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!

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.)