Flat Friday and surfing films

Friday surfed by without a single wave, so for the first Friday afternoon in awhile, I didn't make my weekly trek to the 43rd Street pier. It looked flat on g-townsurf.com, but I thought there was a chance that some waves might be kicking up on the other side of the pier away from the g-townsurf.com wavecam. My surfing buddy, Brian, called and confirmed what I was already seeing. NO WAVES! Earlier in the week on Tuesday, Galveston had experienced great waves because of a norther. However, that had already settled and without very much wind, seas had flattened. This morning (Saturday), Brian called to say that while they weren't very big, waves were back. So, after a quick 42-mile ride (I decided to not take the 60-mile route), I loaded my board and headed to Galveston. While there were indeed waves, they were mushy at best, sometimes dying out and reforming once or twice before making it all the way to shore. I caught one right away after swimming out past the end of the jetty, but I soon realized that moving in was the only way I was going to get any consistent surf and even that was questionable. I caught a few waves, but I also crashed into the water several times when the waves folded over on me. Although I was feeling discouraged, Brian, who let me use his dream board, said that I was surfing like someone "who had been surfing a year." I laughed. I've actually been surfing seven months, so a year isn't quite the compliment that I wanted it to be. But, oh well, I'm still enjoying myself. I'm going back tomorrow morning with my surfing friend Andrea. My other surfing friend, Robin, won't be surfing for awhile since her toe will need six weeks recovery before the pin is removed. OUCH!

While looking for waves on g-townsurf.com yesterday, I did manage to find out about a surfing movie premiere at a Galveston bar called the Melrose Pub. Rob and I looked like "parents" in the place even though there were some old surfers there. We looked rather conservative with our combed hair, blue jeans and shirts compared to the other surfers who showed up for this movie. Although the Web post I saw clearly stated "Jazz the Glass" started at 8 p.m., we quickly found out that surfer time was different than regular time. The filmmaker and surfing writer Jon Steele, who made the one-hour flick, announced that he had decided not to charge for the film but that he wished everyone would make a goodwill offering to help him and his comrades pay for the gas it cost them to drive to Galveston. The movie was...well...interesting and fun. Steele had taken an old pirate film and dubbed his own script over the film, so it was like watching a film that was out of sync with the sound; words didn't match the mouth movements. However, every 10 or so minutes, the movie jumped to the beach scenes and I saw some great surfing taking place with several of the guys walking to the front of the board and "Hangin' Ten." Wow! It was amazing what some of those surfers could do, and they made it look so effortless.To drink while watching the film, I ordered a diet coke and Rob ordered a beer. I had decided not to order alcohol simply because I had a big ride Saturday morning and didn't want to be dehydrated from the alcohol. However, since I was obviously the first person who had bought a diet coke in about six years, I decided only after a few swallows that I probably wanted something with alcohol in it so I ordered a glass of Cabernet. The young girl looked puzzled and pulled out the only two bottles of opened wine from the refrigerator. Purple or yellow? Merlot or Chardonnay? I took a glass of Chardonnay, again believing that I must have been the first person in years to order it. The crowd was a motley crew with a group of very blonde surfing kids up in the front with their blonde girlfriends, older more seasoned looking surfers in the middle of the room and some college kid-surfing types in the back of the room. I had a ball watching, while Rob wished he was anywhere but there. (He was a good sport though!)The highlight of the night for me was when local boardmaker and surf shop owner James Fulbright and his wife Debbie walked in with their two children. It became very obvious they were surfing royalty on the island. I think they were friends with Steele, who was also a contributing writer in a recent issue of The Surfer's Journal. Steele had copies that could be purchased and autographed by him. (Although we made a goodwill offering for the film, I chose not to buy the magazine and to save my $15 for the wax I owe Brian after using his board so long, as well as the wax I will need for mine.) I spoke briefly with both James and Debbie! They were very nice and also said that my new board should be back from the glasser any day now. (I can't wait!)

UPDATE: Sunday's surfing wasn't as good as I thought it would be. The waves were "mushy," and timing was very important and getting back out passed the breaks was tiring and rough. I met Brian at the 43rd Street pier, as well as my surfing bud Andrea, but my heart/mind just wasn't in the game today. I had one or two good runs, and Brian definitely wanted me to keep working on my board stance, but after about an hour-and-a-half, I decided that while physically I was still ready, mentally I was not. I threw in the towel, but at least I had two decent runs.

Great sets and Saturday surfing

Another weekend skids halfway by. It's been a busy one so far, and I'm sure that Sunday will wear me out too. Friday's waves were wonderful. The sets were well-defined and kept that definition all the way to shore. Needless to say, by the time I made it down to the 43rd street pier, many other surfers had decided to surf their afternoon away. Surfing buddy Brian had a lesson, and although I had brought my Softop (still waiting to hear on my new board) because I hadn't had much time on it lately, he insisted I use his 10' Robert August board with the beautiful blue paint job. He had actually brought it for my surfing pal Robin who has been away for a month visiting lands far away. (She did manage to work in a surf lesson in Cornwall, England.) However, a lingering toe injury from before her trip is forcing her to keep her foot up. So, she decided not to go to Galveston with me, which left me as the person Brian wanted to use the board. I used mine for a short while and found that I really noticed the missing six inches from the board I have been using (who says size doesn't matter?). I got pretty beat up on my 9' and struggled the whole time. I must have been having an off day 'cause I also struggled with the 10' Robert August, which seemed way too long to me. I couldn't catch a wave even if it had been handed to me on a platter -- they practically were. I was a little nervous being out with so many other surfers and constantly felt like we were in each other's way. And the time change made it seem like 6 p.m. when I finished rather than only 4 p.m. even if the time change was only one hour! I guess some days are like that. I definitely have "off" days with cycling so why should surfing be different?

Today (Saturday) was a little better, but I still struggled. So, it must just be an "off" weekend for me. I chose to surf instead of cycle, hoping for some redemption from Friday. Because there was a short board surf contest taking place at the 43rd street pier, Brian suggested that we go to the 21st street pier across from The Galvez. The waves were still pretty good, but not as well-defined as Friday's waves. I swam out and Bryan (different from Brian and another surfing pal) said I definitely looked more confident than Friday. I was using Brian's special fiberglass Hurricane board and caught the first wave coming my way. It was a great ride. I had a few other pretty good rides, but nothing to brag about. I still have a timing issue. I really have to work on catching those waves at just the right moment.

I didn't give up on cycling all together. I took my mountain bike and rode around the island a bit. But, I will have to get a good road ride in either tomorrow or one day this week during lunch!

Even colder weather, but very nice waves

Well, southeast Texas is experiencing its fall cycle. Every year, the weather changes at a moment's notice. Just as we all start grumbling about 85-degree weather in October, the next cold front pushes through and drops the temps to more seasonable degree expectations. While I admit to liking the first cold snap, by the time the second or third front makes an appearance, I'm ready for summer again. I've always been a fan of hot, sticky weather (I think I've written that before) so it's probably a good thing I live where I live. However, I must admit that if a strong "norther" blows through like it did on Thursday evening, the north wind creates phenomenal waves. So, Friday afternoon I definitely made my weekly afternoon jaunt to Galveston. This time, instead of a spring suit, I had to wear my 3-2 wetsuit. I met Super Brian at the 43rd Street pier and we surfed. I probably caught three or four waves and this week, Brian wanted to surf himself so he didn't offer to push me at all, which is good 'cause I had told him I needed the practice. I had to time the waves myself. I missed several of the waves because I stopped paddling before they made it to me (this timing thing is hard for me), but I also caught a few. I had two or three phenomenal rides that I took all the way down the shore by turning and riding in the wave. We were eventually joined by four or five other surfers and it was good to see that they also had timing issues. Brian is the only one who knew when the wave was right. It made me feel better to know that timing must be an issue for everyone. In fact, other than Brian, I probably caught more waves than the others. I wiped out a few times too. I have no idea why; well, I do know why I wiped out a couple of times. Even though I was on Brian's phenomenal fiberglass board, I didn't get in trim. I was way too far forward and the wave just pushed me over. We outlasted most of the surfers. They usually only stay 30 minutes to an hour, but Brian and I were out a little over two hours. I got a little tired once or twice paddling back out. The strong waves, even while in the rip current, can make the paddle out past the breaks tiring. I seem to still get pushed around alot, and I try to be extra careful because I'm on Brian's board and I don't want it to get pushed into the jetty.(I had a jetty encounter last week and while protecting Brian's board, I shredded the top of my foot on the barnacles.) All in all, it was a fantastic afternoon! I hope tomorrow's surfing experience will be just as good, but I fear that it will be like last Sunday when the waves were inconsistent and hard to read and get through.

As part of my usual weekend workout, today (Saturday) I rode my bike and had an outstanding 60-mile ride with the 21+ mph group. It was quite cool at the start. In fact, I was colder at the start of the ride despite having on leggings, a vest, arm warmers and a jacket, than I was in the water yesterday. The only bad thing so far about surfing in the winter isn't the water, but the walk from the water back to the car with wet hair and then having to take the wetsuit off to put on sweats, while cycling in the winter requires me to get through the first 20 miles of freezing and sucking in cold air. Brrrr!

(P.S. This morning -- Sunday -- was a bust. NO WAVES. So, I had to ride again. Beautiful day for a ride, but I sure wish I could have surfed.)