I can't believe it's December already...

I realize that I did not post so much about last Sunday's surf session (that didn't really happen). I got carried away posting about the SJPD. Well, here's another story about the department.

Hey, I thought this was surf journal?!?!

OK, Sunday afternoon was at that New Brighton spot that I keep thinking I'm going to score on. Instead I sit out there and think that if it were good, there would probably already be people there.

Funny story: On the way out (walking along the bottom of Depot Hill at a low tide) I stepped on some metallic claw steampunk looking device that was sticking out of the sand. Some kind of fishing rig? I don't know, but it was barbed and of all people to step on it would be me. I stopped myself from entirely stepping on it, which would've been gnarly, but it pierced my booty and then my heel - sort of through and out again about the rear corner.

Tetanus shot don't fail me now!

There wasn't much surf out there... The foot thing was the highlight of the day.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Today, however, I bailed from work at three and drove over the the west side of town. Steamer Lane is completely crowded. So I drove up the Mitchell's Cove and beyond, and decided I liked the lack of crowd and got to surf a new spot all by my lonesome for a little bit.

The spot was unfamiliar to me and felt kind of unsafe being out there on a wave that breaks onto a very shallow reef. Like at Natural Bridges. Today was the third time I heard it called "sidewalk."

At the lowest tidal point I got in and was there for about 20 minutes or so, happy to get a productive ride or two.

Then a local dude paddle out and then I just stayed off to the side.

In a bit, another person paddled out - and these guys were friends. Again I stayed off on the side. They seem like the people that know the spot. I don't want confrontation. I'd rather avoid that than surf. I know if I get all adrenalin, it will be harder to deal with catching shit.

I hung out and tried to paddle in behind them as they took waves inside, but I was super tentative...

I started paddling away to a different cove but decided to stick around. After watching them do what I was afraid to do, not knowing about the place, I wanted another shot.

These guys were cool at my return. They understood that you can't go in without riding in; and turns out I get advice about setting up the spot for that reef bowl that happens there. But, I also get advice about the localism at that spot. Good Advice.

The best rides have effortless take-offs.

When I go inside and up the cliff, I meet the guy that was way cool and find that he is a local pro and I thanked him for being cool; and he reminded me of the other advice. I explained that respecting space avoids conflict for me and I like to surf the uncrowded spots, that's why I was here earlier by myself. We agreed about how surf conditions are dependent on almost all facets of earth science.

Good.