The Social Hour - Part 3

I guess this is what happens when there isn't much surf. Everyone stands around and bullshizizits. It's happy hour without the booze, and everyone's getting that natural SUP high.

Paddled out around 0630 and Doug was already in the water on his classic Angulo 11-footer, having paddled down from C-Town. Wasn't much in the way of surf so we talked stuff. Doug paddles for cross training and fitness but likes to prone surf when the waves are good. He bought an entry level Angulo PU SUP just to get started and likes it just fine. It works great for paddling, small waves and taking his three year old son for rides on the nose.

Since it's Thursday morning, the crew paddled out about 0730. MikieB headed down to Yellow House, eschewing the crowd. Who knows what he was doing down there but said later that the best waves were where he was. (I know, I know, we "really missed it.") Andy was demo-ing an Angulo Beachboy with Mike who's new to SUPing. He did good and even caught a few waves, no easy task in the prolific kelp infested waters.

Only one guy at GDubs and it looked better than Sarges so we headed up and rode a bunch of kelp choked, knee/waist high zippers in the kelp forest. Steve paddled down with us on his longboard and got some nice, fast sections. (Taking pics was tough because of the low light....once again.) I splashed in on one insider and could barely move, the voracious vegetation was so encompassing. I couldn't pull my board back to me with my leash 'cause the fins wouldn't move through the leaves and stalks!

There's still that persistent background south swell in the water, and now the NW winds are up again, lowering the water temps slightly and producing very little in the way of wind swell. The angle is too steep to send much in. Still, there were a few good ones and (what else?) everyone had fun. It just feels good to get out there, foggy or sunny, it doesn't matter. Mornings are peaceful and glassy with lots of sea life. One harbor seal wouldn't leave us alone...I think he liked Mash. (He does have kind of a cute okole.)