Cold, Flat Days and Missed Opportunities

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

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

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

Wishing for Warmth and Waves

Alas! Once again, whenever I'm off, it's flat. And, when I'm working, the waves return. Lately, I haven't event been able to get off to make a quick trip to G-town for surf. I've also been fighting a cold for the past week-and-a-half. Gosh....sounds like all I can do is complain. I certainly don't mean to sound like a whiner. It just happens sometimes; especially if I haven't been able to surf. I think it was mid-November the last time I made it out. I know there were some waves this past weekend. The "dude," Brian, told me that he made it out on Saturday.  I was JEALOUS! Since my cold had made breathing optional for me and because I had a ton of things to do before I went to a holiday party that night, I decided it wouldn't be smart for me to go to surfing. I lusted after the waves by checking the Internet, in particular Gtownsurf.com, all day. Numerous surfers were out. Dude B. stayed away from 43rd because of the crowds (yes, everyone with a surfboard was out). He enjoyed 36th for a few hours.  By Sunday when the next front moved through, it was flat.

It's booty time again!
I'm ready for warm weather

This morning I noticed that not only was it flat, that the north wind had pushed the tide way out. It was pushed three-fourths of the way down the jetty. But, the surf report indicated that the wind would shift back to the south and, by Friday, we should see knee- to waist-high waves. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. I'm also getting my 5-4 wetsuit ready. The water temp is in the low 50s, which definitely means it's time to step up in thickness for the wetsuit. During the past couple of years, I haven't needed my 5-4 until January, but looks like this year will be a different story. Bah humbug. I should probably just be happy that I have the option. Instead, I dread having to pull that on that heavy duty suit. I also dread having to dig out the booties...and the wool cap...and the gloves. But I know I will if I must.

I'm anxious to go someplace warm. I think I write that during every winter post. Just not sure when and where I will go. I'm pretty sure I will select Central America, I'm just not sure what country or beach I will explore. I have my passport ready, so all I will need a cheap airline ticket, a couple of bathing suits and some vacation time. I'm leaning toward Nicaragua, but I haven't ruled out Costa Rica. I just want the temps to be in the 80s and the water to be refreshing. I don't want to HAVE to wear a wetsuit, and I certainly don't want to need gloves or a stocking cap. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Fall Blahs and Holidays

Waves!!! Galveston, Texas needs waves! I haven't been able to surf the past two weekends because it has been so flat. It's also been cold, which means that missing the surf hasn't been so tragic. (In fact, water temps this week were hovering around 55 degrees, which means I might have to pull out my 5-4 wetsuit sooner than I have the past few years.) I'm desperately trying to find a way for me to get someplace warm during the next couple of months, but it's not looking good. Either I can't find an inexpensive ticket or I can't find a place with vacancies. I'm leaning toward finding a hotel somewhere in Nicaragua, but am still very unsure about it all. Sometimes I get nervous about the safety of traveling to such places, especially since my travel/surfing partner in crime has moved away. I'm on my own when in comes to picking the places I travel, and I'm on my own with the planning. On top of the travel planning woes, I'm also having to make sure if I go somewhere, that it is a place with safe paths for me to run. I'm training for a marathon in January, which means that I have to get in running time wherever I decide to go.

The good thing about training for a marathon is that it increases my stamina, which in turn, helps me with paddling in the waves. Of course, stamina has never been a problem for me since I also cycle quite a bit. So, maybe the running isn't doing much for my surfing after all. It has to be helping somehow though, doesn't it? I sure hope so. I have realized that there is at least one major similarity between surfing and running. They are both sports that are done alone. Even if I run with others, eventually, it all comes down to my ability and mental endurance. The same goes for surfing. Even though I might paddle out with others, finding the right waves and catching it is up to the individual surfer. The last time I went out, dozens of others were out, but I was still very much alone in the water when I spotted my wave and attempted to catch it.

Holidays always get me into a funk. I'm not sure why since I generally enjoy getting together with others. Because of this funky feeling, though, I'm having a little trouble getting into a joyful frame of mind. Maybe it will come once I start decorating my house. Or, maybe once I start getting some shopping done, I'll find my pizazz. Or, maybe I just need to surf away my holiday woes. To do that, I need WAVES!

Judging

This January seems colder than some of the past. I may just be imagining it, but it seems not only colder but also damper, which in turn, makes it seem even colder. I was excited to see several surfers out at the jetty on the webcam early Friday morning, but even more excited to see people surfing when I got off of work. I made my way down to 36th early in the afternoon on Friday. By the time I got there, the sun was hidden by a thick layer of clouds and the breeze had picked up just enough to make the temps seem cooler than they actually were. I was sure glad I had my 5/4 wetsuit yet again. Some of the surfers had on booties, but I opted not to wear mine. I knew my feet would be cold, but I was hoping that I would be able to last two hours before I lost feeling. I believe my feet had feeling for about an hour and 45 minutes before I had to get out of the water. In fact, during my last pop-up, I couldn't feel the bottom of my feet at all. I decided that it was time to get out of the water. I had only a three or four rides, and, of those, only a couple that were halfway decent. I pearled numerous times -- more times than usual. I just had a hard time judging the waves Friday. I would see them coming, get in position and paddle, but I either paddled too hard or not hard enough, which would cause me to get caught in the break of wave and then to pearl. It's strange; I go for a long time without pearling, but then I have a day like Friday when I pearl three or four times. It makes me realize that I just haven't surfed long enough. Several of the people I surf with have been surfing 40 years or more, and they also live close enough to the beach that they are able to surf just about every day there are waves. I have too far to drive, a full-time job and several other activities that steal my free time, and I don't see that changing anytime soon, which means that I will just have to be satisfied with my slow learning curve. No matter what, I'm having fun! And, I'll just have to realize that in order for me to get better fast, I will have to either stop some of my other hobbies, or realize that it might be a few years before I can do everything right when it comes to surfing.

I definitely watch the beach for waves!

I've had a really disappointing week when it comes to a judgement. I'm in a situation with a close friend where my judgment skills are being tested. When someone doesn't act or do something I think they should, I need to try not to judge them. I don't have to agree with them, but I do have to accept them if I want to keep them in my life. I'm not sure how my situation will be resolved, but I'm hoping the outcomes are good. I really need to think about all of this, and learn to find acceptance.

Sunday is my other usual surf day. However, since I had signed up for the Houston Aramco Half Marathon back in June, I knew that on one Sunday in January I would be running instead of surfing. Today was the day. Seems like it was a good day not to be surfing since, not only was the weather bad, but the north winds blew through and flattened shore. Unfortunately, that means I ran in bad weather. And, it was bad! I managed to run and make it through. I even completed it in a decent time. I wanted to run a little faster, but I'm glad that I finished in under two hours. I'll have to look for another run to set my record. It'll take a little time to select the right run. I'll have to use my best judgment.

A Pleasant Surprise

February 2013

I have avoided buying surfing magazines! I say "avoided" because a.) I don't need more magazines around my house for me to get addicted to and b.) I couldn't imagine that the surfing magazines, which are most dedicated to twenty-something guys, could be particularly interesting or well-written. I've subscribed to an online magazine that comes out a few times a year and is dedicated to women surfers, but I've left the mainstream surfing magazines alone. Occasionally, I would skim through them when I was in a book store, mostly looking at the photos and reading the captions just to see where the unusual waves were located. However, a couple of months ago, I saw an online special for Surfing magazine that would allow me to receive and read Surfing on my iPad. From the editor's note to the features, the writing kept me interested and excited about surfing. I was very pleasantly surprised by the writing quality and engaged in each of the stories. In fact, the very first line of the editor's note in the February 2013 issue made me realize how much I was going to enjoy reading it: "Surfing is not always easy or automatic."I love that line, and I knew that I would enjoy reading the rest of the magazine.

Surfing didn't happen for me this weekend, which is why it's a good thing I have my magazine. On Friday, the current and the winds were way too strong. So strong, that the surf was blown out and un-surfable. Although I heard that there were small, but decent waves on Saturday afternoon, I was unable to make it down. (On a side note, a friend who made it out to surf said that it was extremely cold in the water and required not only a 5-4 wetsuit, but also a vest underneath as well as booties, gloves and a wool cap. Hmmm...I'm not too sad I didn't make it down 'cause I hate being that cold.) And, besides, a cold front had swept through town and not only was it cold, it was wet, which makes for miserable conditions for any sport. I just couldn't imagine getting into the water no matter what thickness of wetsuit I was wearing.  Sunday morning wasn't much better, and, by the time that it cleared on Sunday, the waves were almost completely gone, and what was left definitely wasn't surfable. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that some waves might build for a possible surf session either Monday or Tuesday afternoon. By Wednesday, storms will be back. I can always keep my fingers crossed for next weekend and hope for warmer and sunnier weather  as well as a few waves.  Here's hoping!

Christmas and a cute 'surf' present

I received an email this evening from a surf friend who said that he had been surfing today and that the waves were wonderful. It wasn't just sent to me. The message was sent to several of the surfers who usually hang out in G-town near the 43rd Street jetty. I'm not sure about the motivation behind the email other than to just let us know that he was having fun on this special holiday. He had great waves and the beach to himself. It's Christmas, and I'm sure that most, if not all, in the "to" field had other non-surf commitments related to the holiday. I did. I don't even remember having looked at the webcam on the G-townsurf site, but I can't imagine skipping it either since it is a daily ritual. So, I'm sure I must have looked at it and missed the "fabulousness" of the waves. That happens sometimes. What doesn't necessarily look good on the cam, can look pretty awesome sometimes when standing on the beach. I'm actually glad my friend got to surf, and was also thrilled to hear that on this special holiday, he was able to do what he loves to do and relax. A sharp, north wind, drizzle and gray skies made the day definitely feel like winter, and might have actually kept me from attempting to go surfing even if it hadn't been a holiday. If I had decided to go surfing, I would have been miserably cold; and, I would have had to wear my 5-4, which would have kept me warm for a little while, but not warm enough. Being miserably cold doesn't ALWAYS deter me from wanting to surf, but it might have today. Sometimes, I just feel like I have to get in the water; especially when I haven't surfed in a while. It's only been a little over a week now since I got to surf, and I am missing it, but not enough to leave my family gathering, get into a thick wetsuit and surf in the winter weather. Luckily, I have the week off. I am hoping for waves tomorrow, but the forecast is not looking good for tomorrow or any other day this week. Too bad. Sure wish I could pack up and go surf some place warm this week!  Ummmm....maybe it's something to think about and plan for next year.

Family gatherings are wonderful. Today was no different, except for a little family drama. We successfully struggled through the drama though and, all in all, had a fabulous Christmas celebration. Gifts were exchanged and games were played. We ate and laughed. I was pleasantly surprised by a little gift from my sister. (We siblings aren't supposed to exchange gifts.) Picture attached. This cute little board with a magnet will be great for a photo or even a note. She had noticed a photo of a Robert August surfboard in my vacation photos and had decided to decorate my board (she made one for all of the women in the family and included special designs that reflected our interests) with a miniature picture of the RA board. It was an incredibly thoughtful gift and one that I will cherish always. Now, I just have to decide where to put it so that I can see it often.

Merry Christmas!

Colder weather and a quiet beach

A cool front moved through this week, and the residents of southeast Texas experienced some of the coolest weather so far this year. Although I heard that the waves were the best on Thursday just as the front moved through, I didn't make it down until Friday afternoon. I met Brian at the beach who I've decided is such a good surfer he could take a door off its hinges and surf it in a swimming pool without any problem. He can surf anything! When I got there on Friday around 1:30, I noticed that the waves weren't huge, but they were well-defined and a little bigger than what I'd seen in a few weeks. The air temperature was pretty cool, but I put on a rashguard and then my springsuit before traipsing down to the water. Brian let me use his amazing board again, and I was thrilled. No one else was out; I'm guessing most of the diehard surfers had been out in the rough, big waves the day before. Brian talked to me about turning and positioning myself on the board to get the most effective ride possible. I had a blast. I caught approximately eight or nine really good waves right off. They were spectacular! I moved around on the board and practiced turning. I caught one going left and right. Brian pushed me several times, something I probably should ask him to stop since timing is so important and still an issue for me. Nevertheless it was a great day. I went down twice--I kept referring to them as crashes; Brian says the surfing term is wipeout. Of course, it just so happened that it was when my husband, Rob, happened to ride his bike up to the pier to watch. (It was the only two times he watched me, and I didn't get up either time. oh well!) Overall, I felt great about the day! I had many fabulous rides, with Brian telling me that he thought I was getting better every time I went out. (Compliments don't come often from him, so I felt good about that remark.) I just need to keep practicing. I'll be going out again Sunday! Hope I have as good a day as I did on Friday.

(I didn't surf today. The waves were flat, so I rode my bike. It felt good. I rode 55 miles with a great group of cyclists. Hope my cycling friends have a good ride tomorrow. I'll be looking for waves.)