LA for a Spell

I'm down in LA working for a bit.  It has been quite an adventure already.  The work is challenging and the days are long.  12 hours seems to be a normal workday and we are still in the "easy" part of the production (gulp).  For all the hype LA is serious business.  Yes, this town is full of people trying to be something they will never be and posing as something they are not.  But what people don't normally talk about is the army of extremely talented people keeping their heads down and cranking out fantastic work. It's intimidating and invigorating all at the same time.

That said, I haven't had a a ton of time to paddle out and drop in but I have gotten a couple sessions in.  I plan on making surfing a priority and keeping it in my routine.  The good news is I'm living a half block from the beach in Venice.  It's ridiculous.  You can pour a hot cup of coffee in the kitchen and have your feet in the sand before the coffee cools off enough to sip.  Not only am I close but I've also been trunking it.  No neoprene required, which actually shaves off a lot of time too.  I can have the thought "I think I'm gonna surf" and be wet in less than 5 minutes.

The waves are in full summer mode right now.  Small, inconsistent, and not particularly memorable.  But the experience is everything it needs to be.  A short window of peace and centeredness.  Living in the moment only thinking about the next paddle, turn, or section.  When you get out of the water the pressure is still there and you are the same person but the break and connection back to nature reminds you why you do it.  In LA, this is the backcounty.

Surf ~ 24

It Only Takes One

Chris and I met up at my house after work and headed south down the coast.  Surf was looking poor and the fog was back in full effect.  We scooted down to Montara and parked in the dirt lot.  Made our way down the wooden steps to the beach and jumped over the the final few steps that are broken and beat.  Someone needs to fix those things.

Paddled out at cubby holes into what looked like tiny windchop.  Turned out there were actually a few fun set waves.  I snagged one first and Chris got the wave of the day.  I was perched just behind him on the shoulder as it wedged up and broke left.  It sent him all the way to beach on a clean, long, left.  We were both stoked.  And that's all it takes to have a great session.

I didn't take any pics so I pulled this one out of the archives.  Same dudes, same place, shot after a pre-work session in 2009.  We didn't know how good we had it.

Surf ~ 22

Wet and Better Than Work

Pulled into the lot and asked the guy next to me how the surf was as he peeled off his wetsuit.  With a big smile he said wet and better than work.  That's code for it's not that great.  He was right, it wasn't that great but it wasn't that bad either.  In fact some parts of the day were fantastic.  It was another hot and sunny afternoon at the coast, so hot that I had to run across the sand because it was burning my feet.  Something that never happens in norcal.  The wind was light and the waves were small but with the right board they were rideable.  I've taken my share of norcal beatings in icy water under foggy skies.  For now I'll enjoy the sunshine, warm water, and ankle slappers while they last.

I was singing this catchy tune in the lineup today.  It has been stuck in my head for weeks.


The Head and The Heart - Rivers & Roads (A Doe Bay Session Extra) from Sound on the Sound on Vimeo.

Surf ~ 21

Me and the Jellies

Headed down to Montara this evening.  There is a big music festival going on in Golden Gate Park so the beach was practically empty.  I bobbed in the water with some jellyfish and basically had the place to myself.  It was a rare clear night in Fogust and the water was warm, crisp and clean.  Set waves were bigger than I expected and standing up nicely on the lowtide sandbars.  After surfing my shortboard a bunch it was a breeze sliding in on my longboard.

It wasn't like the surf itself was amazing but the scenery couldn't be beat.  I found myself letting some nice ones pass me by as I stared at the horizon daydreaming about who knows what.  Nice night to clear out the cobwebs and get a few rides.  And only the jellies were there to see me claim it.



Surf ~20

We Miss You

Back into the groove surfing a lot.  One of the best parts about surfing a bunch is getting back in touch with nature.  Knowing what the tide, wind, water temp, and moon are doing somehow makes the rest of the world a little easier to handle.  Had a few fun sessions with Adam, Noah, and by myself over the last few days.  The swell backed off over the weekend but the weather at the coast is still nice.  There is a very mellow vibe at the beach.  Everyone got their fill of good waves and now they can relax...  That is until the next swell arrives.

Here's a great student film to remind you to get back in touch with nature however you choose to do it.


WE MISS YOU from fireapple films on Vimeo.


Surf ~ 19