Finally, great waves in Texas, and it is 3 hours from the ocean. Best waves I’ve had here, and it ain’t even close. Almost no paddling and half-minute rides.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9un94fsBJY
cool - love to hear more about the whole experience, cost, crowd, accomodations, etc.
Well, here it is in a nutshell. Looking at it from the beach was one of the freakier surf experiences I’ve had in 35 years of riding.
There are 6 waves (3 on each side of the pier). A beginner wave, an intermediate and an expert wave. Beginning and intermediate are $60 per hour, and they allow 100 people. I never tried these-they look real lame. The reef wave (only one worth riding) is $90 per hour. There are only 5 people in the lineup, and everyone must share . This was maybe the best $90 I’ve ever spent, and I rebooked again next week.
The pier runs parallel to the beach (vs perpendicular), and the wave runs parallel to the pier. A huge under water snow plow runs lengthwise inside the pier for 300 yards, and the pier is enclosed in a wire fence. Once it ends, it comes back the other direction. The pier runs north/south so you ride one direction offshore, then return onshore. Although both directions are fun, the offshore direction gives you the barrel. You catch the wave sitting right next to the pier, and I even held onto the fence until the peak came to me. About 4-5 paddles when the wave comes, then another 4-5 strokes to catch it is all you need. You could literally surf all day and not get tired arms, although your legs would be shot.
The wave is actually different than an ocean wave, as the power is at the top and not the bottom. This screwed me at first, as I would drop down and crank a bottom turn and then stop. So when you take off you stay high and shoot for the pier, then when you get your speed going you surf just like you would the left at Trestles. You are 5-10 feet from the pier for the entire ride, and no matter how fast you go you can’t get to the pier. The first time you surf it, make sure to book 2 sessions, as it will take most of the first session to get it wired. You are 2 feet from the pier, and you are taking off aiming straight at the pier, and the wave is trying to push you away from the pier. Once you get it wired, it is a blast. It is not as fun as 8 foot Blacks, but it is easily as fun as head-high Trestles. All in all, it is a blast. Although it costs money, you get long, perfect waves EVERY time. I’ll be going back as often as my wife lets me.
Accomodations are in Austin, although I drove down from Ft Worth and returned after surfing. First time I’ve done that since moving to Texas
You say only 5 people in the line up, is that on each end? Is that what they limit it to? How many waves did you get in 1 hour?
As I see it there are 2 waves on each side, a right then going back, a left. So you get to work both front and backside, is this correct?
$90 for a session that you come out of feeling exhausted from perfect waves may be worth it.
Yes-10 people total with 5 on each side of the pier (which can’t be crossed because of the fence). Really, you only have to wait on 1 other surfer Max to get a wave. Also, there are 4 stations to sit in the lineup. 2 at the end, and 2 at regular distances between them. If you are in the middle, if someone on the beginning section falls or doesn’t catch the wave, you can take it. So, a good strategy is if the other 4 are shitty surfers, sit at the inside stations. That’s what I did, because only me and 1 other guy could surf well enough. If everyone is a good surfer, though, you will get screwed with this strategy. You are also correct that you go frontside one direction and backside the other way. If there is no wind (rare in TX) you get killer waves each way. Even the onshore direction is fun, though, just not hollow. Also, because of the nature of the wave, you can catch the wave just as easy with a shortboard as a longboard.
So, end to end is a 300 yard ride and takes 35 seconds, and the machine stops then restarts every 2 minutes. So, theoretically you can get a 35 second ride every 4 minutes which is 15 waves per hour. If you stay inside, potentially double the wave count at half the length of ride. Pretty nice considering every wave is guaranteed perfection.
How do you prevent rusted spurs?
By surfing salt-free water of course. Even city folk know that.
I don’t get your math on wave-count. 1 wave every 2 minutes; 30 waves per hour. 60 waves counting the left and right. 10 guys on these 60 waves. That’s 6 waves per hour per person guaranteed, and more if you snag the shoulders when guys wipeout. Is this correct?
Yes, if you ride from one end to the other and there is not another surfer at the other end you are coerect. You could get a wave every 2 minutes and would most likely be unable to walk the next day! But there is always someone there as they have water patrols directing people to the empty spots,. Also, the reef (expert) section is booked for weeks in advance, so there will be other surfers in the lineup. So, when you kick out you haveto wait for the other person’s ride to the other end in 2 mintes and then 2 minutes later the person on the opposite end catches one back to you. So there is roughly a 4 minute wait if you ride end-to-end. That is whyh I hung out in the middle stations. I was getting waves every 2 minutes as long as someone fell or missed the wave.
A friend of ours got the gig to do the repairs on their rental boards. When I saw him a week or so ago he told (and showed me a few) me that literally every rental board (more than 30) was already damaged after only a couple weeks. Crushed and ripped out fin boxes, etc. Something with the way things are set up, along with the lightweight construction everyone demands nowadays.
I’ll be hitting that next time I’m in TX no doubt! 5 guys to a peak instead of 50! Sign me up!