So today, I had the best session of my life...

General Discussion
1

 I don’t know if anyone else would understand, so I post here.          

                    On Saturday I went to the localized point break.  I got shut out and ended up rooting around for the worst of the leftovers from second takeoff down in the dumps below the main take off. I got a couple, but I had never seen 10 people in a pack of 30  fit into a takeoff zone the size of a phone booth fighting and cussing each other to take the psycho drop onto a reef shallows just to get priority. I went home discouraged. This is Los Angeles after all, MILLIONS, I mean MILLIONS of people–Its only getting worse. 

              Today I hit the place at 7am. Not early, In fact, I cussed myself out for sleeping in as I fought the cold dripping wetsuit. By the time I get paddled out and sitting, there are 3 other guys waiting around for set waves. After an hour passes, we have each taken several perfect flawless waves all the way, The whole shebang the WHOLE LENGTH in to  the shallows, each in turn, no speaking to each other, just a simple in turn progression. Perfect waves come in every 3 minutes. We all just keep taking turns, no chit chat, no jockeying for position, no snaking, no pecking order. Another hour passes, and we all start looking around in disbelief when we realize:  No one else is coming today! we have this place to ourselves!! and the swell is perfect! We settled in to a rythym. We flowed. We felt joy We had FUN.  Paddling back to the line, I pull up, sit down and the guy next to me says “So lucky. So lucky we are. I have never seen it like this.” Even though he did not speak loudly, all three of the other guys at once turned to both of us somehow we all quietly  said     " Damn right…"  Then a nice glimmering siren of a wave announcing yet another set appeared. They all looked at me at once and said " your up…" 

When I got home, after a long hot shower, I sat down and thought.  No one actually spoke outloud that day. It was telepathic.

 

 

2

Good for you!  That session will be etched into the memory bank.  I had a session at Leo Carillo which also has a tight take off zone although not as hairy as you describe. Five people can be a crowd there and most of the time there are 30. Well, one day, years ago, some friends and I had surfed Rincon all day and were on our way home.  We passed Leo late in the afternoon at it was reeling off the rock, head high and perfect… and no one out.  We were already totally tired but we suited up and went out and had one of the most memorable sessions of my life.  Savor the memory.  Those kind of sessions are few and far between.

3

They're the surfs that make you keep getting up early, and out there. They're the ones you never forget. Stoked for ya mate!

4

Sounds like Topanga. Bunch of dicks up there.

Glad you wrote this down. Don’t forget about how good you felt after that session. Next time you’re frustrated in crowded, sloppy surf, instead of getting pissed, remember the sensations from your perfect session.

5

Awesome story ! I live in H B, Surf Bolsa Chica alot, sometimes my son and i catch a light crowd and get some fun sessions,nothin like that though ! We also hit Old mans a few times a month ,last weekend there was 75 guys in the water ,all fightin for the same wave. Lookin forward to some winter surf,alot less crowds…Hopefully a session like the one you had today!

6

Loved reading your story!  There’s a reef in Encinitas I used to surf all the time.  There’s a tight take-off zone, but there were many days when it was just the guys from the neighborhood and myself.  It was standard practice to take turns and I always felt honored when someone would announce it was my turn as he paddled over the wave so I could get it.  So many fun days out there.  Unfortunately, not so many of those guys in the water these days so I hardly surf there anymore.

7

Saturday I went down for a short session. Only had about an hour and a half to surf, but I really wanted to get wet. Turned out to be a great day, small crowd and better than expected waves. Sat off to the side with just a few others and had a geat time.

Sunday I went back with a short board I’ve never quite figured out. It was windy, but Saturday things calmed down and it was great. Not so for Sunday. There were a dozen windsurfers going right through the break and a dozen surfers scrambling for small blown out waves. Between the crowd, the wind, the small waves, the windsurfers, I had a not so good time. Never did get a chance to figure out the board. 

A lot of times you can go out on a not so good day with a big crowd and get that one wave that will make it all worth going out. Sometimes, you don’t get that wave and you wonder why you went out. Maybe next time.

8

good on ya mate

 

I guess i'm lucky to surf with friends who also chat and laugh every day , no matter if the surf is good or bad

 

  a good vibe *  in the water [and , in L I F E  ! ] is often as good as a good surf , to me at least  !

 

  yesterday there  was Ross , shoprat Matt , and I ...

 

 sunshine , 19 degree water , 23 degree air , no wind , no clouds .

 

? this is WINTER ? !!  [Well , it IS today , so a nice memory of yesterday , to hold onto / savour]  

 

   Taking turns on our mals ,

 

  in li'l empty righthand peelers . They both left after 45 minutes , to go work in the longboard shop [ 100 metres away] ....then ,

I had emptiness , till it stopped breaking ...and I stopped being able to paddle !

 

YEWWWW , stoked !

 

[Most people  wouldn't even have paddled out .... "  too bad , how sad " . hahaha ]

 

  hot chocolate , under a hot shower , five minutes later .

 

  sitting in the sun on the balcony , reflecting ...

 

we are all BLESSED , to be able to play in the ocean ...let's never forget that , eh ?!

 

  may more great sessions come everybody's way ,

 

and may you be able to 

 

SHARE the STOKE !

 

[to make Sways our "happy place" to come to ....]

 

  cheers !

 

  ben

 

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9

The best days are the one’s not forcasted.

10

Funny thing is I went to my usual dumpy beach break yesterday, onshore winds, small surf, wierd shifty peaks, and normally a very pesky and annoying crowd. Sulking I paddled out, thinking yesterday was the last I will ever see of good surfing, and somehow it happened again! The lineup settled into a rythym. everyone just started taking turns, everyone was smiling, We all had so much fun, grommets and old guys surfing together in peace. Unbelievable.  Everyone was stoked and having a good time. There are guys out there that are normally jerks, wave hogs, yelling at people, and these guys are just lounging around, riding with the rest of us, with a big ass smile on their faces! Maybe this is what the Mayan calender was predicting: Aloha Joy for everyone.