like me, a person who could only surf on the weekend and was willing to do anything to get in the water. Of course, I guess I wasn't that desperate last weekend because I wasn't willing to fight the tide or wind. Just standing on the Seawall was hard enough. I'm glad I didn't go out.

By Tuesday, surfers in the Galveston area were heading to the beach. A late spring cold front brought north winds that would turn the windy mush into well-formed waves.  The best waves started appearing at about 11 a.m. I just kept my fingers crossed that they would last until I got off that afternoon.

I left work a little early and, even though the wind had started howling, I could see some potential fun. Two other guys from work met me at the beach, as did the surf "dude." Quite a few people were still out despite the fact that the best waves were earlier in the day. It didn't matter to me because these were the BEST waves I'd seen in awhile. I paddled out and caught a wave right away. I caught a few more after that and had a spectacular session. My friends from work seemed to have fun too. However, I have to say, once again, if I had been a better surfer, I'm sure that I might have had even more fun. Actually, I'm not even really sure I would have. I had a ball anyway. I surfed until the sun started setting. I look forward to some evening surf sessions for the rest of the summer. I'm just so glad I went out this week.

The Need to Surf

I was determined to surf this weekend! I knew that I would be cycling on Saturday, running on Sunday morning before going to a work conference in Houston. On Friday afternoon, I was tired just thinking about it all. But, I sure did want to surf. Surf Dude sent me a text saying that it wasn't worth coming to Galveston on Friday afternoon. However, I saw waves on the webcam and knew I had to go down. It was a mess, but at least there was something. Several surfers -- probably other surfers like me who only get to surf on the weekend -- were out in the waves when I arrived at the 43rd street jetty. I could tell it was just as the Surf Dude had said. He wasn't going out in that mess, but I was ready to give it a try. My time in the water is so limited. I put on my 3-2 (although the water is warming up quickly) and headed out. Several of the surfers were in just long-sleeved 2-1 rash guards, but I thought the water felt chilly, and I was glad to be wearing my wetsuit.

I originally thought I would just stay on the inside and play around in the white water. I attempted to catch a couple, but got pushed around quite a bit. I was determined though and, eventually, caught a few. I attempted to get to the outside and took the rip current. I made it to the end of the jetty and was paddling out past an incoming wave when I somehow got turned sideways and got pummeled by the wave. I made my way back onto the board and tried to paddle, but I had been pushed back to the inside. I caught some whitewater all the way in and caught the rip current back out. Meanwhile, the other surfers are around, but only one or two seemed to be catching waves. I don't wish for others to have a miserable time, but I feel a little redeemed when I'm not the only one NOT catching many waves. I eventually caught a couple of whitewater waves, and I had a ball. I just needed to be in the water, and it helped my week be a good one.

Hmmm…maybe if I ate the right
food, I could be a better
surfer!

Saturday waves were very similar to Friday's, and I decided to just cycle. I rode 48 miles in preparation for a half marathon I had planned to run on Sunday. It was pretty silly for me to wear myself out the day before a long run that I had hoped to set a personal record running, but I wouldn't have changed a thing. Sunday was a little warm for running, but I still laced up the sneakers and ran 13.1 miles. Had a blast. I was a little slower than I had hoped. I was dreaming of a 1:55 finish, but, alas, I crossed the finish line at 2:01. That's okay, I'm still happy with my time. Temps were a little high and the wind was blowing quite a bit, so I doubt anyone had a PR. Right after the run I had to drive to Houston for a work conference.

On a sad note, one of the runners collapsed as she crossed the finished line. The medics worked on her and she was taken to the emergency room, but the run Facebook page posted that the young lady had died. She looked to be in her 20s, was having a bachelorette weekend with friends and family, made it past the point where she had her crown and pink feather boa (close to the finish line) and was smiling as she passed her sister. I was very sad to hear about this. This young woman had a bright future ahead of her. It is a reminder, that we should live life to the fullest. May she rest in peace!

Fog, Surfers and a Run-in with the Jetty

I've already mentioned how sporadic surfing has been in G-town this winter. Either it was flat or the waves came at a time I couldn't make it down; so my surfing has been minimal. This past Friday, I was dying to get out. Of course, the weather didn't cooperate. While the sun eventually made an appearance on the mainland, Galveston, especially on the Seawall, remained foggy all day. I began looking at the G-town.com webcam early in the day. It was so foggy, that it was nearly impossible to see the waves. But, by the first-hand accounts, the waves were waist-high, with an occasional chest-high set. They weren't pretty little north wind waves, but rather the mushy, crazy south wind type. However, I was willing to try just about anything.

I made it to the island about 3 p.m., as did hoards of other mainlanders who had just got off work. Although I noticed all the other surfers driving up when I arrived, I was focused on a group of men walking along the beach in yellow all-weather gear. Two oil tankers had collided just days earlier causing a huge release of oil and the men I saw was the HazMat team walking the beach to see the effects of the oil release. I noticed tar balls, but the 43rd street jetty and at least a few of the jetties to the east and the west had been spared the major damage. It has sounded as if the majority of the spill was heading further south. Nevertheless, the coast guard had assigned a HazMat team to walk the length of the beach to see the damage and by 3 p.m., they were at 43rd street. It was a little eerie seeing them there, but I still put on my 3-2 wetsuit and got ready to go in. It would be cold in the water, but I opted not to wear my booties.

It's never good to see a HazMat team at your break.

Dude B. had some business to take care  of, so he wasn't going to be surfing that day.I unloaded and headed down to the east side of the jetty. I paddled out with great difficulty. The current was strong and the waves were coming in fast and hard. The sets were erratic so planning the paddle-out was difficult. I made it to the outside only to find about 12 surfers already waiting for the next wave. I couldn't see them from the seawall because of the fog, so I had no idea how many were out. I watched for a few minutes and decided that I would give the west side of the jetty a shot. If I could get out to the middle between the 43rd and 45th Street Jetty, I might be able to catch a few without the crowds. I made it out there and if I had been a better surfer, I would have caught several. However, I struggled with timing. I caught one close to shore. When I made it to the beach, I walked down to the 43rd street jetty and was about to paddle out, when I decided that going out on the west side would be easier. And, it was at first. But I hadn't adequately analyzed the situation. I didn't look far enough down the jetty. I walked in, eventually jumped on the board and paddled out. However, when I got to the end of the jetty, I got caught up in what I can best describe as a whirlpool. This, of course, was why NO ONE was taking the west side riptide out. I got pushed into the rocky, barnacle-covered jetty. In order to protect the board, I used my feet to push away. I was in a whirlpool because wave after wave was coming in. A lady standing on the jetty was getting concerned about me, but I told her I was fine. When I finally got a break in the waves, I got out of the vicious cycle and made it back to the outside.

My feet were stinging. I decided I better go to the beach and check out my injuries. When I could finally lift my feet out of the water, I could see my left foot was covered in blood. Both feet hurt. I made it to shore to assess my injuries. When I got out of the beach, all I could see was blood. Just then, the hazmat team saw me. Since they are volunteers and two of them were doctors at UTMB, they were concerned. They had some gauze and one of them grabbed my foot and set it on his knee and applied pressure. The cuts were just topical, but the blood was everywhere. Dude B. arrived back at the beach about this time and let me use his first aid kit. The cuts were not deep, but I had several of them. I decided to call it a day. I'm really bummed by the fact I didn't get to surf much, but I'm glad my injuries weren't worse. My run and ride the next day were a little more difficult because of the cuts, but I still managed to get through both activities.

Saturday brought a north wind and beautiful waves to the coast. All I could do was watch. I had too much to do on the mainland. Bummer! I really wanted to go surfing, but I could not. Keeping my fingers crossed for next week.

A Cold Front and Waves Once Again

I have not been surfing in Galveston since late November. If it weren't for my trip to Costa Rica in January, I would have been out of the water for more than three months. Fortunately, today, a cold front moved across the coast. Typically, these cold fronts move across the coast mid-week, during the middle of a work day. I can never be in the right place at the right time for surfing…until today.

Surfers from throughout
the area were glad when
waves finally arrived.

Weather forecasters predicted that the next cold front would pass through sometime this morning. Of course, all predictions are unpredictable. I wasn't quite sure when it would pass. At around 8:45 a.m., I received a text from the "surf dude" in G-town saying that the west wind was making the waves too messy to surf. However, when I looked at the webcam at about 9:15 a.m., I saw several surfers out and the waves looked clean. I called the Brian and told him I was coming down. He said he just realized that the winds had shifted so I probably needed to get down there fairly quick before the north wind blew out the waves.

I loaded Roxanne and headed to the 43rd Street jetty. I pulled on my 5-4 wetsuit (I'll be so glad when I can surf without wetsuits) and booties, split my fingernail (ouch!!) and paddled out. At least 10 surfers were already out. I paddled for several waves, but either misjudged their power or their speed. However, eventually I caught a few. I couldn't wait to paddle out again. After about an hour at 43rd, surf dude and another surf buddy showed up and wanted to go to 36th. I wasn't quite ready to leave, but decided that I wanted to surf with them. So, I loaded up and headed down seven blocks. No one was out at 36th and the wind was picking up so I realized I better hurry and paddle out.

I caught the best wave of the day the minute and I turned back to the shore. Unfortunately, because of the booties and thick wetsuit, I hadn't realized that my leash had wrapped around both of my ankles. I managed to save it and surf a little before jumping off to untangle myself. I only caught two other waves after that, and missed a whole bunch. My friends caught several, but I didn't have as good an experience at 36th that I had at 43rd. My timing was way off at both places, but I think I would have eventually been able to recover it had I stayed at 43rd. It didn't matter really, though, because I was so glad to be back out in the water. I needed that time in the saltwater. It just felt good! With Daylight Savings Time in full swing, I can now go down after work and surf an hour or so. I hope it gets warmer though. That 5-4 wetsuit is just no fun putting on or taking off. Wishing for warm water and warm air temps soon!

Balance, balance, balance

I have been whining during the past six or seven posts about how the waves always come during the middle of the week when I can't surf. I am thinking that I might need to find a beach to travel to again real soon. Until then, all I can do is read the surf reports, watch the webcams and wish for better waves. I can also practice. I have read about the proper form and follow numerous surfing sites on social media so that I can constantly see photos of the world-class surfers catching the big waves. I also continue to cross-train by running and cycling. I've got several half marathons coming up in the next few months. I briefly considered running another full marathon last weekend, but decided against it. I digress. The cycling and the running keep my cardio strong, which is always a good thing, especially for paddling out and setting up for waves.

My pop-up always could use a little help, so I've been practicing on my living room floor. I lie prone and then jump up as if I'm about to catch a big wave.  I've also

Me on a balance ball at the gym.
It's the closest thing I've had to
surfing since returning from
Costa Rica in January.

been practicing my balance on the balance ball at gym. The hardest part of that workout is actually getting on the ball without falling. I try to maneuver and mimic surfing. It definitely requires being close to the wall…having something to lean on for support. Hmmm…finding support? How often we all need support for all the things we do. I'm fortunate that I have it most of the time from those who love me. I feel sorry for those who don't have it.

I was hoping to get out in the water this past weekend. Friday (3/7) was flat so I pinned my hopes on Sunday. A few waves kicked up on Saturday afternoon, but they were too weak to surf. They hadn't built much strength by Sunday morning; however, after visiting some of the webcams, I noticed a few of the diehard G-town surfers went out and now I regret not going out to give it a try. The waves were incredibly weak and the water is very cold, but I still wish I had ventured out. This is the beginning of spring break for area colleges and even I will get this Friday off. I have a few surfing buddies coming to town, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the weather and the waves will be good on Friday, even if it means pulling out my 5-4 wetsuit for the 50-something degree water. I'm ready for spring!

Cold, Flat Days and Missed Opportunities

Cold front after cold front keep pushing through Texas and make it to Galveston usually on a Tuesday or Thursday between noon and 4 p.m., meaning that the good waves are happening during WORK HOURS.  Many times, I can see it on the G-townsurf website, and it just makes me want to cry. In fact, last week as I was sitting in the waiting area of the dentist's office, I made the mistake of visiting the G-town page to see some pretty waves rolling in. A cold front was pushing across the coast. If I had realized that the front was passing that afternoon, I guess I could have packed a board, bathing suit and wetsuit, but when I had looked at the forecast the day before, the front wouldn't be passing through until much later. However, at around 1:30 I noticed the waves rolling in and the Galveston surfers were out in droves. I would have loved to have gone out, but by the time I finished my dental appointment, it was getting too late for me to go home, get my gear and drive to Galveston before the sun was setting. And, when I looked at the cam at 3 p.m., it was already getting flat. By 4 p.m., it was too flat to surf. All of the locals had packed up and gone home. It was also quite cool. The water temperatures have dropped to 46 degrees, which is colder than I have remembered it for the last three or four years. Those out surfing were not only wearing thick wetsuits, but also gloves, booties and head coverings. Although I have the 5-4 wetsuit and booties, I don't own the gloves. As for the head covering, I would have probably just worn a wool hat.

I wish Santa Teresa was
close enough for a weekend trip. 

Of course all this cold weather has me longing for another trip south. I really enjoyed my time in Costa Rica. I wish I was a little more skillful at surfing so that I could really appreciate the waves, but I'm grateful for the surfing I could do while I was there. I need to figure out how to pop up quicker than I am. I'm working on my balance by standing on the balance ball at the gym. Not completely sure it will help, but it certainly can't hurt. I'm practicing my pop up too. Although, I'm not sure that popping up on the floor in my living room will translate to popping up on the board in the ocean's waves, but, again, the practice can't hurt me. I've stated it in my last post, but I will re-state just how forceful the waves in Costa Rica were. I need to not only practice popping up fast, but also gaining the nerve even though I might fall and suffer a little pain. No pain, no gain, right? In my last post, I think I explained that when I went for a wave in CR, I freaked out looking at the bottom where I would drop. It seemed so far away, and I didn't have much time to change my mind or correct any of the moves I was going to make. I wish I had a little more time  in the Central American/Pacific wave to test out my pop-ups, nerve etc. I definitely "chickened out" when I was there.  The balance ball needs to be something I do more regularly. Maybe by spring, I can figure out how not to be scared of the bigger waves. Maybe, I'll have mastered completing the pop up quickly and, maybe, just maybe, I'll have a little more balance on the board.

Marathon Completed and a Little CR Action

A week ago Saturday (1/18) was a very crazy day for me.  Because I was running the marathon the next day, I had opted not to run on that Saturday, although many runners like to do a warm-up 5K. I needed a little bit of a workout and chose a 15-mile bike ride to loosen the legs instead. The weather was perfect, so I rolled out early and snuck it in to my busy day. I went to the expo later, which I thoroughly enjoyed, and then spent the afternoon with Mom in the hospital because of her emergency hip surgery the day before. I got a little packing done later that night because my plane for Costa Rica was leaving early Monday. Pshewww... it was a very busy Saturday.

My Sunday run began strong. I ran the first half in 2:01, which isn't a record for me, but probably was a little too fast considering I had another half still to run. I felt it in my thighs at about mile 15, and by mile 17, I was also experiencing some pain in the bottom of my foot. I finished at 4:36, but had trained to finish by 4:15. So, despite my proclamation that Houston would be my last full, I will have to find another marathon to run just so I can better my time. Yikes! An article I read stated that is what always happens to runners. They always think they can do better no matter how much they train. Another friend of mine wants me to do some adventure triathlons with her that include mountain biking, trail running and swimming, but I'm just not crazy about having to squeeze swimming into my workout. I know it will be getting warm soon, but I still do not have the time to add another sport, especially with another marathon in my future. I could just make swimming in the Gulf part of my surfing ritual, but I don't always feel like swimming when I'm finished surfing. What's a gal to do???

Sun and surf provided the perfect
marathon recovery.

When I first realized that the day after my marathon was going to be a holiday, I decided to take a quick trip to Costa Rica to recover. I knew I wanted to go to a place that was warm and since my surf buddy Robin had moved there almost seven months ago, Costa Rica seemed like the most natural place to go. I also thought that surfing would be a good way to recover my aching legs and strengthen my skills. I was right AND wrong. The warm weather in CR definitely helped lift my spirits right away and rejuvenate my tired legs, but the surfing just reminded me of how much more practice I needed. Santa Teresa, CR, offers wave action just about all year. I had received a report the week before I headed down that the waves this winter were small. Although once I got there, I realized that the "small" waves were still much bigger than the ones I was used to surfing. Waves in Galveston can get big, but they just don't seem as forceful as the ones in CR. I watched my friend/hotel manager Don easily catch everything that came his way, but I, on the other hand, would back out of every wave on the outside I paddled to catch. I surfed a lot of a white water, which is pretty powerful stuff in CR and I even caught one true wave with a drop, but I need so much more practice. I know I don't surf often enough to be the greatest of surfers, but just as I am about to feel a little confident, I go to a place like CR and realize I HAVE SO MUCH MORE TO LEARN.  Well, I guess it's back to the practice field, also known as the 43rd street jetty...just as soon as it warms up a little.

Another New Year and More Resolutions

Seems like forever since I've surfed. It has been an unusually flat winter. Waves have cropped up every once in awhile especially when I can't make it down because of work or other engagements. However, for the most part, it's just been flat. A cold front has been blowing through every three or four days, but with such force that the winds have blown the tide out and made the water smooth. It's definitely 5-4 wetsuit weather, but still, I would love to get out.

I've been pretty busy for the last couple of months. The holidays are always hectic, but to add to it I've been doing quite a bit of running since I will be running my second-ever marathon in a few weeks. Fortunately, I'm looking at going someplace warm after my marathon, so that should help get me through this training rut I've been in. I just hope that when I get to the warm place, that I still know how to surf. I'm sure it's a little like riding a bike. However, it uses a whole different set of muscles, which will require me to re-acquaint myself with the moves. For instance, the paddling requires a lot of upper body strength, and even though I try to lift weights on a regular basis, sometimes the paddling can wear me out.

In addition to my post-marathon vacation later in the month in Costa Rica, I've been thinking about where else I might want to surf this year. I'm hoping to make it back to Nicaragua, southern California, Florida and, possibly, Honduras. I just want it to be warm. The past month or so has been so cold, so I mostly just need it to be be someplace warm. Well, warm with waves!

I resolve:

to make the most of 2014 in all of my endeavors;
to surf, run and cycle even more than I did in 2013;
to not only successfully surf my 9', but to also continue to strengthen my skills on the 8'; and
to be less judgmental not only of myself, but of others.