Apr 4, 2016
Hanging out with some friends😂 @roberts_surfboards #coilsurfboards #elnino2016 (at Venice, Los Angeles)
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Hanging out with some friends😂 @roberts_surfboards #coilsurfboards #elnino2016 (at Venice, Los Angeles)
7-8 sessions - LA county
1. Venice : Long period mid to large swell - over 20 sec period. I knew with this long period swell Venice was going to pack a punch. Went before work. Was coming in heavy at the breakwater. My wetsuit needed to be replaced so I knew that wasn't going to be fun. Tried to get into a couple but fell - I then realized the wave was heavy but steep when you tried to get into it. Got 3-4 OK closeout type waves but it felt different to get waves with power. Nothing memorable but going right pushing off at the waist and getting up with the steepness of the wave was key. Coil board is Just sick. Rail catches the bottom keeps me from pearling. Typical long period Venice close outs. I do remember 1 wave I went Om overhead and wiped out mice. Right left eye brushed against the foam in the water that was scary.
2. Venice: Went before work. Lokmg period swell was getting smaller. Went out in front of the courts middle of breakwater. Caught a good number of waves but can't remember anything memorable. I ended up drifting south. A mixture of rights and lefts. Scary moment with my left eye similar to my earlier session I have to keep an eye Om that
3. Venice: I can remember this day being fun. I caught a lot of waves but I can't remember any details.
4. 2 Venice evening sessions: - caught it 1 hour before sunset the day I found out I was getting paid off. Long period swell still in effect. Typical Venice sunset. Caught a right closer to the rocks. Evenimg waves are super fast. Had to get up with the speed. Closed out as they do. Got 2-3 more rights and lefts but nothing too memorable. Once mushy wave did travel for a period but I had to really get into it. - 2nd session - not too crowded - initially got s couple of rights. Tide was low. Then an overhead came thru pretty steep and I went for it. It was a later drop but my right rail managed to catch and I think I barrelled for a second against the blur water shining in evening sun that was pretty special. That was memorable.
5. 2 more Venice sessions - one super cold rainy one with an old friend another one with Mick not particularly memorable.
6. el Porto: long period swell on decline. Remembered the power of Porto even on the smaller waves. Took a bunch of rights and lefts. One right I took I wiped out pretty hard got rolled around and rememnered hope Porto treats you. The best wave was a left I took super late and grabbed the rail hard. I tried to maintain balance as mick was was looking at me and in looked straight at the shore instead of looking Left. I was legitamately getting barreled until it shut down. Saw the water fall over me. Told later by Mick if I had looked left would've been slotted for sure. Good session Porto always feels good when you brave it. Lots of steep drops and closeout s.
7. C street. Drove to C street super crowded. First hour battled people at the top of the point and lost to the more experienced surfers. Paddled down between top and middle and caught a bunch of was. Nothing memorable as it was hard to make the section. Lots of paddling but its nice to see I have the stamina tondo that now as opposed to back in the day. c st water warmer than I've felt it. Think the key to riding c street is staying north and to the right of most people. It was nice to see people not dropping I'm unlike OC.
8. Venice - 2-3 sessions more. Average. Did wipe out on a pretty perfect wave.
Summary: overall a pretty goof month of surfing in December. More than usual. Water temps have been good and waves have been decent, come to realize Venice like a mid period swell and if its anything longer than 18 have to find a point. Venice does better with then shape on a higher tide, surfing wise getting better and more experience d indifferent situations. Coil surfboards are a dream. The front side carve is still far from where I want it to be. Been trying to focus on keeping power in the legs instead of the back and remember ing to bend the knees LOW. Honestly staying crouched will solve a lot of problems but stubborn fools learn hard.
Thankful to have surfed as much as I did. Have to blog more regularly as I miss the details when I bunch them together. Between not having a job, buying a new wetsuit I can't afford and a new nexus gift I should be surfing more and write notes more regularly.