In the waves, I caught one good wave right off, and executed a nice bottom turn, playing some air guitar for style points, and holding up the sign of the devil. I almost had brought along a wine bottle for more style points but not really a great idea when you're surfing to have glass on you. Beyond that, I lost my aviator sunglasses in one wave, and got fairly nailed by many waves, though a lot of people congratulated me when the 15 min heat was over. Also in my heat btw were a pilot who had turned his surfboard into a plane, a mullet wearing redneck, Mrs Doubtfire, and a Hershey's kiss. Slash did not win- but it was still a good experience, and good to get back into the water (One of us has lost some speed and strength)
Then there was the raffle. Proceeds went to Boarding for Breast Cancer, and October is breast cancer awareness month. I didn't win that either and they gave out some nice Firewire boards. So, I actually did a Craigslist search when I got back to my apt for a board I've been aware of- Shaun Thomson's The Warp (2012). Designed by Ventura shaper, Al Merrick, The Warp is made for older surfers looking to shred on California waves. I met Shaun last year around this time and was inspired by him to go to the North Shore, Hawaii. He's a South African, Jewish surfer, now in his 50's, and produced the film, Bustin' Down the Door about the birth of pro surfing (narrated by Ed Norton), and beyond that, is a classy ambassador for surfing. He wrote the Code, which I covered in another blog entry. So I felt like, maybe this board, a 6'4 performance shortboard ($200), was a good reward for all my surf efforts of the past year- from Hawaii to the 50 year swell in Malibu, to competing in three surf competitions; it's been quite a year. I hope the board works out, and takes me to a true intermediate level.
Here's Shaun at Rincon in Ventura...notice the board...
Most of all, I hope I get back to that place of enjoying surfing and having fun with it. I get very competitive about it. It really is a privilege to be healthy and active and have the opportunity to get out into nature. When you do catch a wave, it's such a great feeling- and even when it doesn't- and you're out there with seals and dolphins, surfing at sunrise and sunset, it's a beautiful thing.
