Cold fronts, waves, timing and more

(photo from a flat picnic day ... notice those clouds)

I mentioned in my past blog post ... in fact ... in several past blog posts that my timing is really off when it comes to taking off in the waves. Well, I can say my timing is off in other areas as well. For instance, even though I can surf most days now, I still miss some days of surf by not logging on to the cams at the right time. I have a little more times these days to prep, but I still seem to forget something or miss something simply because of bad timing. 

This fall, I have had the opportunity to surf more than I have during the past few years because of retirement. I have even been able to make the trek to Gtown as the cold fronts are coming through. For instance, last week, I made it down just in time for some beautiful waves to roll in. They were probably waist-to-chest high. I paddled out easily to find a spot in the crowded line up. I paddled more to the east, closer to the 41st street jetty. Although the waves looked beautiful from the seawall, by the time I paddled out, my perspective changed. They were still beautiful sets, but from my position on the board in the line-up ... especially when paddling in prone position and looking back, I thought the waves looked HUGE.  Not sure why it bothered me so much or looked so big to me, but I suddenly thought I needed to paddle in. 

During my paddle in, I lined up with another surfer. He made small talk and I told him to I was paddling in to play in whitewater because I was freaking out due to the size. He urged me to hang in and even tried to get me to paddle into a wave. On hindsight, I wish I would have. I caught a couple of small waves ... mostly whitewater, but I'd give anything to go back to that day so that I could attempt to paddle into those waves. I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to pop up fast enough. I've been watching pop up videos and practicing, yet again, on the imaginary line on my living room floor. I had been worried that I developed some bad habits, and that I was popping up incorrectly by bringing my back leg up first. I watched videos, and was particularly pleased to see that one of the videos described the pop up the same way I typically did it by bringing the back leg up first. The video warned that this particular method would only work on a longboard and could not be done as quickly as some of the other methods. All this time, I had been trying to change my method. Most suggest that you bring your front leg up and then slide the base leg forward. I haven't been doing it that way in a very long time. I felt relieved seeing it in a "how to" video. I have not been back out since seeing the video and strengthening the pop up I was already using.

I mentioned in a previous post about me skateboarding -- more specifically, land paddling. I think it will help me with my surfing since it lets me practice my balance and my stance. As I found by land paddling, I need to bend my knees more, sit back a little and let the rest come naturally. I need that to transfer to my surfing. Wish me luck!

Timing, timing, timing ...

 (https://youtu.be/5bhmDaYfj5I)

Now that I'm retired, I should have more time on my hands. And, I guess I do, but it sure gets away from me. I forget the day and I definitely forget the time. Just the other day I made the mistake of going to the grocery store at 5:30 p.m. I was surprised at how packed it was until I realized that everyone was off of work and doing their on-the-way-home shopping. My timing was definitely off that day.

This week, Galvestonians and Houstonians focused on the weather. Hurricane Delta had crossed into the Gulf and was scheduled to strengthen. Forecasters promised that the trajectory of the storm would change and, thankfully for us, it did. Louisiana folks weren't quite as lucky, and they braced for their second storm in a month. These storms are definitely causing stress for everyone, but they are also providing some waves to all of us Gtown/Surfside/Corpus Christi surfers. During this particular storm, I made it to Gtown on Thursday evening with a friend from my former job and paddled into waves that were knee-to-waist-high and borderline clean. While they got quite big on Friday, they didn't clean up again until late Friday. I think a couple of very skilled, local surfers were waiting on the shore for these momentary clean waves. I watched on the cam. Much to my surprise, I noticed on a couple of the wave forecasts that the forecast for Saturday called for clean knee- to thigh-high waves. Those are my kind of waves ... perfect in size. I couldn't believe it, nor could most who thought it would either be flat or too rough still, but I knew I wanted to be ready for early Saturday morning just in case. And, I was sure glad that I was. The waves were beautiful, California-esque sets that could be read and rode. The only unfortunate thing about this outing was my inability to paddle into the waves -- timing -- something I've struggled with for a long time.

On Saturday, I was determined not to be pushed out of the line by more aggressive surfers. I shouldn't have worried about it because the sets and the waves were long and generous. There was room for everyone and defined sets and waves long enough and spaced out enough for many to ride. I can say that I caught two solid waves, but I should have been able to catch more of them because they were so perfect. I almost caught a couple of them, but probably stopped paddling too soon. My friend Brian says I need to paddle sooner. What's odd is that I didn't have as much trouble last year, but suddenly this year, I'm struggling. My timing is off. My surf friend Dave was having the same trouble on Saturday, not able to catch a wave. Some in the lineup were catching everything heading their way. A couple of others were catching every other wave. I don't have any trouble riding the line once I catch the waves, but I don't want to have to wait for the wave to break before I catch it. I've watched videos, but I think the only way to really learn the timing is to surf .... surf .... surf, which I hope to do this fall.

To practice my footwork ON the board, I have taken up skateboarding. I bought my first longboard earlier this summer. It is a 6'6" Hamboards Classic. I love it and it is perfect for land paddling. Since then, I've bought a shorter 4'2" Braap Big Wheel Fiberglass Camber Longboard that is a low profile longboard with large narrow wheels, which provide a softer ride. I also bought a 19" Bamboo Egg Longboard, which is actually a mini longboard. It's much easier to carry than my Classic longboard, but it is also harder to maneuver on the cracks in the parking lot in which I practice. Ninety percent of the time I use my Classic, and I really believe it helps me find my balance and maneuver my surfboard. I love it! 

For the past few years, I also have been considering buying a GoPro. I searched Amazon and couldn't convince myself to buy a $350 camera. I bought a $70 no-name action camera instead. It came with a small bag of accessories, which I love. The clip attached is from the camera and shows me practicing my turns on the Classic. I still struggle with the right-hand turn, which is not that unusual for a goofy-footer like me.

Revitalized: Retirement, surfing and so much more

During the past few years, I didn't have any extra time or, perhaps I should say, extra writing energy to contribute to this blog. I definitely didn't have much time to surf. At the end of August, I retired from a job I had been blessed to have for 21 years. It had been a job I loved for many years, but earlier this year I realized that it had been sucking the life energy from me. I am not saying I did not still enjoy a large portion of what I did for my living, but I had reached a point in my career where I felt like there was more I wanted to do. And, I decided early this year that it was time for me to find my passion again. While I look for it, I am planning to have some fun.

Because of pure mental exhaustion, I did not surf much early this year. In fact, I do not think I even paddled out once this year in my wetsuit. It was well into spring before I made it out. Since retiring in August, I have probably surfed more than I had up until this point in 2020. Last week, I made it out three days in pretty waves formed by an early fall cold front that changed the wind direction. Because they were a little weak, I had the opportunity to practice my paddling and timing, which is practice I always need. Quite a few wonderful waves came through, but I caught about four waves for every 60, but the ones I caught made it all worthwhile. I rode some pretty little lines and established that I need to paddle earlier when the wave isn't quite defined. I noticed that some of the other surfers were catching quite a few and that the shortboarders were actually paddling a little later. Basically, I've been studying the waves for over 10 years now and Galveston waves are difficult to read AND understand. I plan to keep practicing so that I can catch even more when another northeast wind blows through. 

On another note, I bought a new surfboard. It is a sweet little 7'11" Rockin' Fig fun board I am calling Adele. I am still pretty much a longboarder, and will likely always be a longboarder, but the lure for a shorter board was too much. I found it in a Facebook group and couldn't resist the price. I have had two other funboards in the past that I have ultimately sold to others hoping to transition to a shorter board. Now that I have a little more time on my hand maybe I can make the leap this time. A surfing friend of mine suggested I make it wall art. It is certainly pretty enough, but I think I'll keep Adele with the rest of the quiver for a little while longer in case some more strong waves present themselves.

Where has the time gone?

What a busy few months! It's not that I haven't been surfing since May, but I haven't had time to post about it. In June, I had some fabulous surfing days early in the month. A couple of last-minute "cold" fronts (actually, they were just some fronts from the north) cleaned up the waves for some fantastic after-work and Sunday morning surfing. I surfed a few times throughout July too. But, as usual, by the end of June the summer flats took over and forced me to bring out my SUP. A little over a month ago, a friend and I went out on a Friday morning to find a quiet beach waiting for us.

A crazy summer! One of
my surf sessions was
 early August.
8/7/16

We met early at the 43rd Street Jetty and appeared to have the beach to ourselves. It was completely flat, and the water had that clear blue look that only happens after a north wind cleans it up. Although it wasn't as blue as a true winter norther makes it, the water was clearer than it had been since later April or early May. We paddled for a couple of hours and had a blast. The only unfortunate part of the morning was an incident with my shoes and a handle. I wear some old blue flip-flops to the beach. I bought them shortly after I started surfing. They weren't expensive shoes, but they were my standbys. I had left them on the beach before while I surfed and never had a problem. I also had a plastic SUP handle that also should have been safe on the beach. But, all it took was a a paddle a few jetties away and, by the time I made it back to 43rd, the shoes and the handle was gone. I walked down the beach looking for them and found a couple of thugs acting suspicious. I asked if they had seen my shoes, and they denied it. Oh well, trying hard not to sweat the small stuff...and it's really all small stuff.

A family illness has kept me busy for most of July and the early part of August. I'm not ready to really write about it just yet. And, because the story is not mine to share, I need to ask permission before I do so. But, I will say that it has been a an emotionally draining experience. And, the outcome to the most recent test has been good. Add to the mix that in early July, I was injured in a car accident. I was lucky. I had a fractured pelvic ring in the front and back, which was painful, but not sidelining. After a couple of appointments, I found out that the fracture was a stable one, which meant I didn't really have to give up any activities long term, but I would probably have to ease back into my running, cycling and surfing slowly. With that said, I only really missed a couple of weeks of surfing and even then, I don't think that the waves were great for both weeks.

I was excited to get out this weekend. I had a full schedule of activities planned. Friday afternoon is one of my usual surf days, so I loaded up and headed down around 3. The tide was out, but I could see some fun waist-high waves coming through. I paddled out in the rip and quickly found out what the struggle would be -- the current. I was pushed down the beach. I had noticed that a couple of short boarders were out, but they were staying on the inside because of the current. I caught a wave and took it left, which meant that I had quite a walk back to the rip on the inside of the jetty. From then on, I worked at staying closer to the jetty. I still had a couple of short walks, but I managed to stay relatively close. All in all, I had a wonderful time. I thought I might be able to make it back out again on Sunday (today), but mixed reviews on the wave report and other plans kept me from making it down. However, I'm looking forward to next weekend!

Back at it

With a weather forecast promising  a sunny afternoon after several rainy weeks, I couldn't resist loading up my board and heading to the 43rd Street Jetty. Early morning reports were that waves were about knee high and nice. But, just as I crossed the Causeway and entered Galveston, I got a call from a surfing friend saying it wasn't worth the drive down. The wind had started to blow and was causing the surf to be a mess. I mentioned that it was too late...that I was already on the island and, since I had my board, I was going surfing anyway. I was glad I did. Yes, in fact, the waves were kind of a mess and the current was rough. After taking the rip out, it didn't take long for me or anyone else to be pushed down the beach away from where the stronger waves were breaking. I definitely did a lot of paddling today. I caught my first wave within the first 15 minutes and, from then on, had a blast despite the current and the constant paddling.

From the seawall, waves look
smaller than they actually were.

Although there were only two of us out for the first 30 minutes or so that I got in the water, a steady stream of surfers paddled out for the next two hours while I was surfing. Because the wind was blowing out of the east and pushing us west, the waves were breaking to the left and right, which was good for me as a goofy-footer who is usually surfing the wrong direction on the wave no matter how hard I try to go the other way. For the most part, it seems Galveston is perfect for regular footers, but, on occasion, the messy waves break both directions and goofy-footers get to go right. Stayed out for a little over two hours, and, all in all, had a great time. I'm tired tonight, though. I guess I'm just not used to the paddling since.

I'm back to working a 9-40 schedule,which should give me a few free Friday afternoons to get out. And, with the longer days, I should make it down for a couple of after-work evening sessions as well. I'm determined to make the most of my surfing experiences this summer. I still need to work on looking out instead of down. However, even if I don't, I'm sure I'll still have fun and that's what surfing is all about -- having FUN!

April Already?!?

I can't believe that it's April already. I haven't published a post since February. I started one in March, but for some unknown reason, I never finished it. My March post began with a description of my February marathon. I ran my sixth marathon at the end of February in New Orleans; my third in five months. I didn't have a record-breaking finish time, but anytime you can finish a marathon, you should feel good about yourself. I've signed up for the Houston Marathon in January 2017, but other than that, I don't have any other full marathons taking place. I'm still running, but it feels good not to have to run a 12-, 15- or 18-mile training run. Last week, my run group opted for bridge repeats on the Kemah Bridge. I'm proud to say I completed 4 1/2 complete up-and-overs for a total of 8 miles. With an upcoming half marathon later this month, I probably need at least a 10-miler this weekend. Alas, I digress. This is a blog about surfing.

Once again, waves have been sporadic with the best ones coming during the middle of the week in the middle of the day while I'm at work. The weekends have been flat. The good thing about mid-week waves this time of year is that the sun is out long enough to allow for an after-work surf session. Last Thursday (3/31), everyone with a surfboard went surfing. The wind shifted from the north/northeast and the waves were nice. The problem was that the winds were incredibly strong as was the current. I made it down to Gtown before 6. Because of crowds, I ended up at Flagship, which wasn't nearly as crowded because of the current. I paddled out near the pier, which had a strong rip current to pull me along. However, the current was rough -- very rough -- and I got pulled out. I could see the surfable waves midway between the Pleasure Pier and the jetty. However, trying to swim to the waves was nearly impossible. I kept getting pushed back to the pier, which was tiring and disturbing. Finally, I decided I needed to be a little bit more on the inside. Once I paddled in a little, I caught a few waves. I paddled out once or twice more, but used the rip near the jetty rather than the pier. I always ended up back on the inside. However, I caught a few waves there, so it was the better place for me. All in all, I had a great time. I can't wait to get back out.

The forecast for waves has been dismal, although I noticed that sloppy knee- to waist-high waves are forecasted for tomorrow (Sunday, 4/10), which may be good enough to get me back out in the water. I completed a brick workout today (Saturday, 4/9), so I got in a good weekend cardio workout. And the paddling will help me too. A good little surf session will help round out the weekend.

Catching a Few On a Tuesday Evening

A little over a week ago, a front passed the coast at just the right time with just the right energy. Those who had the day off or took a little time off, had some of the best waves of the season so far. Waves were rumored to be 6-8 ft., although I always find that hard to believe when I'm looking at the webcam. Because of the angle of the camera at 43rd and the placement above the coast the waves always look small. The waves looked a little bigger on the 37th camera, and although I couldn't tell if they were 6 or 8 feet, I could tell that they were beautiful. Tons of surfers were out, and I was jealous of them. I've been on deadline with a big project so taking time off was not an option for me. Later that night, many of my surfing Facebook friends talked about their afternoon and it sounded glorious. Although there were  few lingering waves on Friday, I still couldn't make it down to 43rd and, by Saturday, it was flat.

Tuesday night surf session was fun

Monday afternoon started to show promise. And the forecast for Tuesday was even better. It was correct. Since the SwellInfo forecast had predicted such good waves on Tuesday, I loaded my board on the off chance that we would have a repeat of the previous Thursday. Tuesday morning, Galveston once again had 6-8 ft waves. By that afternoon, the waves had gotten quite a bit smaller, but were still well-formed and 3-5 ft. When I made it to 43rd, at a little after 4 o'clock, I found about eight surfers still out. I paddled out and immediately caught a wave. I struggled a little after that because the waves were more intermittent and less easy to read than they had been earlier in the day. I played for another hour or so and had a ball, despite the trouble I had reading the waves. I caught about four or five before it got a little too dark. As I got out of the water at dusk, five or so surfers were still out. But they only had about 15 minutes before it was too dark.

By Wednesday morning, it was flat, and it has been flat for the rest of the week. The forecast doesn't look good either. A couple of fronts have crossed the coast since Tuesday, but the waves haven't built enough for the fronts to clean them up. We need a strong South or SWS wind to build mushy disorganized waves so that the next front can clean it up and build the waves. Maybe next weekend? Keeping my fingers crossed.

A New Year Filled with New Adventures

I've been neglecting my blog lately. The holiday season combined with some added responsibilities at work as well as marathon training has kept me from having the time to sit down and write about my surfing. Of course, all of this coupled with weather has also slowed down mine surfing. While I had ten used to surfing twice a week, the last couple of months, I've been only surfing once a week at best. Although Texas had a couple of cool spells in the fall, the first part of December was pretty warm. By Christmas week, temps were in the 70s and I was lucky enough to have some small waves to surf on Christmas Eve.

I loaded up my 9' because of the wind and the thought of having to control my 9'6" as I walk from my car down to the shore. I also brought my 5-4 wetsuit, and I'm very glad that I had it because the water temps were in the low 60s, which is just a tad too cold for a 4-3. The waves were weak and small, and although the dude I was surfing with didn't have trouble catching any waves, I had a more difficult time. I paddled like crazy, which was not only necessary because of the weakness of the waves, but also because of the strong current caused by the winds. It was hard to stay close to the jetty, which was necessary because that was where the surfable waves appeared. I caught a few though, and that always makes a session worthwhile.

Surfline originally promised waves for the last week of December. All of the surfers were betting on at least four good days of waves at the end of the year. However, just as weather forecasters cannot predict the weather, neither can surf forecasters predict waves. Although I, too, had been hoping for lots of surfing during my time off from work, I only ended up with my Christmas Eve surf. Since the holidays, the waves have been awful…except for when I'm at work. In fact, this past week, those lucky enough to get to Galveston during the week had two exceptional days of California-like surf. I thoroughly enjoyed watching it unfold on the webcam and reading about it in the many Facebook posts of surfing friends. Waves were gorgeous, and I hope that one day soon, we can have waves like that on the weekend.

Right now, my focus is on the Houston Marathon, which is next week. This will be my fifth marathon.

I have another one scheduled in February, but will more than likely, drop back to the half marathon distance. After that, I plan to take a little break from full marathons. I won't say "never," but I want to quit the training for full marathons for a little while. That might actually give me a little more time to surf. We'll see. Keeping my fingers crossed for nice waves throughout the rest of the winter and into the spring and summer. Happy 2016!

Finally, Some Waves

I stayed away from the water for the past three weeks for a number of reasons. One reason, and the biggest reason, is that I was busy with my

Although it was rainy, the waves were actually quite
nice at the 43rd Street Jetty. The photo doesn't do it justice.

final weeks of training for the Marine Corps Marathon. Although my training went well, I didn't finish as fast as I had hoped. Although I planned for a 4:15, I didn't finish for thirty minutes after that. My final time was 4:44. It was a great run, though, and I would do it again if I had the chance even though it is impossible to PR because of the crowds and the hills. My favorite memories of this run will be the Marine Corps band playing the Marine Corps Hymn at about mile 10 and the Blue Mile that honored Marines who had lost their life serving the country. What a touching run it was! I will recommend this run to all my running friends. And, if I ever get a chance to run it again, I hope that I can get a better time.

This weekend has been a good weekend for waves. But before this weekend, we haven't had much for surfing, which is yet another reason I haven't been out. Beginning on Friday, the wind started blowing and the waves started building. Surfing reports on Friday suggested the current was strong and the waves were rough and surf would be better, hopefully, on Saturday. By the next morning, the waves looked much bigger, but the current and consistency of the waves looked rough. The forecast was for the waves to clean up a little, but they never did on Saturday. The next forecast suggested that Saturday would be the day that things cleaned up. And, while the waves were building, the weather was stagnate  and only offered clouds and rain. One forecaster said that the sun would start coming out on Sunday, but by this morning, it didn't look like it would be clearing soon. And, the current still looked awful.

I was determined to be in the water this weekend. I felt a little relieved when the weather didn't clear up and the waves didn't build on Saturday as first forecasted. I had a family party to attend that would take most of the days. Don't get me wrong, I love my family and the gatherings, but I would have been a little disappointed if I had missed the best wave of the week/month. I noticed late on Saturday, that the prediction for clean waves had been pushed to midday on Sunday. Perfect!! The weather forecasters had also said the weather would clear, which didn't happen at all. But, the waves cleaned up. Not only were the sets easy to read, the waves were big. The only problem I had was reading them correctly. I either paddled to soon or too late. I caught a couple but it was after they had broken. What a bummer! I need help with the timing aspect of surfing. I had fun nevertheless. And, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a few more waves at least one day this week. I love surfing!

Beginning to Get Colder Way Too Soon

I was excited that the waves from last week stayed around through the weekend. It has to do with the north winds and the beginning of the fall season. I've been a little sad since the days started getting shorter. I want the days to be long and the air to be warm. It's still rather warm right now, but the when the northers come through and the air temps are only in the 80s, I have to wear a long sleeved rash guard. After hearing about perfect waves all week, I went down after work on Friday, despite a report that the waves were dropping fast. I drove to the 43rd St. jetty to see what the waves were like. About seven other surfers were out. Most of them were on the east side of the jetty, but two of them were on the west side. They seemed to be having fun without all the problems facing the crowds on the east side of the jetty. So, I paddled out on the west side. I caught a wave almost immediately, but after that, I waited. I eventually caught another, but by that time, the other two surfers had moved to the east side of the jetty. I hung out a little longer on the west side, and caught another, but the waves were definitely getting smaller and coming through even more sporadically than when I first arrived, and definitely smaller and more sporadic than earlier in the day. I eventually moved to the east side and caught a few there. All in all, it was a wonderful day

By Sunday, the waves were as pretty as they had been during the week. I had some morning responsibilities but, fortunately, the waves held on until I made it down by 1:30. In fact, they were beautiful. I had received a text from dude Brian saying the waves were going flat and he was leaving the beach, but it looked great to me. I went out at 37th and, although there were three or four others already out, there were plenty of waves for everyone. By friend David also drove down and we spent the next couple of hours catching wait- to shoulder-high waves. The were fast and big. Had a BLAST! It was a great way to wrap up the weekend. The only negative aspect was that I had to wear a long sleeved rash guard for the first time this season. There was just enough coolness in the air to make being in the water cold. Bummer! Although it is flat right now in G-town, a north wind is blowing through, and this Friday afternoon is looking pretty nice on SwellInfo's forecast. Hmm. Despite my proclamation that I probably wouldn't be surfing on Friday until after my Marine Corps Marathon at the end of the month, I might have to make an exception this weekend. What the heck?!? I'll just have to go to bed earlier that night to rest and relax before my training run on Saturday. 22 miles of running the next day will definitely give me a workout.

Surfing Cozumel

Who knew that you could actually surf in Cozumel? When I decided that I would take a somewhat last-minute four-day cruise  to Cozumel, I started googling Cozumel surfing. Guess what I found? Well, of course, I was instantly connected to a surfing company…possibly the only surfing company…in Cozumel. Surfing with Nacho had several good TripAdvisor reviews, and some fun Facebook posts. However, the website for Cozumel Surfing did not have an email address, but rather one of those online forms. I immediately sent a note. I was confident that I would hear back within the week before I left for the cruise. But, I didn't. I left for my cruise, and there on the open seas, I receive a note from Nacho G., the surf guru of Cozumel. The spelling was off and I realized that English was definitely not his native language. I could understand what he was saying, though, and he was saying that he could, in fact, give me a surf lesson. I was ecstatic! I am always looking for an adventure.

Had a blast surfing in Cozumel.

When I got off the cruise ship, I took a taxi to the designated restaurant. I can't say that I wasn't a little hesitant and nervous at first, but once I made it to the restaurant and the head waiter knew Nacho, I realized everything would be okay. He took me to a quiet side of the island, far from the cruise ships.  It was beautiful. Waves were about three feet and powerful enough to help me up. I surfed wave after wave and, when necessary, Nacho would give me hints and suggestions. He also used my camera to shoot a few photos. He told me that he almost always has a camera with him, but that he didn't have it that day. I had my camera, though, and offered it to him. So, while I surfed, Nacho took a few photos. Had a fabulous time with Nacho and even learned a little, including a fast pop-up for gals with long legs that involves using one of my knees.  After the surf session, Nacho took me to a little beach-side bar that his cousin manages. What a wonderful experience. I keep thinking that Cozumel would be a great long-weekend surf destination.

Now that I'm back to reality in Texas, I'm waiting for some decent waves. Yesterday, there were a few surfable waves and, in order to loosen my legs after a long run and to strengthen my skills, I went out at 43rd. There was a surf reunion taking place with many older surfers from the '60s and '70s who hung out on the beach. Even though the waves were weak, some of the old surfers in town for the reunion had no problem surfing them. I was in awe of a couple of the older guys who seemed to easily catch the weakest of waves.  I paddled near them just to watch, and I'm so glad I did. They were smooth paddlers, and it didn't take much of a wave to give them a push. I learned from just watching. I caught several myself, and had a wonderful times! I just can't help feeling great after being in the water.

August Surf

At least this year, we have had a little rain. Thank goodness! Sometimes the small summer storms cause the waves to build a bit. Of course, we rarely get the strong, clean sets, but we do get some mushy waves that are, at least, surfable. Two weeks ago, I went with my friend, Dave, to G-town for a pre-work surf session one early Friday. He texted and said that after driving by 43rd and 36th, he thought the surf was better at 25th, also known as the Pleasure Pier, and formerly known as Flagship. Only a couple of other people were out on that early Friday morning at 25th, which left a lot of waves for many to catch. I took the rip current out and caught a wave right away. I knew it was going to be a good morning. Several more surfers came out, but there were enough waves for everyone. Dave also caught several too. As it turns out, I even got my picture taken by a local photographer/writer who writes surf reports and posts pictures online of surfers and other Gtown scenes. I didn't know until I received a text from Dave. After five years of trying, I finally made it on. He caught me on a good wave for Galveston, but I long for the day I can have a picture of me on a big wave. Hmmm…yeah, that would be nice.

By Sunday, the waves looked small…borderline surfable. A friend of mine and I decided to take our SUPs down for just some fun in the water. When we made it to 43rd, there was a little wave action. But, we were able to knee paddle out and then stand and paddle to our heart's content. Eventually, my friend who is quite good on the SUP, decided to take a surf lesson. The waves were perfect that day for lessons. She took one from my friend Brian who had her standing on the board and surfing in no time. I think I might have a new surf buddy, and I'm so glad.

This past Friday, the waves were back. While they had been bigger in the morning, they were still quite nice in the afternoon by the time I got finished from work, loaded the board and headed down. Thought about paddling out at 43rd until I saw about a dozen or more surfers already out there. I drove by 36th and saw two or three surfers out there also. Fortunately, only about two surfers were out at 25th. I immediately unloaded and paddled out. I caught a wave right away, but during the second paddle out, I realized that it was easier with the current and wind to paddle out closer to the pilings under the Pleasure Pier rather than the jetty. Brian, the surf dude, made it out. He suggested that the best place to be was in the corner pocket of the Pleasure Pier. Because of the way the wind was blowing, the waves were coming in from east. At first, it was just me and the surf dude, but after a short while, a couple of others paddled out to the pocket. One of the guys was a very good surfer who had no problem catching every wave. I pulled out of two waves because of him, and loudly protested. Once he noticed, he let me catch a few. Wow! One of the waves I caught reminded me why I love this sport. Hope to catch more waves this weekend.

July Doldrums: Missing the Waves

It sure is hot! For some reason, it seems warmer than I remember in a long while, and I'm less tolerant of it this year. I ran at 5:15 a.m. this morning and it seems crazy warm. I don't remember being so drenched with sweat after a run. I finished with six miles, which is what I had planned, but I wished I could have laid down on the bed for just a few minutes for a cat nap. I also had a busy day at work. I received a text message from a surfing friend saying that although the waves were small, He was able to surf early on. Sometimes I wish I lived a little closer to the beach so that I could more routinely show up for dawn patrol. But, I think it would still be a difficult thing to do because of the nature of my work.  I love working early in the morning. I get a lot of work completed before 8 a.m. But, still, it probably wouldn't hurt me to have a few mornings of dawn patrol. After all, I have vacation to burn so that I don't lose it when the new academic year begins Sept. 1.

I have not had many waves to surf the last month because of the summer doldrums…flat water due to lack of wind strength or bad wind direction. But, last Friday, I heard the waves were surfable. I looked at the webcam, but I didn't think they looked surfable. They looked a little too rough for an SUP, but not quite big enough for a surfboard. I took the advice of my friend, though, and loaded my 9'6" and headed to 43rd. I'm so glad I did. I met a friend who had been examining the waves before I got there. He suggested that since the tide was out, it might be easier to walk the board out further than usual. I followed his lead. It was the smart thing to do, and I'm glad he suggested. I caught several waves for the next couple of hours and had a great Friday afternoon. I would have preferred for the waves to be a little more defined and bigger, but at least I had something to surf. By Sunday, the waves were not strong or big enough to surf and a little too rough to use an SUP. The forecast for this weekend does not look good, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed. I desperately want to get back out in the water and SURF!

Really Small Waves and Some SUP Time

I have been wanting to surf. But, like always, when I am off, there are no waves. I know I have said/wrote it before: The best waves are always Wednesday mornings at 8 or 9 a.m., just as I am about to go to a meeting or right after I finish one. Therefore, I miss the good waves. Of course, no matter what day or time it is, I think many people think they miss the "good waves." I was determined last week to go to surf on Friday afternoon, which is my usual time for surfing. The forecast didn't look great, but by Friday morning, I could see a few little ripples out there. On the webcam Friday morning, it looked as thought a few people were out at 45th. I kept my fingers crossed that it would stay that way until I got off work on Friday afternoon. I originally had planned to got to Surfside, but with the waves being "iffy" at best, I decided Galveston was my best option. Made it to 43rd around 2:30 p.m. and worried that I had almost missed them all. However, I paddled out and noticed there were a few little peelers just for me. I got caught on the inside once, causing me to flip under the water and lose my sunglasses even though they were on a string around my neck. I am always caught off-guard when these things happen. Never even saw this happen. I caught a few little waves and had lots of fun. The beach was quite full because of summer vacations, but I was still able to get out past the crowds in the water. One young lady was out (Autumn) and she was making the waves look pretty and easy. I was in awe of her abilities. A couple of young boys were also out and, of course, they told me how the waves had been bigger in the morning. I chuckled. The only other eventful thing that happened was when the key I wear around my neck became detached from the ribbon it was on and, in slow motion, fell first to the top of the board just as a wave was coming in. Of course, I never saw it again. But, after a $115 visit from a locksmith, I was able to get back in my car. All in all, it was a wonderful afternoon.

By Sunday, it was even smaller than Friday. I loaded up my SUP and met a friend at 43rd for a quick morning session. We had a ball. I hadn't been out on my SUP in awhile, and I still have a lot of learning to do, but I still had fun. I fell off the board twice -- once when I was was wading through the white wash to get out past the break, and another time when my board was knocked awry by the beginning of a wave. If the waves had been a little bigger and stronger, I would have definitely been surfing, but the waves weren't really breaking until they got closer to shore. I started to question my decision of buying such a short SUP, but at the same time, I realize that if the board was bigger, I would definitely have trouble loading and unloading. I think my friend had fun too. As the summer flat spell hangs on as it usually does in July, I'm so glad I can least go out and SUP.

Remembering Where I'm From and Watching Fireworks

What a busy and exciting week! I decided for the first time in three years to return to the Smoky Mountains for some hiking. It hasn't exactly been three years since I went hiking, but it has been three years since I had been to the Smokies. It was nice to be back on the trails I had hiked many times before, as well as to try a few that I had never set foot on before. I had a couple of unusual things happen during a particular long and treacherous hike. At about mile 6, my phone rang. What makes this unusual is that I hadn't had much of a signal most of the time we had been in the mountains. In a strange turn of events, it was a newspaper editor calling about my job at the university…he wanted to know if the university would be open the next day because of a forecasted tropical storm approaching the area. I explained I had no idea and that I was in the mountains. What I can't quite figure out about it, is how I was able to receive a call in the middle of a forested trail in the mountains. I hadn't been able to  get a signal during most of the trip and, now, in the middle of a hike, I was able to get a call. Then, about a mile later, my right hiking boot feels odd so I stop to check it out. Thinking I had a rock caught in the tread of my shoe, I expected to dislodge the rock and keep on; that is, until I realize that the tread of my boot had come detached from most of the shoe except the toe. I just shook my head. What is most odd about all of this is that, for the first time, I had packed my trail running shoes in my backpack. I'm not sure why I did it, but I was incredibly happy that I had. Once I changed into the trail runners, I realized how heavy my hiking boots were, and how light the trail runners are. I was light on my feet and almost immediately decided that the next pair of trail shoes I would get, would not be high boots, but a lighter weight, lower cut hiking shoe. The hike became much easier with the lighter shoes, which is a good thing since the trail we were on turned into a a difficult one with multiple downed trees, high weeds, lots of stinging nettle and a little poison ivy. All of those on the hike made it through even though we were crawling, climbing and high-stepping through the trail. In the end, it would go down as one of the all-time best 10-mile hikes I had ever been on, with just enough intrigue to keep me on my toes.

I returned to Texas on that Thursday (6/18)…after the storm had passed. I had already decided that

I paddled out at 37th and had fun!

Friday would be a surf day and, fortunately, there were a few waves. They definitely were not as big or well-formed as they had been just before the Tropical Storm was about to come through. But, at least there were waves. I traveled to 37th, paddled out about 150 feet to the east of the jetty and, almost immediately, began to catch waves. Needless to say, it was a great ending to the week. I even rode earlier that morning, which meant that during the week, I had already hiked, biked and surfed. I was having a stellar week. And, a fun one. I ran on Saturday morning before going to my family's church to help with their rummage sale. My mother had requested my assistance some time ago, but I had forgotten about the sale. Since it had been scheduled at three other times and then canceled because of rain, when she called me on Tuesday of the week before, I knew that there was no way for me to get out of it. And, I'm glad I didn't. It turned into a beautiful day at the church in which I grew up…the church in which I was confirmed. I saw people I hadn't seen in a long time as well as met new people. I watched my mom compassionately lower prices on clothing priced at a quarter for people who didn't have a spare 25 cents. It was a humbling, yet wonderful experience. And it was good to be with my kind and loving mom.

Later that evening, I did something else fun. Let me backtrack a little. A couple of weeks ago while surfing social media, I found a link to a night-time SUP tour in Galveston. I couldn't resist. I signed up immediately and persuaded a friend she needed to go also. What a fun evening! We met with the tour leader at the Offatts Bayou parking lot on 61st Street. They brought us 11'2" SUPs and we launched from the boat ramp. we paddled to Moody Gardens and waited for the weekly fireworks display to begin at 9:30ish. Saturday evening was beautiful and when it came time for the fireworks, we locked our SUPs together by putting one end on top of the end of another. Then we each leaned back and watched the fireworks, which appeared to be right overhead. I never saw fireworks so close. It was as if the show was just for us. We then paddled back to the boat dock to unload. The only scary part was making sure that the boats passing by could either see us or hear us. I would probably buy a waterproof headlamp for the next time…and I definitely plan for a next time. I'm hoping to do it again another night this summer. Until then, I can just close my eyes and relive the bright and beautiful lights as I remember them.

One Early Morning

May is such busy month. Since I work at university, it's the end of the spring semester, which means we celebrate commencement and all it entails. I have to admit that it's a fun month. Watching students who have worked hard, most of whom have full-time jobs and families, fulfill their educational dreams is a great experience. I've worked at least three 13+-hour days and partial weekends, so my surf time has been seriously limited. And, then, this weekend when I finally have a break, I have a cold or allergies or whatever else causes a stuffy nose, scratchy throat and watery eyes. I hate the way it makes me feel. I would have definitely gone out to surf Friday if it weren't for this stuff. And Saturday. Today, it was flat, but I would have still gone out…probably on my SUP. The forecast for the rest of this week is about the same as today: FLAT, FLAT and FLATTER. Oh my!

I was glad that I went out surfing one morning last week before work.  I had received an email on

Hang 10 for sure

Monday afternoon from my friend at work who surfs. He said that the forecast for that afternoon and the next morning looked good. I pulled out my phone and verified what he was saying. And, after further investigating by visiting webcams and three other surf reports, I knew he was right. I agreed to meet him the next morning at 6:30 a.m. Early the next morning, he texted that the surf wasn't quite as good as it was the afternoon before, but that there were still some nice waves at the 61st Street Pier. I agreed to meet him there and, although I had never really surfed there before, was able to find the best place to set up and wait for the wave. I took the rip current out and got in the lineup. At 6:30, there was only one other person out. We chose the west side of the jetty because we thought it looked cleaner. Had a blast! I caught several wonderful waves that morning, including one that I thought was my best ride ever. I felt like the wave allowed me the best pop up ever and the ride seemed to last forever. It was, quite possibly, the best start to any day. I was at my desk by 10 a.m. I hope to start my day this way several times this summer. However, it looks like it won't happen this week.

The Last of the Wetsuits for the Season?

Texas is about to move from spring to summer. It's a little muggier than it has been so far this year. Up until now, we've enjoyed milder temps and a little rain. But things changed this last week. Humidity is higher as are the warm temps. Usually, the winds have calmed a little by May, but this year, they are blowing hard and strong. Of course, that means that the water in the Gulf is being tossed about like it is in a blender. It has been incredibly choppy lately and this past weekend was no different. The forecast showed decent sized waves, but they lacked form. That wasn't stopping some of the regular surfers. Beginning last Friday, I was seeing and reading online about all the surfers going out. I could see the line-up. The truly gifted surfers were whipping in and out of the waves, making the mushy waves look like perfect lines and, not only that, they were all just in suits -- not wetsuits necessary. Just watching them on the cam made me realize I would need to go surfing over the weekend. Since it was Mother's Day weekend, I had a feeling that getting out on Sunday would be difficult. Not only would I have family activities with my mom, but it would also be crowded on the beach. As for crowds, Saturday wasn't much better. I know, because that was when I decided to go out. 

This photo is an old one, but reflects
what the waves have looked like
lately…very choppy!

I had a bicycle ride early Saturday and fought the same wind that was churning the waves. When I finished my 48 miles, relaxed and watched other surfers catching waves on the webcams, I decided that I needed to make a trip. I was so glad I did. Because of the wind, I took "Sunshine," the 8'1" board. I haven't been out on the McTavish for a while. But, I knew that carrying any of the boards in the crazy wind would not be easy -- the smaller the better. The paddle-out was rough, but I made it to the outside, and remembered what I liked about the board. About four or five other surfers were already on the outside. I spoke with one of the surfers, and he said that it was absolutely necessary to catch these waves before they broke. Of course, as soon as he said that I saw a wave coming and started paddling. I caught it, stumbled on my pop-up because of the smaller board and surfed left. I eventually fell off. That would be my ride for the day. I had one more short pop-up/ride, but, basically, I just paddled around. And, that was okay. I had fun, and got reacquainted with my board. I stayed out a little over an hour before I had to pack up. I was keeping my fingers crossed that I might be able to make it back out on Sunday. But, alas, my Mother's Day schedule was just too tight to squeeze in a quick trip to G-town. I'm hoping to make it down one night after work, but with the weather forecast so dismal, I may not get to make it down. Keeping my fingers crossed for next weekend. Here's hoping!!! 

April Showers Bring May Waves???

Rain and a busy schedule has kept me from surfing, and I'm really starting to miss being in the water. Thought this weekend and last weekend would give me at least one successful surf day, but I was wrong. With Easter and several other activities last weekend, I probably wouldn't have had time anyway, but this weekend, I had time to go down on Friday evening, Saturday afternoon or even this morning. I kept my eye on the webcam. Friday, during the day, several surfers went out and had a great time. I watched them on the webcam, but I couldn't leave work until 4 and, by then, the waves were gone and the rain was beginning. I was bummed that I missed it, but thought that after my run on Saturday, I would certainly be able to get in some surfing. By Saturday, the waves were still gone. It was very windy, so the water was rough, but no waves were forming.

I then thought that perhaps I would get a chance to surf on Sunday, but, again, waves were a mess. But….jump ahead to next weekend.

New post -- April 23

I started this post two weeks ago when finding waves was impossible. However, last weekend was a different story. I decided to take a weekend trip to Galveston. I registered for a half marathon that would start in downtown and then take runners to the Seawall before landing them back downtown. I ran the Diva Half Marathon last year, and because the run ended with the death of another runner, I knew that I needed to run it again just so that my last memory of it wouldn't be of a young girl dropping dead. I took last Friday off from work and made it to the island early on Friday morning to get in some surfing. Waves were disorganized, but at least there were waves. I went out on the east side of 43rd and caught a few. However, I kept feeling like it was carrying me close to the jetty because of the wave direction, which was definitely pushing west. I changed sides and went out on the west side, and even caught a few there. I missed several also just because of my inability to accurately read the wave. I was chilly when I arrived so I wore my 3-2. Since air temps were a little cool, I knew that with water temps in the 70s, I would be cold. I'm glad I wore it. Had a blast. I still need to work on my turning though. I always seem to ride toward shore. I might ride the wave at a little bit of an angle, but I always end up close to shore as if I'm just riding it straight in. I know I'm getting better, but I still have a long way to go.

Since I was staying in Galveston, I couldn't resist going out again on Saturday. I knew that I wouldn't have a chance to surf after my run on Sunday, so I decided to ride my bike down the beach to see where the best waves were. As it turns out, the best waves looked like they were across the street from the hotel at 51st Street jetty. I had never surfed there, but quite a few surfers were already out there. By the time, I changed into my suit and my shorty (my 3-2 was still wet) and headed out. I thought I would be cold, but I wasn't. Well, I was cool right at first, but I warmed up in no time. The waves had subsided quite a bit, but I still had fun. It felt good to be out two days in a row. I'm not sure that surfing two days in a row helped my run the next day, but I sure had fun. It was a great weekend.

Another new post…April 26

Now, jump ahead again, to this weekend. This morning (Sunday) I heard there were waves. I didn't believe it. The webcam didn't show very many waves. It looked flat to me despite a text from a Gtown friend who said he was going out. I had a crazy day planned, but I decided to head down and, just in case, I opted to take my SUP instead. Once I arrived there, though, I was wishing I had one of my other boards. The waves were, in fact, nice little peelers. A ton of people were out. I was glad I was there. And, I definitely needed the SUP practice. I'm thinking about talking lessons. I struggle surfing waves on it. I can catch them, but I don't get into the surfing stance fast enough. I feel a couple of times just because it was rougher than it usually is when I'm on my SUP. I saw an old friend who was in town, so even though I missed the surfing, it was still a great morning.

(Sorry to anyone who might be reading this confusing post. I need to get back into a regular pattern of posting. I need to stop letting life get int the way.)

Spring Excellence…Well Kind Of

Waves were a little mushy,
 but still surfable. It felt good
to be out surfing again.

Three weeks have flown by since I've been surfing. Rain, no wind, no waves and cold have been keeping me and everyone else who wanted to surf away from the beach. I've missed it. I've stayed busy  with my other sports. I've continued to run and cycle, and when that wasn't possible, I attended spin class. I definitely kept active, but was dreaming about being back out in the water. The forecast for this weekend did not look promising on Surfline early last week, but, by Friday, Sunday looked like it would be the best day of the two. I was beyond happy. I wanted to surf.

Sure enough, when Sunday arrived, I looked at the webcam and could see some ripples. Surf reports indicated that it was, in fact, surfable on a longboard. I couldn't wait to get out. I had some early morning conflicts so I couldn't make it down to the island until later…until mid-morning, around 11 a.m. I drove to 43rd, but it looked crowded already by the time I got there. So, I kept driving. I made it to 37th Street jetty, and, while the surf didn't look quite as big/strong, there was only one other person out in that spot. I was sure it was the best place for me.

I went out on the east side of the jetty because of the direction of the wind. However, I didn't feel like the rip current was very helpful getting out. It was better just to watch the sets and choose the right time to get out. I paddled out to the end of the jetty and was quickly swept toward the west by the current. The waves were mushy and not very powerful, but everyone once in awhile, the right wave would pick me up and I was able to surf it. I felt wonderful out in the water. And, the air was warm and the water was warmer than it had been. For the first time this season, I was able to wear my 3-2 again rather than my 5-4. That's always a good thing. I can move better. Surf has been "okay" so far since Sunday. I'm hoping I can make it out this weekend, but I'm not sure I will have the time. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. I want to get back in the pattern of surfing twice or three times a week. And, when there are waves, I need make the most of it. Happy Easter!

Wind, Waves and Wintry Weather

Once upon a time, a gal wanted to strengthen her surf skills so she decided to pick a couple of days week to chase waves. However, because of the beach she was forced to choose, she didn't get to hone her skills the way she had hoped. Oh well! The past few weekends have been flat. The waves have

I was forced to wear a 5-4 wetsuit. Brrr...

only made an appearance at 10 a.m. on Wednesdays when I'm at work. But this weekend was a little different. A strong south wind had sprung up by the end of last week and by Saturday, it had kicked up quite a bit of action. Surf forecasters had said that by Saturday afternoon, the waves would be head high. Several of my surf friends on Facebook were excitedly anticipating the waves and posting their surf plans. I decided I would need to wait until Sunday because of conflicting Saturday plans. And the forecast for Sunday was going to be about the same.

I was in the water by 10:30 a.m. on Sunday. Several surfers were already out, and I stood on the seawall a few minutes to see how I would go out. The waves were crazy. They looked big, but soft. I was just trying to figure out how to get out past the rough waves to the outside. And, that would be my biggest dilemma for the day. I took the rip current out the first couple of times and had no trouble, but after about 45 minutes, the waves got even rougher. The rip current even got a little rough. The tide and the wind kept pushing me into the jetty, which I hate because the barnacles and rocks cut my hands and feet. I was tired before I made it all the way out. I decided to just stay on the inside to catch re-forms or white water, which included some fun waves. However, I am a little disappointed that I couldn't make it out, and I'm angry with myself for giving up. I should have kept trying to get to the outside, forcing myself to swim past/through the waves. On hindsight, I'm worried that I gave up too soon. Although, the air temp was in the low 70s, the water rep was still quite cold. Because of that, I was forced to wear my 5-4 wetsuit, which also seems to make it more difficult to paddle because it constricts my movement a little. Can't wait until it gets warm enough to either wear a 3-2 or not even need a wetsuit. I'm definitely ready for spring/summer.

Surf reports for this weekend show another weekend of waves, with 5+ foot waves forecasted. Not sure if the report will hold, but I think there will be some sort of wave action. Right now it is FLAT, but a slight wind shift is all that is needed for the waves to be generated. I'll just have to wait and see how big the waves get.