Surfin' Ain't Easy

They ain't kidding when they say, "no incoming swell." All reports say it's gonna be flat through Wednesday. Looks like I'll be hitting yoga tonight.

I'll Take You Frame By Frame It

Caught my first three, real nice rides. Then the lineup started getting crowded. I get nervous when there's a big lineup. I don't wanna mess up anyone's wave, especially if they are better (which they probably are).

I'm now in the pocket, this wave is mine. I start to go for it and then this guy (on a green board) about four feet to my right starts paddling. I pull out eventhough it's my wave. Otherwise I would've cleaned him out (and it woulda been his fault). He misses the wave. Here comes another. This guy does the same thing. I don't care, it's mine. I'm up and cruising the wave, a patch of white water forms out front of me, I swerve around it and out run it catching back up to the wave which links up with another. It was my longest right (frontside) ever. I paddle back out and I'm a few hundred yards to the right of the lineup. Normally, I would just catch a left from that spot. Instead (all juiced) I paddled a couple hundred yards and plopped my board right next to the green board.

While changing by my car, this dog starts barking at me like I'm stealing his owner's board. I try and tell the dog it's my board, but he keeps barking. I don't know why he's harrassing me. I helped his owner out with her wetsuit. After the dog calms down, I start barking at him and he gets all wound up again.

Again & Again

The waves were sick all day long at OOB. I caught a handful tonight, but really only rode three. The waves were a bit steep for my log. Had one spill where I landed hard on my ribs (smack). After my last semi-ride (if you can call it that) I was caught between the inside and outside so I rode the foam in on my belly. I was flying!!!

Got swept all the way down to the Brunswick. It was a nice evening walk home. All alone--just me and my board!

(My boy knows that late-night walk with a few smugglers)

Morning Quickie

Everyone loves the morning quickie! My neighbors are having some mirror work done and asked If I could be around. So I boogeyed out for some surf. Caught some really good waves and hurried back to meet my neighbors (should still be out there). I thought we'd have some good video today 'fo sho'. Again, no video. It should go without saying that my videographer gets a double diss!!!

I don't know what these surfers do for work. If there are waves, there are surfers.

Should I Stay Or Should I Go

I was so sore when I woke up this morning. Yesterday's yoga was tough. I was gonna skip surfing and give my teacher a double uncool rating for killing me in yoga. Then I decided to go. You never know when the next waves are gonna be around (especially in Maine). I'm glad I went. Hit some nice waves and even posed for my videographer on my last ride. What, no video? Someone was asleep at the wheel.

You Know The Rhythm is Right...

when you roll to the beach wearing boardshorts and slippahs!!!

I changed my pop-up technique today going to hands on the deck instead of grabbing the rails. Both are legit, but I needed to mix it up. Caught a couple of good ones (a few nice glides) and had one of my better wipeouts. I was up on my board, the wave started to curl and I went flying in ahead of my board.

I didn't wear any green today, but my leash was dragging some seaweed for a little bit. Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Dazed & Confused

I've devoted the last year to surfing, and what for? I can't even pop-up right now, let alone catch some nice little knee-high waves. Every time I try, I just fling my board out from under me. Presently, I'm catching 1% (if that) of the waves I'm goin' for. Very discouraging. And to think I was considering picking up a funboard today.

I heard from Hawaii..."no opportunities available right now". I was gonna look for a flexible job that would accommodate surfing...Looks like it may be time to get back to the real world. No, who am I kidding...just can't wait for things to turn around (surfing wise).

Some Days Are Better Than Others

I did a tremendous amount of work for only one ride. I got tossed, barreled, thrown, crushed, bashed, held under, tangled, and drank a few cocktails. Basically I was a rag doll!

"And there's winners and there's losers
But that ain't no big deal
Cause the simple man baby pays for the thrills, the bills"

Kickflip

The ocean is way too rough today so I ordered a few surf books from Amazon. It's no wonder Borders is going out of business. They don't have the books in stock, can't ship for two weeks, and each book costs $10 more than Amazon, who can ship today. Someone will always build a better mouse trap.

The conditions should be ideal tomorrow, but I'll be stuck in a condo meeting all day. Any tips on how to ditch the meeting?

This guy does a kickflip--a skateboard maneuver performed on a surfboard...pretty sick!


"Never look down on anyone unless you're helping to pick them up"--Jools Holland

Take That, Rewind It Back

It was a year ago today that I caught my first wave. Am I any better? Maybe a little. On my third wave, I did a floater (at least that's what I think it is--if such a thing is possible on a longboard). I was trimming backside on a shoulder-high wave, climbed the face, hung out on the lip for a little bit and then dropped back in.

Everyone was out there today. I asked this older guy (one of the best longboarders at Higgins) for a tip and he couldn't stop giving me advice. This summer he was very rude to me. Maybe he cut me some slack 'cause there's more camaraderie in the winter or maybe 'cause when I was paddling out, he was on a wave and I went behind him and got crushed by the soup (that's what you're suppose to do--even if it means getting barrelled).

When I was leaving, I saw this photographer with a mad lens (like 3 ft long). He's posting pics for Magic Seaweed and they should be up tonight. I've have some good pics too, but been having technical difficulties.

Maybe I'll hit it again around 4:00 if the tide cooperates....BON MARDI GRAS!!!!

Dancin' Days Are Here Again

Didn't look surfable this morning so I took a scenic, coastal drive. Went to Mother's Beach and Gooch's Beach in Kennebunk--not happening although two young kids from Georgia tried goin' out. Then I went to Ogunquit and Long Sands--again, no good. Next stop...Short Sands. I had never been there and was real tempted to go out. One shortboarder went out, but I thought the waves were too short for the effort. Driving the back roads was real cool though, 'cause they were all washed out and waves were crashing up on the rocks.

Lo and behold! When I got home the sets were comin' in real nice. A lot of work paddlin' out, but definitely worth the two rides I caught. Hit two nice drops. One guy caught a tube. How sweet is that. He caught a tube in Old Orchard Beach. Wooooooo!!!!!


Check out this funky rainbow.

Mush

You know the routine. They call for sick waves all week. I was up waiting, watching the waves from 5 am - 5 pm yesterday. Nothing materialized. This is all I have to show for it.

Went out today and it was mush.

Surfing Optional

I did a lot of paddling today. I think I caught one wave. It can certainly be frustrating at times. Good news is that it looks like there are some good waves coming in on Saturday and lasting for the week. Let's hope.