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!

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.

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.

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.

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!

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!

Gulf Storm Waves

A little more than five years ago, Hurricane Ike hit Galveston. Although I had a safe evacuation that actually turned into a mildly entertaining visit with some good friends in downtown Houston, the experience caused disruption in many lives including mine. Quite a few people suffered as did several I loved dearly, but it definitely could have been worse. I hadn't begun surfing at the time, but I do remember seeing surfers taking advantage of the waves caused by the storm. Now, as a surfer, I hear other surfers talk about storms from a different perspective. It's all about the waves. I don't think I'm ever going to be crazy enough to head to Galveston when I should be evacuating elsewhere, but I can't help but be a little excited when a storm that isn't near us cause some building waves in Galveston. Don't get me wrong, I do not like the idea of others being devastated by a storm, but when a storm has formed in the southernmost portion of the Gulf, I can only hope that it doesn't come our way and that it will, perhaps, build some waves. Tropical Storm and then Hurricane Ingrid churned in the Gulf this past weekend and waves developed. Friday morning might have been the prettiest morning for surfing, but I couldn't make it to the island until the afternoon. I agreed to take an extra board for one of the young gals from my neighborhood. She has surfed a few times so she wasn't going to need my assistance, just one of my boards. So I loaded up Roxanne for me and my Softop, Iris, for her and met her at 36th. Because of the waves, the 43rd Street jetty was packed, which is why I headed to 36th, met my friend Brian and eventually met up with the young gal from my neighborhood. I had a ball. The toughest part about 36th is that there is no jetty with a rip current to get to the outside. Paddling out at 36th means timing the sets and making it through the waves as they break. Despite that, I caught many waves that day, and had a great time. I still need practice on my pop-up and also getting down on the board to paddle back out after the wave is past. I'm sure some day I'll get it all figured out. Until then, I'll just have fun practicing.

The next morning, I had a run in Galveston. I competed in the Press Run put on by the Galveston County Daily News. It was a 10K and my only complaint about the run is that it started at 8 a.m. rather than 7 a.m., which is crazy in September in southeast Texas because of the HEAT. The cause was a good one though. The run raised money to put newspapers (electronic and paper) in local schools. I was even willing to add money to the entry fee for this noble cause. I ran a pretty good race even though I had to stop and walk during my second climb over the Causeway. I finished 1st in my age group, 8th in all the women and 23rd overall. I wasn't convinced that I had actually one first in my age group though because there was a runner listed above me. However, she wasn't ranked. Not sure why, but I was presented the first place medal and it was fun. I can only imagine how fast I might have run if I hadn't overheated and walked a short distance. After I finished the run, I decided to go back down to the beach to have fun in the storm waves. I heard that the waves were cleaner earlier in the morning, but by the time I made it there at 10:30 a.m., they still looked pretty clean to me. I made it out on the west side of the 43rd St. jetty and managed to catch a couple of fabulous waves when I suddenly started feeling weak. Unfortunately, it affected the rest of my weekend. I'm guessing I overheated and dehydrated. I heard that the waves on Sunday were messy so I didn't miss much. And today looked incredibly rough even though the storm had moved ashore in Mexico, but they should be calming a little later this week. And, I can't wait!

On the Board Again at Last!

FINALLY! After three weeks of flatness, today I found waves at the 43rd Street jetty. The Surfline forecast has looked dismal, and it has actually been quite accurate. I don't remember having this many days during the summer unsurfable, not that I've been surfing for that long. However, for the past four years, I could always count on a few windblown peaks during July and August on my usual Friday afternoon and early Sunday morning outings that I could play around on with a long enough board. That has not been the case this summer. The only small, rideable waves have come during the week when I am at work. If I understand it all properly, a high pressure system has been sitting over part Texas and the Gulf, which has kept the wind from circulating the right direction and kicking up the waves.

I have a general workout plan each week. I usually run early on Saturdays before going to my bicycle rides; on Sundays I surf, while Monday is a rest day; on Tuesday, I cycle; on Wednesday, I run; on Thursday, I cycle; and Fridays I surf. My schedule has been strange lately, so my workout schedule has been a little skewed, but, most of all, Galveston hasn't had any waves during my regular surfing time. Because of rain yesterday, I didn't get to run and decided I would do it on Sunday. After all, Surfline was forecasting really small, slow surf, which means I probably wasn't going to need to hurry home and load up the board. 5:15 a.m. came early, but I knew my only chance for running would be if I got out of the house early before it became unbearably hot. By the time I returned from my 4.25-mile, I had a text from surfer "dude" letting me know that the surf was the best it had been for the past few days. (It wasn't great, but it was surfable!) So, I headed down to G-town.

I wish I knew psychic who
could tell me when
I would have waves.

Just as I was pulling up to the seawall, I received a text from an old friend I hadn't seen for a couple of years. He said he was in town and wanted to know how the surf was. I said that we had waves for the first time in weeks and noticed, to my surprise, that he had pulled in behind me to park. I was thrilled to see him. He moved to Dallas a couple of years ago and doesn't get to surf as often as he likes. I ran into several other friends, who had also just arrived. Everyone was excited to finally have waves on the weekend. Initially, I struggled because the waves lacked force. My timing was a little off also. However, after about 20 minutes, I caught my first wave and the rest of the morning was a blast! I, literally, dropped in on a few waves that allowed me to turn and guide my board. I received some good advice from a surfing friend who suggested I would probably catch more waves if I scooted my body up on the board. I did it and caught the next wave. It allowed the board to be "picked up" since the back was slightly up higher for the wave. I realized, though, that in that position I had to get up quickly or I would pearl. All in all it was a great morning.

Good friends AND waves! Who could ask for more?

Restless

After surfing,  I usually
spend a little time relaxing
with a sandwich. This
is a sign from one of my
favorite places.

Sometimes, no matter how good things seem, I want something more. I should be perfectly happy that I get to surf at all, but, no, I want to surf more and I want to surf whenever the waves are perfect and not just when I have time. Oh my! Last week, it became painfully obvious that I wasn't going to have the time to go surfing on Friday. I needed to spend some time with family and Friday was the only day I had for it. I checked the surf report, and it looked as though there would be waves on Thursday. And, there were. It was choppy, but at least the waves were ride-able...if you could make it out. I struggled with the current, but still managed to catch one or two; although, I must admit that most of them were whitewater by the time they reached me. I made it to the outside, but I still caught most of my waves after they broke. It seemed that no matter where I was, the wave broke just before me. I caught one or two as they were breaking and had a ball. Those were my longest rides. I turned some and tried to get a good position on my board. Had a ball! It just feels good to be out there. I surfed on the east side of the 36th street jetty, and I'm so glad I had the opportunity to get out there. I hear that the waves Friday morning were better with the wind being slightly out of the north, but I don't care 'cause at least I got to surf.

Rain tapped the window early on Sunday morning, but by the time I got out of bed, it was more than a tap. It poured. The surf looked "okay" early on, but I didn't feel like loading up to go all the way down just to find out that it was lightning and that I couldn't go in the water. I waited until the storms let up and checked the webcam again. By about noon, it looked windier but less stormy. So, I packed up Roxanne (my 9') and headed to 43rd. At least five other surfers were in the water when I got there. While watching the webcam, I had noticed quite a few go out and leave, but the place was never empty. I think all of the weekend warriors like me were just glad to have something to surf. I hadn't surfed at 43rd in awhile since I had been surfing at 36th. I felt like I had come back home. On rough days, like Sunday, I enjoy having the rip current to take me out. I'm not sure I caught any of the waves that day as they were breaking (maybe one), but I had so much fun. I didn't have a lot of time, but I tried to make the most of it. Although I was surrounded by very experienced surfers, I never felt uncomfortable. And, I seemed to catch as many as them, even if I was catching the waves after they broke. One of the regular surfers there that day told me that I would be better off if I bent down a little more to lower my center of gravity. That's interesting since I had been told by someone else that I needed to stand straighter. I thin I understood what the Sunday "dude" was telling me though. I just need to work on bending lower in my knees. I didn't mind the critique at all since I'm sure he has been surfing much longer AND more often than me. I only get down to the beach a couple of times a week and he probably makes it down every day. I just have to keep trying!

I'm anxious to go somewhere again so that I can surf in calmer, formed waves like those surfing in the Pacific get to experience. I'm thinking about combining two of my sports in September by possibly running a marathon in Costa Rica and then going surfing. Not sure if I will get to do it, but I sure like planning as if I can. It gives me hope and makes me smile! I might want more, but I definitely need to realize that life is good and that the waves I have are better than no waves at all.

Climate Change?

A favorite bumper sticker

Winter generally brings well-formed waves. Of course, most of the time a person has to be out on the board at just the right time in the winter to catch the beautiful, well-formed waves. For the past few years, I've been lucky enough to catch remnants of waves over the weekends in winter. I probably surfed two out of four weekends each year between November and March. This year though, that has been impossible. It's been flat for weeks on end and any cold fronts have moved in either too strong or during the middle of the week, with the waves disappearing quickly. I surfed a few weeks ago on a Wednesday morning, but it's been flat ever since. Well, there have been some waves a few early mornings, but it was during my busy work time. When the south winds returned today, I knew that some sloppy, but rideable waves would appear. Everyone is predicting some really nice waves tomorrow morning at approximately 8 a.m. when a cold front pushes through, but because I won't be able to be there, I decided I would settle for the less desirable waves this afternoon. I wasn't the only one out. I saw a few more surfers already in the water when I arrived at about 4:30. They must have been as desperate as I was.  I had my 5-4 and my 3-2 with me and, at the last minute, opted for my 3-2. On hindsight, I would have probably been warmer in my 3-2, but because it is so much easier to move in the 3-2, I'm glad I had it, and I'm glad I wore it. (Water temp was about 60 degrees and the air temp was about 68 degrees.)

I took the rip current out and, all in all, had a blast. I didn't catch any breaking waves, but I had fun in some fast, strong white water. I had a hard time judging the waves so when I went for a breaking waves, my timing was off. I just need more time in the water to fix that. And, that's unlikely since I'm so dependent on the waves that work with my schedule. I fumbled during my first pop up, but didn't have any problems with the the other fun rides. I had a blast, and it was so good to be back in the water. Next week is spring break, and I can smell the new season in the air. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for this Friday.

Last week, I had a discussion with someone about the lack of waves and climate change. During the discussion, my friend voiced his concern about the possibility of waves always disappearing in the winter time because of some major weather/climate change. I hope that is not true. For now, though, I'll just wait for spring and summer and strong south-wind-blowing, messy waves like I had tonight.

Yet Another Weekend at the Beach

A great image I saw on the door
of a surf shop in California

I was sure that this weekend would be a bust at the beach. The surf forecasts weren't great; although, they did show some bumpy stuff on Sunday with a big chance of rain. However, the forecast wasn't completely correct. On Friday, I spoke to Brian who said that the while the waves weren't great, they were certainly surfable. That was all I had to hear. I needed to surf! Although my week wasn't particularly tough, I still had a busy one. And I look forward to surfing away the stress on Fridays and Sundays. On Saturdays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, I cycle away the stress, while on Wednesdays and Saturdays I let go of stress while running. Unlike my other sports though, I'm completely dependent on mother nature for surfing. This time of year, surfers like me are waiting for the cold fronts to come through and bring in north winds that cause pretty sets and bigger waves. No front this weekend, at least, not until late tonight. So, I had to surf the raucous waves being stirred up by the east/southeast winds.

Lots of people were out on Friday, probably because the Gulf had been flat for a few days. People were just happy to finally have waves. Instead of going out with all the others, Brian suggested that I surf at 45th Street. The only bad thing about that is I don't have a rip current next to a jetty to help me easily out into the waves. I was back to maneuvering my way to the outside through a beach-breaking waves, just like last week in California. I managed to do okay, although I must admit to being caught on the inside and falling a few times. I also had a couple of mishaps when catching the waves that caused me to pearl, which is something that hasn't happened in a while. The waves were hard to read and would occasionally close out way too fast for me. I saw "the dude" pearl twice too, and I've never seen him pearl. One time, I asked him what happened. He just said, "I pearled." He offered no explanation, but I'm sure it had to do with the "inconsistency" of the waves.

Sunday, was a little better. Although rain had been forecasted, it never materialized. I surfed at the 43rd Street jetty, where the waves were rough, but accessible. I caught my first wave, but the rest of the day, I only caught the the powerful whitewash from the waves. Had a ball though! I paddled to the outside several times (waves were breaking way out) and caught some powerful whitewash and practiced turning and standing positions. I'm sure there is still quite a bit I can do to improve my pop-up. I continue to work on looking forward instead of to the left side so that I can get a better position on my board. I think I'm still bending too much from my waist forward and not from my knees. I can't complain though. I had a lot of fun in the water today.

My big concern lately has to do with my left leg or rather hip. I first blamed running for the pain I was having on the inside and outside of my thigh where my leg met the hip bone. But, it didn't hurt after my half marathon last weekend, so it had to be my cycling. However, it didn't hurt bad after my ride yesterday. I hadn't thought at all that it might be from surfing, but it's really bothering me tonight. My board is attached to my left leg, but I can't really understand why that would cause it to hurt. Even when the board gets away from me and yanks at my leg when caught in a wave, it doesn't feel like it is pulling my leg very hard. And, why would that be bothering me now after four years? Hmmm...I'm going to have to give this some thought. I have a few weeks before my next big surfing trip. Hope I can figure it out before then.

Hurricane Waves, Three-Day Weekends

Hurricane Isaac waves had been forecasted this past week! Local surfers, including me, were anxiously awaiting them. Last Monday morning the north winds started blowing a little, and before you knew it, sets were clean. However, the forecasted swell never really occurred. The high pressure over us kept the waves from building. That doesn't mean there wasn't anything to surf though. Surfers were out on Monday, and one of the surfers that hangs out at 43rd said that he surfed for five hours straight. I had an after-work commitment that night, so I knew that all of my "Isaac" surfing would have to be done on Tuesday afternoon/evening. I kept my fingers crossed that there would still be waves and, fortunately, I found that there were. By looking at the webcam, I could see that the 43rd Street jetty and the 25th Street Pleasure Pier/Flagship had an overabundance of surfers. Surfers Bob P. and Brian thought we should go to 36th Street, and that was a good call. We found only a couple of other surfers at that spot, which made the evening much more pleasant. And, even though I don't have the rip current to pull me out like I do when I'm at 43rd, I like it there because it seems much more "open." (I'm sure this feeling of openness has something to do with me being goofy-footed and crazy idea I have that, as a goofy-footer, I need open space to the left of me -- a space that I don't usually get when I have a jetty with which to contend.) I surfed until the sun started going down (about 2 to 2 1/2 hours) and had a ball. I love it when I can read the waves and, when I pop up, have the room to maneuver any way I see fit. What a great night!

By Friday, the regular choppy mess was back, as was the wind. The wind messed up the waves in a bad way. I was very disappointed. For the first time in a long time, I was going to be working in the afternoon and evening, which meant I was going to have the morning free. I very seldom have an opportunity to go surfing early in the morning during the week, so I was really looking forward to it. Oh well! My surf report was bad, so I just stayed home. Saturday morning's surf report wasn't any better, but by Saturday afternoon, the waves were nice. Unfortunately, I already had plans. Even if I hadn't though, I probably wouldn't have gone simply because of the Labor Day weekend crowds. My plan was to get up bright and early and head to Galveston on Sunday and hope for the best.

That's exactly what I did. I was on the island by 7:15 a.m., which allowed me to have prime parking and get out in the water with fewer surfers. Two were in the water when Dude Brian showed up and he  and I paddled out. The WSW winds made the waves a mess! And, just about every time I made it to the end of the jetty, I was pushed halfway down the beach. I got pummeled by waves a couple of times...one time so hard that my eye even hurt as if I had been punched. However, I caught more than I missed. I had to paddle a lot to stay in a surf-able spot. Dude Brian went way to the outside, while I stayed just to the end of the jetty, which meant I was outside, but not quite as far as Brian. He eventually went in and others replaced him. After about three hours, it was quite crowded. My surfing friend Bob H. made it out. (I met him on the beach a couple of years and see him while surfing from time to time.) He is an outstanding surfer and fun to watch. He and a couple of the other guys made it look easy. And, even though I caught some waves, I still wish I could have caught them as often and as easily as they did. Since tomorrow is a holiday, I could go surfing again. However, the forecast suggests more southwest winds. I worked so hard paddling today, though, that if the winds are as bad as they say they might be, I will probably take it easy on the arm exercises and, instead, give my legs the workout by participating in one of my other favorite sports -- cycling. I love three-day weekends!

Back to the Murky Waves of Galveston

I had beautiful waves in San Francisco, but I was definitely ready to return to my home break this Friday. After all, even though the sets/waves wouldn't be as pretty as San Fran, I definitely wouldn't have to put on a wetsuit. I probably won't need a wetsuit in Galveston until November and, even then, it probably will be only a springsuit until late December when I wear my 3-2. I won't need my 5-4 again (I HOPE) until mid-January. Dude B. says the water is cooling in Galveston, and I found that hard to believe until I went down on Friday afternoon. It is a little cooler...by Galveston standards.  By cooler I mean that instead of feeling like I was stepping into a murky bowl of steaming soup, it felt more like I was actually stepping into a pool. Water temp is about 86 degrees.

Dude B. called on Friday to say that the waves were pretty decent despite the picture that was appearing on G-Town Surf. He said the sets were fairly clean and breaking outside of the camera picture. When I got to the 43rd St. jetty, I saw what he was talking about. I think the sets had slowed considerably, but they were still there. I unloaded Roxanne and took her out. I caught a wave right away, but it fizzled. I got a ride though and even tried to extend the ride by stepping forward on the board. However, I either didn't step forward quick enough or the wave really was fizzling out, 'cause I couldn't extend the ride. Oh well! I caught several waves that day, and received some compliments. The planets must have been aligned for my success, 'cause while one of the lifeguards was walking out on the jetty to do a water check, he saw me paddling back out and stopped to talk to me. He said it looked as though I was the only one at the time that was catching any waves. I wasn't sure. I saw several surfers out, but only noticed one who seemed to catch quite a few waves. By the time, Dude B. made it out again to surf with me, I was catching waves quite consistently. They were very small waves, but waves nevertheless. The second compliment of the day came from one of the little boys playing in the water. I had seen him a couple of times when I was making my way in to catch the rip current back out into the waves. He turned to his mother and said, "I want to surf like her." Now, I would like to say that I had a stellar day! But, it wasn't the greatest. It certainly wasn't the worst, but things must have been just perfect when people saw me surf. The waves were small, and I'm guessing that those watching were just excited 'cause ANYone was able to surf them.  I paddled hard to catch them.  And, I missed many. I certainly didn't catch as many as Dude B., who manages to catch just about everything he attempts to surf. All in all, I had a ball and it was great getting back out.

By today (Sunday), it was flat again. Later this afternoon, I noticed that the waves were building but, by then, it was too late for me to load up and get down to 43rd. Oh well! I had a full weekend. I ran and cycled (more than 95 miles) this weekend. And, I'm looking forward to next weekend.