A Flat November and Board Storage

Gosh! I'm itching to go surfing again, even if it means a 3-2 wetsuit. This week, a cold front pushed through returning the temps to the 40s for lows and low- to mid-60s for highs (water is a chilly 65-67 degrees). When the air temps are cold, getting in and out of the wetsuit is awful. Once I'm in the suit and make my way into the water, I'm okay until I have to strip out of it to go home. However, the discomfort is not enough to keep me from surfing. I have a friend who probably has finished surfing until next April. She just can't take the cold and would rather sit out until the warmer weather returns. I, personally, can't wait to get back into the water regardless of the temps. I hate being out this long because of my fear of getting "rusty." It's only been two weeks since returning from Costa Rica, but it seems like an eternity since I've been at my home break. I've been checking G-townsurf.com regularly and people have been able to find some rather small surf on long boards, but by the time I would be able to get there, I would definitely be too late. Seems like that small surf is only around early in the morning. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for next weekend. According to the Surfline, I might have surf next Friday afternoon. Yippee!! Of course, we're definitely too far out for Surfline to be able to make an accurate prediction. Possible waist high sets? Yes, that's enough to get me a little excited, even though the conditions include the word "choppy."

My surfing might be a little irregular for the next couple of months as I prepare to move...which will be a major step for me. The new place has a small place in the garage that I might be able to adapt for board storage. For the past five years, I've been keeping them in my dining room, but I'm hoping this new spot will be perfect for storage. They should be easy to access too. Hmmm....we'll see.

It was fun watching the local
surfers skate across the tops of the
waves. This guy was about
to go out!

I'm still thinking about my trip to Costa Rica and wishing I would have made a commitment to at least TRY to surf one of the head high waves. I know I've said it before, but I chickened out when I was paddling for the wave and looking back over my shoulder. There's just something a little intimidating about being in prone position and seeing a huge, fast wall of water coming toward you and knowing that timing has to be perfect. But the only way I will ever get better is if I go for it. I definitely will next time...that's right...definitely!

Living, Loving and a New Year's Resolution

Oh my! The north wind this week has blown out all the waves. While most surf reports indicated either incredibly small or no waves at all, I still depend quite a bit on first-hand reports. I know that the north wind can flatten things, but I also know that if a slight east wind gets tangled in with the north wind an occasional knee- to thigh-high wave will be generated. Surf Dude B said that it was flat Friday and Saturday, but he thought there might be enough of a wind for a knee-high wave to have some fun on Sunday mid-day. However, I never saw that wave form while watching all the webcams. Another friend of mine who recently purchased a home in G-town told me that he thought it might be surf-able on Saturday. Since buying his home in Galveston, he has purchased an SUP. He took it out Saturday after a fast bike ride. His assessment of the waves confirmed that there might be a few, small surfable waves for me and my longboard. However, the cold air temp coupled with the cool water temp made it quite easy for me to excuse myself from a surf session for and occasional, small wave. In fact, even the "dude" said it wasn't worth a drive from the mainland on Saturday. His optimistic opinion for Sunday afternoon however didn't prove true, and I'm glad I didn't bother packing the wetsuit and the board to get down there. I must admit, though, that I'm missing the surfing BAD. I'm dying to get out even if it means I'm in a 3-2 wetsuit. Maybe one day this week, I can squeeze in some wave time, although I'm not sure how or when. Busy week ahead for sure! But, despite the lack of surf time, I'm certain it will be filled with lots of fun, family and laughter.

A huge Costa Rican wave at sunset

I'm still thinking quite a bit about my fabulous trip to Costa Rica. I'm not sure I offered enough positive information in my last post. Surfing in Costa Rica is wonderful! They almost always have waves and it's warm all of the time. Hotel Casa Cecilia's break was a great experience. Even though the waves were bigger than I had expected, I still had the opportunity to push to the outside and watch the really good surfers take advantage of those fast waves.  I wish I hadn't pulled out of all the big ones, and taken my chances at being pounded into the bottom. I'm glad I had the opportunity to surf the outstanding, fast re-forms, but I sure hope to be able to surf the really big waves some day. Or, at least some bigger waves. I've surfed chest-high waves in Galveston, but the waves in Galveston are also a little more gentle. Sometimes I think that the only way to really get better is to surf the bigger, stronger waves of the west coast every day. However, I don't have the luxury to do that. I think I mentioned the book "Kook" by Peter Heller. He was determined to surf the big waves and lived in a van on the beaches of Baja and central Mexico so that he could get experience surfing the waves every day. And, it made a big difference. Within six months, he was able to surf some bigger waves on a short board. I don't think he was ready to compete, but he was able to get some decent rides. I don't have the luxury that Heller had, so I will just have to make do with the G-town waves and an occasional trip to the Pacific. I just hope it's enough to take me to the next level of surfing...to get me to stop pulling out of the big waves and going for it! Maybe I should make it a 2013 New Year's Resolution. I think I will.

Waves, Bruises, Bites and...Fun?

As I look back on the past week, my mind races with a multitude of thoughts. Where did the time go? How does one full week seem like just a day? How come I'm so battered and still unable to say I surfed bigger waves? And, why am I so worn out even though I spent most of time just surfing the re-forms or whitewater waves?

First of all, Santa Teresa, Costa Rica was probably one of the most primitive places I've ever traveled. I am excited and feeling adventurous about the visit. The town is basically just one dirt road filled with potholes that seems to go on for miles, but, in reality, is probably only about five miles long, if that. The ride from the airport (consisting of a small lean-to on dirt) in Tambor to Santa Teresa took about 50 minutes and offered a bumpy, lush view of the countryside and its people. Hotel Casa Cecilia was a wonderful base of operations for this trip. This exclusive B & B offered great breakfasts and wonderful views, not to mention great waves only a short walk from my bedroom door. As I mentioned last week, I was lulled to sleep by the sound of the waves every night.

Although it is hard to tell in this
photo, waves were overhead every
day I was there.

My first struggle with the waves came on my first day. I had to figure out a way to the outside, which I did rather easily that first day. The second day seemed more difficult, but by day three, I had found, with the help of another surfer from Argentina, a rip current near some rocks to ease the paddle-out. Like the rip current near the jetty in Galveston, this rip current scooted me out as if I was riding an escalator. I loved being on the outside; not because I was anxious to surf the waves that were overhead every day I was there, but because it gave me a close up vantage point to watch the experienced local surfers sail across the wave tops on their short boards. Originally I was excited about using the 8' swallowtail board, but after a couple of days, I decided I need to revert back to a 9' board like the one I use at home. The rental had a 9' for me to use, but it was a little more narrow and flatter than Roxanne. I opted to use it though since I felt that I definitely needed the length. It was a great board for me, and I was able to play/surf on it for the rest of the week. I use the term "surf" loosely. I never quite got the nerve or felt like I had the skills to catch the waves on the outside. They were always head high, so I just opted to ride the reforms all week. I hope some day to return their and actually surf the big waves...at least, the waves I thought seemed so big. (The local surfers didn't think the waves were really all that big, but I sure did.) One day, we went to a beach called Hermosa, but even there, the waves were big on the outside. I, again, opted for the quick and fun whitewater waves. I talked to Don, the innkeeper, about my disappointment with chickening out and my desire to some day surf those waves, and he urged me to keep trying. I got bit by what I think were sand fleas and bruised by the board soaring at me through the rough current, but I definitely plan to keep trying no matter what.