Davenport To Natural Bridges Downwind Run

Thursday May 17, 2012 - I thought our first Four Mile to Cowells run in 25-35 mph winds was mackin' but this run in 30-40 mph winds gusting to 44 was "nucular" in comparison. I put out the message on the soon to be worlds richest man's social networking site and within a few hours there were seven of us intrepid trippers ready to rumble. The wind looked good but we had no idea it was going to bump up to the kind of chaotic energy we eventually paddled into.

I am definitely the old man of the group and kept reminding my paddling brethren (I hesitate to use the word children) to keep their eye in the rear view mirror for the fossil bringing up the back end. It actually worked out OK even though the lifeguard/fireman and most experienced, avid wind surfer of our bunch paddled off into the distance as if they were shot out of a cannon. But Kyle, Jens, Russ and I pretty much stayed together, keeping tabs on each other and even trading around boards. So I had the pleasure and safety of their company and got a chance to paddle the Angulo Shaka 14 in demanding conditions and good wind.

John kept telling me that the launch from Davenport was much less windy and safer than the 4-Mile launch. That's what I get for listening to a fireman. Just another adrenalin junkie. About half way out to where I wanted to be the wind was howling and pushing the high, square rail of the Naish Glide 14 downwind, straight towards the outside breaking reef that puts up a fun left hander when it isn't blown to smithereens like it was today. At a 155 pounds there is no way I can paddle the Glide into or across the wind. So I prone paddled like a mad man to miss the surf and get a better line around the coming headlands. The good thing about Davenport is the lack of kelp that plagues 4-Mile. Finally, after I got tired of feeling like I was losing the battle prone, I just stood up and headed out to sea, diagonally to the shore, trying to angle across the coming wind swells as best I could while utilizing whatever energy I could catch from these wind blown combers. This actually worked although I never did get out as far as I really wanted to be. But I was in the wind line...for better or for worse.

In reality I'm not really sure why I want to do this downwind thing. It's a lot of hard work. But it's also part challenge, part adrenalin rush, part zen focus (like surfing, it's so easy to lose yourself in the moment), and part being in nature in a seemingly impossible situation. And it's all wrapped up in this gleaming newness which gives it the blush of first love that never loses it's attraction, or fails to fill your heart with joy when it happens. That particular aspect of the experience occurs after you've finished falling into 52 degree water numerous times while grabbing for your board (as it blows over on your head) and the paddle which wants to flee your grasp and sail off into the distance; then actually jumping up to your feet in a rolling sea that would make lots of folks hurl the contents of their innards seaward, again and again....over the course of 11 miles. But for whatever logical, illogical or idealogical reasons, I am compelled to continue. In other words, I'm hooked. Great. Another expensive, time consuming addiction. At least it isn't golf.

What's the point? Well, the point is to surf open ocean waves. Catch the bumps and get good glides. My friend Butch, long time paddler and Maliko veteran, tells me that it takes three to six months to get any kind of a handle on this aspect of stand up paddleboarding. This is actually good news and I can confirm from first hand experience that the learning curve is long and steep. The few bumps, glides and waves I have ridden have been, I think, mostly by accident. I find I have more success turning off my mind to the logic of 1) see the wave 2) paddle for the wave 3) miss the wave and adopting a more intuitive approach to let go and feel the rhythms under your feet and all around you. Of course this from someone who knows nothing but...it's a start.

One thing that is more familiar is the board. Essentially we're on a big surfboard designed specifically to catch open ocean, very short period swells and breaking waves efficiently. This is a whole new area of board design and thinking for me and I love learning about it. I've paddled three boards of different design (Naish Glide 14; Angulo Shaka 14, SIC custom Bullet 17) and have developed preferences already. I want my own board which makes it much more convenient and spontaneous when it comes to planning or just going on a run at the spur of the moment. These things are expensive so price is also a consideration. Basically I can't afford the SIC and the Naish Glide is really not the board that the Angulo Shaka is in design, paddle-ability and ease of catching the bumps. So, I ordered one. These are the new models which are hot off the press. So new I have to wait a couple of weeks for the Angulo shipment to arrive at Andy's (head Angulonian in NorCal) place in my hometown. More on the Angulo Shaka 14 later, except to say for now that after paddling for only a couple minutes on the Shaka I knew I wanted one. (This isn't my first Angulo. It's my fourth from master shaper Ed Angulo. But you can read more about that here.)

I had to give it back sooner than I wanted, but hey, Kyle wanted to paddle his own board. What was I gonna do, paddle past him? (Like I could.) Back on the Glide the wind picked up from Four Mile to Longs Marine Lab just before Natural Bridges. It also seemed to shift a bit and instead of blowing at a slight angle towards the beach at NB's, it was huffing at a slight angle away from the beach. Again, I found it almost impossible to paddle the board standing up against the cross wind. So I dropped to my knees and paddled about 5,000 strokes on the right to get into the nub of a point that provided enough leeward protection to make it into the surf line and onto the beach. It was probably windier at NB's than I've ever seen it, and the first thing I saw was another Angulo (super light carbon race board) go flipping across the beach when it's owner put it down to help me out of the water in the high wind. Definitely a two man per board operation.

Surprisingly I was less tired than I thought I would be and it wasn't long before I was packed up, board secure and heading home, thinking about the day and looking forward to the next downwind run. You'll be hearing about it.

Bark 'n Surf Two Days In May

Monday and Tuesday May 14 & 15, 2012 - Didn't get out over the weekend so Monday was a mandatory paddle. Besides the weather was fantastic and I hate missing an opportunity to be out in it.

Waiting for the south swell to arrive Monday was a go-to Bark training day. I wasn't motivated for a long workout so I took the easy way out and paddled up the low route to the L41 surf spots. There were some small 1-2 foot clean glassy peelers rolling though the various locations, and the few people out surfing were fortunate to be there having fun in great conditions.

At the turnaround point I started paddling back to NB's and found Ron out on his new L41 noserider. Sweet board, dedicated for tip timing in the Summer swells. (More on Ron and his new ride later I'm sure.) I've been wanting to surf my 12-6 Bark Competitor to get a better feel for handling a high volume board in the waves but the timing just hasn't been right. I also wanted to have a wetsuit on cuz I know I'm going to get wet and the water isn't warming up much. If anything it's staying pretty cold. Average temp about 52 degrees. But the set-up was right. Small surf. Few people out, and I could get off by myself in some long, small rollers that weren't really breaking. Perfect for mock open ocean bumps.

First wave my angle to wave face was too steep and with those big, thick rails, the Bark just rolled over, dumping me in the chilly brine. I knew it! So I came up all Daffy Duck squawking and swearing like a maniac before I calmed down and thought, "I'm already wet now, might as well stick with it for a while." Fortunately the sun was out, and the wind was light, and if I kept moving I wasn't going to get too cold. So I rode another handful of waves, getting the feel for the big board and hopefully learning something for the more chaotic open oceans downwind surfing that is in the future.

The next day the little southie filled in, nothing like we'd all hoped for, but Jeff and I still took down a load of fun little waves in an almost two and a half hour session. Again the weather was perfect, sun out, light wind, glassy sea surface and just a couple old guys acting like kids.

Two Training Paddles & A Surf

Saturday May 12, 2012 - Two weekends of downwinding, plus the good weather motivated me to get in shape for the ramping up paddling season as well as the quieting but sure to be coming smaller south swells of Summer. Monday and Wednesday were small surf days and conditions were sweet for a couple six and a half mile training paddles.

Launching from New Brighton is perfect for paddling a number of routes, which keeps the training and the scenery varied. Monday I put in at the state park and paddled the low course up through all the eastside surf spots and out into more open ocean through the Sewer Peak channel. There was a small and very inconsistent south swell still poking in but the waits were long and the training took precedence. Wednesday's training run was similar but instead of taking the low route all the way, I peeled off at the Capitola Pier and hugged the kelp bed into the outer water and up to the channel. There was a low chop and small headwind which worsened the further away from land I paddled. The whole thing turned into a slog in short order, but it's good to paddle in less than perfect conditions. I was glad and relieved to turn the corner and head down the slot into Pleasure Point though. The wind shifted and put a cool breeze on me that felt good and my spirits as well as my cadence picked up.

At last years Covewater Classic paddling clinic I learned a stoke that I call the "oil derrick." This because it's what you look like when you paddle. It's a bobbing up and down motion while bending at the waist that strives to keep the paddle shaft perpendicular to the sea surface. The idea is to pick the blade up straight out of the water and reinsert it while eliminating as much of the feathering action as possible to minimize wasting energy and maximize efficiency. That's the way I understand it anyway. It feels pretty good and definitely uses your core muscles instead of mostly shoulders and arms. Since your core is much stronger than your upper extremities this should add power and increase stamina. I had to cut an inch off the paddle shaft though, because I couldn't pull the blade out of the water without it catching going forward into the reach. One inch less worked better but I still need to take another inch off. That happens later today.

I thought I'd take a fitness break on Thursday but unlike paddling, surf is where (and when) you find it. I found some in the form of a steep gulf swell that somehow found enough west in it to push into the bay and my local spots. I knew it wasn't going to be much and that it wasn't going to last long so I hit it early, trying to avoid the crowds by surfing at the minus tide rising when I knew it would be sparsely populated. A couple other surfers had the same idea and because the county was paving the main parking lot for the L41 spots, there was almost no crowd until way later in the day. So I surfed for almost two and a half hours with only four or five other guys until I was tired out and bereft of blood sugar.

The surf wasn't epic but it was good. The low tide and west influenced swell pushed peaks and sections down the line so lots of waves were short rides into close-out sections. But occasionally there were those gems that just ran down the line at mach 10, letting you out over a rare for the day sloping shoulder. It was consistent enough that everyone got a lot of waves. Gary the longboarder surfs the place as well (or better) than just about anyone, and clearly got the best waves of the day. I really enjoy watching a good surfer who knows the wave and where to sit to get the best ones. I'm gonna have to Velcro myself to him next time so I can see what he sees. Nothin' wrong with that eh?

Two Training Paddles & A Surf from Srfnff on Vimeo.

Springtime Longboard SUP Session

Tuesday May 1, 2012 - Grabbed a few waves this afternoon in a small, small south swell. It was just one of those beautiful Spring days when the sun was out, the wind was light out of the south and the sea surface glassy inside the kelp beds. Two SUP surfers out when I paddled into the line-up, one of whom had been surfing for a while. He left shortly and it was just me and Stan. Between the two of us we probably caught 60 SUP-specific waves, waves perfect for SUPs but no lay down surfers wanting any of the probably too small for them action. The right waves put up some fast nose riding sections inside, over the shallows where sand and chunks of rock lurked just beneath the surface. 100% fun.