Quick weekends, even quicker waves

Sunday (4/15) didn't look much different than Friday (4/13)

Watching the weather during the local news broadcast has become even more important to me since I've started surfing. I've watched the weekend forecasts since I started cycling about 20 years ago, making sure that the Saturday morning "atmosphere" was the right one for a good 60-mile bike ride. When I started surfing approximately three years ago though, one of the first things I attempted to learn was what kind of weather would be the right weather to create waves for surfing not just for the weekend, but for any day/afternoon. In Galveston (like most places), waves are very dependent on the wind. If Galveston has a strong south, east-southeast wind, we will have waves. If the wind is out of the north at just the right speed, we will get perfect waves in nice sets. Usually, a north wind blows through too strong and flattens the waves, but sometimes, the wind is perfect. This week, the forecasts on Surfline, network weather, etc., say that the really nice waves might be on Tuesday (4/17) morning. I'm not completely sure it will play out as predicted, because some of the wave prediction sites are changing the winds back to strong east winds. We'll just have to wait and see. All the forecasts for this past weekend, though, were right. Strong winds caused some bigger waves, but forecasters cautioned surfers that the really strong currents would make getting out to the waves (or even staying the whitewater) tough. Since Friday is my day to go surfing, despite some forecast warnings, I loaded my 9' Softop and headed to G-town. I was originally going to take my 8'1" because I didn't want to have to struggle with the wind loading and unloading my board as well as carrying it down to the beach. However, I also didn't want to have to worry about the gusts picking up the board while I was out in the waves and either pushing me off, or, while I'm in the water, the wind picking it up and causing the board to hit me in the face. So, at surf dude's suggestion, I brought my 9'. It was the right choice.

Because of the G-townsurf.com report about the waves, the 43rd Street jetty had six surfers already fighting over the waves when I got there at 3 p.m. So, I went to the 39th Street jetty. Dude B. had recommended it, and I think he was right. The really big waves were on the outside. In fact, one wave-caster suggested that only expert surfers should go out in the waves. I'm not an expert by no means, but I felt comfortable on the outside. The waves made getting out -- even in the rip current -- challenging, but once on the outside, waves definitely offered surfing opportunities. I caught a couple from the outside (and wiped out a few times), but I also chose to practice my turning and board positioning by catching waves in the whitewater. I successfully turned the board multiple times. I still have a lot of work to do though. I need to turn myself on the board much quicker to be able to ride down the line. I've made a lot of progress, but I still have quite a bit of work to do. I need more consistent waves on a regular basis to help me practice. (Today was too rough, so, unfortunately, I was only able to surf one day this week.) Not much I can do about this, but wish...for bigger waves...for more chances to surf.

I love G-town!

As good as...

My mother made everything a competition when I was growing up. I know I've mentioned it before, but my mother used a "game" technique to get my brother, sisters and I to do the things we needed to do. Because I was second in the line of kids, most of my competitions were with my older brother. When it came to sports, I could rarely beat him, but when it came to him having to learn spelling words or his multiplication tables, I could win. My brother, a sports nut his whole life, needed motivation in school. He was smart, but just not interested. In order to make him do his homework, my mom devised ways to make it a game. Knowing that he was interested in football, she could get him to memorize grammatical rules if she could turn it into a football play. She also knew that if she could get him to compete with me, she could also coax him to learn things. So, consequently, I learned my multiplication tables a year early (since I was a grade behind him in school), and spelling words that were beyond my grade level. I could beat him in those games, and I loved it since I was never quite as good as him at throwing a ball into a basket or racing across the yard. This competitive spirit has stuck with me through the years. I'm not sure that's always a good thing.

What does this have to do with surfing (or running or cycling)? Well, one of the problems with being so competitive is the inability to just have fun sometimes. This week, the water was too rough and the weather too miserable to go surfing. With ESE gusty winds that turned to WSW winds, the surf report was rather dismal. According to G-townsurf.com, a couple of surfers braved the winds to go out, but you could tell they were a little more experienced than me and could dance around on the rough stuff. However, that's where my competitive spirit becomes an issue. When I don't go out, I feel like I'm stepping backward in my training. Yet, I'm not sure what that even means. If I'm surfing to just have fun, what difference does it make? Also, I have a bad habit of comparing myself to others. This can be rough for me, since some people are just more genetically gifted for certain sports that, perhaps, I'm not "designed" for. Surfing happens to be one of those sports. However, like many before me, I refuse to give up. I'm tall for a female surfer. Other tall surfers have succeeded though, so, really, what it means is that I just need to try harder. But, I have to try harder because I want it, and not because others are better at surfing than me. Let's face it, I will never qualify for professional "status" in any sport. 

This same competition problem comes into play with my other sports. I've been cycling for almost 20 years (wow! I just did the math in my head and I can't believe its been that long).  I cycle with a very competitive group of people, mostly guys. So, in years past, I've really pushed myself to be as fast and as strong as some of the guys cycling. And it's hard to tell just how strong a cyclist someone is by just looking at them. I've seen people who don't look particularly fit, ride strong and fast. The same goes for running, which is my newest sport. I go to runs and think I should be able to keep up with or pass certain other runners and then they leave me in their dust. In reality, it shouldn't matter. I'm doing it for fun, not for competition. My running friend M is very realistic about his running. He recently completed his first marathon, and has no great expectation that he will finish in a certain time. He sets a personal time for himself that has nothing to do with other runners. I ran in a half marathon this morning, forgot my Garmin, and then tried to stay with some 8:40 milers for the full 13 when, in reality, I should have just run my race and not thought about the time. Instead I let it bother me when they left me, as well as when another outstanding runner (a woman I know who was running her first half) passed me. Why shouldn't she beat me in? She trained properly, ate the right food the night before (I ate Mexican food last night, which is not exactly the right food for a run) and had the good sense to cycle yesterday with a slower group (not me; I left with my usual gang INTO A STRONG WIND).  She was particularly upbeat and positive for me when she passed; running for the love of it. (This reminds me of the book "Born to Run," which the author notes that the tribe he was following always smiled when they ran 'caused they loved to run.) 

I just need to remember to smile more when I'm surfing, cycling, running or just living. It's not a race!!!

Tides, waves, wind and more

I'm trying to learn about waves. Just when I think I have it figured out though, I look at swellinfo.com and I'm completely wrong. Or, worse yet, I go to the g-townsurf webcam and I see the exact opposite of what I think I will see. Sometimes, I listen to the weather forecast and based on the wind direction and speeds they give, I predict what the waves will be. Occasionally I'm right, but many times I'm wrong. Of course, I shouldn't feel too bad since most weathermen/weatherwomen can't always predict the weather and they've gone to school for years. My surf buddy/guru Brian has the best record for waves so far. Sometimes, when I look at swellinfo or g-townsurf, Brian will call and say to come down even though I don't think things look good. He's often right. Of course, that's when he is standing and looking at the beach. So, I guess that doesn't take much prediction. However, there are times when he'll say something like, "I think the high pressure is going to move west Saturday, and that'll make the waves nice Sunday." He says this after the others predict lousy waves. I trust him though, and he's right 90 percent of the time. After all, he's been surfing Galveston for a very long time.

I've started watching the weather forecasts differently. For instance, I know that southwest winds are messy for the waves usually depending on how hard they are blowing. If they're over 15 mph, it will definitely be a mess. A north wind (like one that most times comes in the winter) that comes in gently can bring some of the most beautiful waves. If they're too strong, it'll flatten the waves. The same with a straight south wind. Southeast winds can bring waves that aren't completely consistent, but are at least surfable. But, like I said, all of this can be wrong on any given day for no reason. Go figure.

I think I'll just wait until I get a call from Brian, or any of my other surfing friends, who happen to be looking at the waves.