Monday November 7, 2011
It's really the best weather time of the year. While Spring is windy and Summer foggy, Fall and Winter provide lot's of clear, sunny days with spectacular sunrises and sunsets. Well yeah, it's a bit chilly, but nothing like New England. And yeah, we do tend to have a small great white shark population swimming around in our water from August to January but....what me worry? You've got a better chance of being killed or injured in your car....or on your bike.
Buried deep within this ongoing La Nina pattern have been several decent swells. A couple late season south swells have paid off big time with overhead surf and all the spots going off. And even though the storm track so far this year has been pushed way north, and the swells we've received are pretty steeply angled northwests, we've had one that put up some bombs at Mav's and several others that have delivered consistent head/overhead waves for those who are paying attention.
Last night's surf was one of those small windswell sessions that can be frustrating but fun. The tide was drained out when I paddled out and most of what was on tap was small, too fast and closing out along the reef. Wave quality improved as the tide came in, but by the time it got consistently better, it was almost dark. My best ride of the session was my last ride of the session. I call it a day as soon as I can't see the incoming waves very well. Conditions were rapidly moving in that direction so I gambled on getting a bigger wave by edging outside a bit, floating out past the main peak pack. It paid off as a two-wave set rolled in. I took the second and larger wave that just happened to peak up right where I was. Good timing, good luck.
Kirks (L41 Surfboards) Wave of the Day Last Friday
Shallow water over the reef caused by the low but rising tide caused the wave face to jump up quickly but let me turn down the line mid-face. SimmyD is no laggard and never lost a beat as I accelerated down the lengthening half-pipe like, stretched out line of wave face. It was a speed run that felt even faster with the easterly offshore wind blowing up the face of the wave and straight into my smiling hooded head. My board, the second iteration of the Original SIMSUP is made for this kind of surf. It's fast and loves the high line on steep and pitching sections. This wave put up three or four before I got into the flats where instead of closing out over the uneven rock piles in the reef, the wave just kept going. So did I, almost all the way to the beach at Middies.
That was definitely my longest ride of the day, and the longest ride I'd seen anyone get in the session. The SIMSUP is that perfect combination of speed, maneuverability, stability and high performance. It surfs like a shortboard but can still get every ounce of energy out of a wave, like surfing a much longer board.
By the time I hit the beach darkness was descending. Still plenty of time to get back up to the car and change out for the headlighted drive home. That last ride redeemed the entire session. It only took one wave. Only a surfer knows the feeling.
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