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!

Finally, some waves!

Waves have been inconsistent lately! Just when I think there might be something to surf, I look on the Galveston webcam and it's flat. Or, I look on the webcam just as I'm preparing to head to work, to a meeting, to a wedding...to a fill-in-the-blank, and find the waves are wonderful, but I can't make it to Galveston. It's been flat for the past few weekends, with waves only appearing mid-week. I was off the entire week of Christmas, but it wasn't until late Thursday that the waves started picking up again. The surf dude Brian called on Friday and said that the waves were messy and the current was bad, but I was so desperate to get in the waves again that I decided I would take my chances. In fact, I had been keeping up with several surf forecasting sites and the prediction for Friday afternoon was clean surf after yet another norther blew through. The current would still be strong, but the surf would be a little more consistent.

Pretty, clean sets were forming by
mid-day on Friday!

I made it to the island and into the waves close to noon. Because of the number of surfers already at 43rd waiting for the wind shift to occur, I listened to Brian's suggestion and surfed at 39th . Things were still a little rough, but I could see waves forming and filling in nicely. The current was strong, and I knew that I would have to paddle hard to make it to the outside. That was an understatement. I was able to time the waves, count the sets and make it out past the jetty, but I couldn't make it out far enough where the waves were building. Every time I almost made it out, I would get swept back in by a wave. I would then see a well-formed wave and think that I was far enough, turn and surf it. Usually, once a person gets past the jetty it gets a little easier, but not Friday. I made it quite a ways past the end of the jetty, but still couldn't make it all the way out where some of the waves were forming. Don't get me wrong, I had a few fabulous rides. I didn't even have to paddle much to get into the waves. The ones I caught were not real big, but very strong and fast. I had a ball, and I sure was glad to be back out.

For the first time this year, I had to wear my 5-4mm wetsuit. Water temp is approximately 57 degrees, which is quite chilly. Although I had my booties with me, I opted not to wear them. Fortunately, my feet didn't really start getting numb until a couple hours later, which was my cue to get out of the water. Of course, by the time I got out, the front had swept past the coast and the air temps were about 55 degrees. And, getting out of a wetsuit, especially that 5-4 which is so darn hard to peel off, is COLD. Brrrr...fortunately I keep my sweats real close and have managed to disrobe and re-clothe myself quite fast. By Saturday, the waves had disappeared and on Sunday, they weren't much better. However, this evening they look like they are building again as another front moves in. I might be able to squeeze in a little surf time tomorrow morning. Here's hoping!!

Who am I?

A surfing Santa

My identity and my wallet were stolen Friday. I'm not sure exactly where it was taken, but it either disappeared at La Madeleine restaurant or the HEB grocery store. I was frantic when I realized it was gone, but was strangely aware that it was missing almost immediately. Although I stressed and cried about it, I finally realized that all I could do was "let go." It was definitely beyond my control. I canceled credit cards and filed a police report, but that was all I could do. And, then, I understood that nothing in the wallet defined me (although the missing social security card did offer anyone who had it a chance to claim some of me). One interesting thing happened in the process of closing accounts, though. It had to do with my security question to one of the credit cards. What do you do in your free time (hobbies, etc.)? I had to think back to when I might have received that credit card. I wasn't sure what I had answered at the time? Had I said writing or cycling or running or surfing or??? I almost laughed when the woman on the other end of the phone line asked me that question. I had to guess. I tried to remember exactly when I had gotten that card. I answered the woman with a question in my voice, and it happened to be the correct answer thank goodness.

Sometimes, people ask me what I do in my free time, and I have a hard time answering. Some days I'm a cyclist and other days I'm a runner. When there are waves, I am a surfer. It's been almost three weeks since I've been in the water, so I'm sad to report that I haven't been surfing. Fronts have been passing through and flattening all the ripples. During the past few weeks, the only waves have been rough south wind waves. (A couple of times, the waves were halfway decent, but, of course, it was always when I was at work.) On Sunday (yesterday), I participated in a Santa Claus fun run that took place in Galveston. I had my surfboard with me so that I could go directly to the beach after the run. However, the surf "dude" called to say not to bother. He admitted that there were waves, but said that they weren't  surfing. "They're slop!" are his exact words. Part of the route for the run was on the seawall, so I got to see the slop for myself. I even drove to the seawall again after the run, and saw that, if anything, it had gotten even sloppier. I watched a couple of people paddle out, but they weren't catching anything. I probably could have gone out and had a little fun, but I would have also had to work very hard just to get out and not be pulled by the current down the beach.

I'm off of work this week, so I'm hoping to surf a few days. However, the surf reports are saying FLAT, FLAT, FLAT. It's also going to be COLD. Oh well, I can dress for cold, but I can't do anything about FLAT. My wish for Santa this holiday is for a few waves!