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.