Thursday Feb 4
I woke up at 5:25 am and rolled down to the car with my red backpack (personal laptop and clothes for bakery after surf before my covid test at 8:00 am).
So tired. Too tired. But today is the best swell I'll have before I leave so there’s no other option.
We were in the water around 5:45 am. The 3rd or 4th ones out there. It was big. And the wind was very strong offshore. I think a little too strong. It kind of blew you out of the wave as you tried to catch it. Also pretty freezing cold. The sun wasn't up yet, and the wind was chilling.
The first wave I caught was a left. I don't remember much about it except thinking it was probably one of the better lefts of my life, but hard to say because I'm getting somewhat used to them - I wouldn’t say jaded though. Definitely big and just a solid take-off and ride the whole way.
The second wave I caught was a right. I don't really remember much about it, except also thinking it was probably one of the better waves of my life. I think it was just a solid pop-up and ride down the face. No closeout sections or interaction with the whitewater. But I bet it was pretty darn big. Potentially the biggest wave I've ever surfed.
Third "wave" was a left I got hung-up on the lip on and wiped out. I didn't come up for air for a long time. Like I think I felt it break again on the inside section. I started to want air. I ended up getting to the surface in not-very-dense whitewater and felt lucky (and kind of surprised) to get a gasp without any water.
It took me like 20 minutes to paddle back out. I had gone on the first wave of like a 10 wave set, probably the biggest of the whole day. oops
I made it out, and I sat for probably 10 minutes resting my arms. Then I went for another wave and got it quite easily. Another big left. Similar size to the right, and also just a solid take-off and ride.
I think it is hard for me to remember things about the waves that go really well. There are fewer specific things to key on. Still, the waves I caught in November I almost remember the most clearly - actually the two waves from november.
I also clearly remember that one right I wiped out on the take-off on: I remember the view of the steep wall and thinking about the speed needed to make it and beginning to understand how riding a barrel would actually work. I could envision what it would be like to set my right rail and fly through the steep section. Maybe I remember it so clearly because it was the first time I had ever seen that.
I also remember the waves I jumped off the back of quite clearly, at least the end :)
One thing I also remember clearly, I don't think it was from today, probably yesterday morning or last night, was a left where I saw a nice end section was building. I've found if I just go straight to it I slow down a lot, so this time I turned back. I remember looking back and seeing I was decently away from the whitewater so I turned back towards it. Ended up not having enough speed to make it through the end section, but I am definitely learning some things.
I think I should also write about the session from yesterday morning? Have I written about that yet?