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waves

"The black objects gathering off shore in Boca Raton, Fla., are sharks. We don't know what the three objects at left are, but they better get out of the water soon."

Posted by: j at March 31, 2005 10:26 AM

SPRING BREAK SHARK ATTACK!!!!

Posted by: elias at March 31, 2005 10:29 AM

Spring Break Shark Attack was the best movie ever.

Posted by: ebert at March 31, 2005 10:32 AM

i agree. even though i couldnt get through 5 minutes, but geez what a concept..hot chicks AND shark attacks? damn.

Posted by: bagel at March 31, 2005 10:40 AM

Posted by: bagel at March 31, 2005 10:45 AM

I concur with Bagel re: Spring Break Shark Attack - pure genius but so terrible. I flipped back at least 15 times.

OFFSHORES!!!! Yes, there was surf this morning. And yes, it was crowded. But, I guess there was some serious surf jonesing going on out there.

So, I have a complex problem I need to figure out today: Curly or Straight?

Bahh, haa, ahhhhhha, HA!

Posted by: Kaiser at March 31, 2005 10:57 AM

on a niceness note: it was beautiful out there this morning. gotta love the dawn at 6 am. so nice to have a full session before work.
on a meanness note: good lord, kids, we gotta step it up. the other day bbr wrote that the level of surfing in sf is really low. i thought, nah, it ain't that bad. but this morning demonstrated the accuracy of his statement. wow! numerous blown take-offs, grown men backing off from sweet bowly waves, only a few surfers, of the many who were out, made wave riding look as it should. not that i was either, but at least i go for it and get myself into the wave before i stand up, usually.
etiquette note: if someone asks you if you're going, and you say "yes" then you have to actually go even if you are going to take the wave on the head, if for no other reason than to amuse the person you took the wave out from under.

Posted by: steamwand at March 31, 2005 11:04 AM

2 hour session for me this morning.

0 rides! I SUCK!!

Posted by: e at March 31, 2005 11:18 AM

No. 1

Posted by: Dennis at March 31, 2005 11:18 AM

No surfing sucks.

Anyone remember that documentary on the GoldenGate jumpers. Some dude would interview the families and the jumpers etc. Some legal issues against him. Was trying to remember the story to tell a buddy that lives up in SF.

Posted by: Hb at March 31, 2005 11:22 AM

Waves...Yessss.
Bizarre moment of the day...kicked out on a larger wave...flew though the air...landed on my board...with my jaw leading the way...momentarily stunned almost blacked out...stiff and swollen jaw but at least I know I can take a punch.

Swell seemed to be dropping as I left...Go get it!

Posted by: kdalle at March 31, 2005 11:22 AM

nice notes, steamwand, and good ta see ya this morning - your board looks sweet by the way. i had similar thoughts about both what i saw & my own performance. i fell awkwardly several times and was especially kookish on my backside. but there definitely was a kind of funkiness out there - seemed like the bars just ain't quite right. but i did see someone on an awesome right as i drove home - a latish drop right next to the foam line, an unstable bottom turn, but then a long tapering glassy wall, sweet.

Posted by: loon at March 31, 2005 11:23 AM

No surfing sucks.

Anyone remember that documentary on the GoldenGate jumpers. Some dude would interview the families and the jumpers etc. Some legal issues against him. Was trying to remember the story to tell a buddy that lives up in SF.

That wave is insane!

Posted by: Hb at March 31, 2005 11:23 AM

weird e - how'd a surfer of your caliber manage to go waveless this morning. musta been breaking different where you were.
nice to catch a glimpse of you too, loon. yeah, it was kinda funky, but working good every once in a while. your board has a slightly different tail from mine, it think, tapered differently and maybe less rocker? we should swap sometime. maybe next fall when it gets good again.

Posted by: steamwand at March 31, 2005 11:31 AM

nope.. i just suck. I was just north of you steamwand. I saw you in the pack with your blue board. I suffered from ridiculous wave-repellent this morning. Waves to the left, waves to the right. No waves for me. I hate surfing.

Posted by: e at March 31, 2005 11:33 AM

I was thinking about the general kookiness of SF too, I think a lot more people have jobs or are otherwise not as committed to being surf hounds and those in SC. I know that since I moved up from SC I've surfed less and gotten worse. I was kooking it today, mostly just because I've barely been out the past couple months.

Posted by: Cave at March 31, 2005 11:34 AM

feelin your pain, e. but i like the jerry rafferty reference.

survey for niceness: my cousin's family has a house in montauk, and they participate in the annual shark fishing tournament each june. i will be visiting LI that weekend this year and have been invited to go out on the boat with their crew. they have asked me to fulfill the role of photographer.

i'm generally against hunting and partiularly troubled by the hunting of apex predators, but this crew will be going regardless of whether i go or say anything. so i'm pretty sure that i'll do it. but i'm curious what folks think about the karmic implications... am i tempting fate?

Posted by: loon at March 31, 2005 11:40 AM

e,

I feel you pain!

I had a small window to surf last Saturday and not matter where I sat or paddled to I couldn't get a wave.

Of course, everyone else was scoring!

Posted by: d looose at March 31, 2005 11:42 AM

That sucks e. Where I was it was ridiculously good. Rode the new dual fin retro fish. got one 80 yd ride and a bunch of shorter ones. Kooked out on a couple and got called off on one in which the "caller" didn't make. Some bigger waves were coming through at 7:30 to 8. GET SOME!!!

Backpacking trip got put on hold. Thanks for the tips!! Super stoked to hit it up sometime this summer!!

Posted by: traut at March 31, 2005 11:43 AM

exactly d looose. people all around scoring sick ones. It made me sick i tellz ya! Always tomorrow i guess.

Posted by: e at March 31, 2005 11:44 AM

steamwand: rfs swap-meet would be great-maybe even tomorrow? i'll look for you...

Posted by: loon at March 31, 2005 11:46 AM

E, no waves? I saw you guys to the north but I didn't think you were getting shut out.

The bars were all over the place out there. It was fun but if you in the wrong spot, you got punished.

To Steamwands point, I am always surprised at how many people paddle out and just sit and wait for a wave in one spot. Its like they don't move laterally to catch anything, just sit like a bouy. If one comes to them, great, they turn and try to go. It seemed like there was a lot of that this morning.

Posted by: Kaiser at March 31, 2005 11:49 AM

Word, steamwand. It drives me crazy when someone paddles right around me [ they're always better surfers than I ] into position, and backs off at the last possible second. They also tend to stick to ya like glue the entire session. I kook most of my takeoffs, so I usually pick stupid spots at weird times. 90% this insures plenty of space, but sometimes I still have a surfer tractor beam attached to my board. It cramps my style when I can't wipe out with total abandon!

e, don't feel so bad. Yesterday I learned I can flamboyantly pearl any board in any conditions. Not everyone can biff a shortboard on a 2 foot peeler. This takes natural talent and hard work. Try not to be jealous. Agh. I'm looking forward to honing more useful surf skills.

Posted by: s.s. sharkbait at March 31, 2005 11:53 AM

don't do it, loon. karma is a powerful force. participating in the hunt and documenting their suffering is just asking for them to turn the table on you.
i can't believe some of you watch those shark movies. me-never. no way. i once watched a pbs special of the researchers out on the farralons where they were using a mini-mal as bait and they said it was just about the best thing you could use. have still never gotten that image out of my head. worse than the worst horror movie ever.

Posted by: steamwand at March 31, 2005 11:53 AM

Posted by: The Anti-Kaiser at March 31, 2005 11:55 AM

E, it looked like you just needed one extra paddle on the wave or two that I saw. Coulda swore I saw you up and riding at some point though.

Posted by: Adam at March 31, 2005 11:58 AM

sharks don't exist. Not around here anyway.

nice on the pearling sharkbait. I've been doing the "stand-up with both legs parallel, looking strait ahead instead of sideways" thing lately. I'll forever always be a kook! i hate surfing.

Posted by: e at March 31, 2005 12:00 PM

kaiser, i vote straight...

Posted by: j at March 31, 2005 12:03 PM

Kaiser, re: your question: they're waiting about because they're thinking, " Daaamn, I'm tired from that paddle. No way do I feel like paddling even more, exhausting myself so I can chase peaks around. If I sit here, eventually I'll drift into something good. " At this point one rogue outside wave will rear up, land on their head, and drag them inside. Not that I've done this 1000 times or anything.

Posted by: s.s. sharkbait at March 31, 2005 12:09 PM

oh my god that's nauseating, even if it is brilliant. e - make it stop!
loon, on the swap note-i think i'll ride my fish tomorrow. i was wishing i had it today. thought it would be bigger. but you can borrow mine if you want.
does anyone know that other girl who was out there this a.m. since apparently we were all in spitting distance of one another. i've seen her once or twice before but hardly ever see other women at ob, 'sides you of course s.s.
btw-we gotta surf together again soon.

Posted by: steamwand at March 31, 2005 12:09 PM

e...sorry to hear 'bout the wave-repellent. sucks when that happens. i'm convinced that luck plays a big role in my sessions. sometimes i have a sesh where i'm just constantly in the wrong place (first between peaks out of position and then beneath suck-out death-pits) and then the next time in very similar conditions i'll have a sesh where the waves are just coming to me. sounds like your next sesh will serve it up for ya!

what a frickin' beautiful morning, btw. awesome.

Posted by: ck at March 31, 2005 12:14 PM

A potentially good discussion thread may be: "Philosophies for successfully surfing beach breaks and sand bars." I know there are a lot of subtleties and more of an art involved in making it work ...as opposed to points, reefs and such.

Ex: You see what seems to be a peak, but when you get out you realize how shifty the peak is, ...or is it you that's drifting and shifting....

Another example: You see it hit a couple times 50 yards north, then you move over and look back to see your old spot get some nice ones....

Posted by: Jack at March 31, 2005 12:16 PM

oh...loon...don't go. kaiser...straight.

Posted by: ck at March 31, 2005 12:33 PM

the female surfer in question is a good friend of mine. Are you trying to get a date or something? Cause I act like a typical older brother. You better be a cool cat.

Posted by: at March 31, 2005 12:48 PM

steamwand is a lassie.

Posted by: at March 31, 2005 12:49 PM

that last comment for steamwand.

Posted by: at March 31, 2005 12:50 PM

oh. who would have guessed with a name like steamwand! well, this is SF. My friend is very cool -- just paddle up and say hi. She is straight. And all you guys better respect her or she will kick your ass. for real.

Posted by: at March 31, 2005 12:52 PM

anyone suffering from allergies like me today? sneezing every minute for the last 2 hours. something is burning inside of the nose cone.

Posted by: at March 31, 2005 12:55 PM

Hey Cave, if you are surfing less and have gotten worse since you moved up here then that is your problem, not San Francisco's.

Posted by: CaveMAN at March 31, 2005 01:11 PM

crowded? i guess that means you paddled out in a crowd because there were plenty a nugs for the having all over the beach really. my and my friend surfed alone, until of course some people saw us getting good waves and decided to join. i guess i should just get pitched every wave like everyone else.

my theory on the bad surfing...the beach isn't always a high performance wave obviously and you can't "work" on stuff like you can at a reef or point because every wave is so different. plus there are way too many beginners period. go to linda mar if you can't consistently make waves at the beach. but...when you do go surf a good point or reef after months at the beach, nothing is better and you will find yourself killing it because you are so stoked.

i like to sit and wait mostly, be patient, paddle for those in the general vicinity. pisses me off though when someone comes sprint paddling from a peak over to compete for a wave that is clearing coming right to you. overaggessive agro paddlers...they suck! is that you kaiser?

Posted by: pitched again at March 31, 2005 01:36 PM

kaiser. i saw you take off on a macking left this morning and just wipe-out huge!! niiice.

Posted by: e at March 31, 2005 01:39 PM

Kaiser, I too do not paddle all over the place, especially when it's crowded. If I'm sitting in a spot waiting and someone paddles over to where I've been waiting when a wave comes in, I call that snaking. I don't do it out of repsect to other surfers and cuz it wears me out. This is not saying I won't paddle to hold position in the currents. Basicaly though, I'd rather drift and walk back.

Posted by: Dennis at March 31, 2005 01:39 PM

also saw the Kaiser workin' it down the line on one. Niiice.

Posted by: e at March 31, 2005 01:40 PM

no surfing sucks.
knee injuries suck.

re. shark fishing. most East Coast surfers fish to pass the flat time, and most of them are still alive!

Posted by: f at March 31, 2005 01:43 PM

I follow a simple survival plan when surfing: don't hassle anyone, don't talk to anyone, and stay out of everyone's way. I am just a beginner, and I respect the fact that many surfers have dedicated their lives to riding waves. I want to learn too, but I also know when to give respect when it is needed.

Posted by: g at March 31, 2005 01:48 PM

Lonnnnng session 7 to 11. Started at a noncrowded spot with only three others in the area, all of whom left by 8 or so. The waves there were not wonderful; so I drifted/paddled north to a crowded spot where the waves were much nicer (low tide, too)---hollow, barrels, mostly a little funky but some great ones in the mix. Got pitched twice big time, but got some real fun rides too.

I don't think I spoiled anyone's waves today, but I'm sure I bummed out some who despise seeing people learning to surf. Please accept my raised middle finger.

Posted by: kloo at March 31, 2005 01:57 PM

word kloo

complaining about surf talent is pretentious

just have fun and observe good edicate

Posted by: at March 31, 2005 02:03 PM

G, that is a great perspective you have! I share the same.

Dennis/Pitched/Etc: I am not the villan paddler out there. Sure, I aggressively go for a wave when I see one I can get (assuming I am not violating someone's space). This morning, I saw rideable peaks all over the place with people sitting right on the shoulder but not going. Am I more aggressive then these folks, sure! But I tend to think that if the wave is rideable, you better take your opportunity unless there is a better opportunity waiting behind it or you are just too tired to go. I typically don't paddle, jockey, etc. with people. Not my style. With my friends, hell yeah I will snake one of them MoFo's every now and then, try to tackle them, etc. Keeps it fun out there.

In all seriousness, we all have a different degree of "commentment" and what not in the water. We are all different. Some of use are smooth and silky, some raw and powerful, some cluncky and kooky. In the end, we all still love being out there. That is what matters.

Today was fun. Tomorrow should suck, stay home!

Posted by: Kaiser at March 31, 2005 02:20 PM

E, thanks for the props. I did my best superman this morning for sure! Had a few of those. Nothing like going over the falls on your biggest wave head down. Strange feeling like this might be your last wave you ever catch.....

Posted by: Kaiser at March 31, 2005 02:23 PM

yeah, weird name, i know. spent much of my early 20s jerking coffee and it just love that foamy milk.
anyway, yeah, no, i'm not looking for a date, big bro. we greeted each other in a friendly manner but...i just seriously almost never see women out there so thought i'd give her a shout out. if she wants to surf with me and s.s. sometime she should shoot me an e-mail. steamwand89 at yahoo. we'll have a three person club. chicks who dig poundings er something. s.s. will think of a funnier moniker.

Posted by: steamwand at March 31, 2005 02:23 PM

Who IS the villian paddler? Find him and bring him to me!

Posted by: Dennis at March 31, 2005 02:29 PM

who's the CaveMAN imposter? you trying to take over my pseudonyme? you're going to get me into trouble hasselhoffing my namesake.

does hasselhoff surf?

Posted by: caveman at March 31, 2005 02:31 PM

3 chicks could secure a peak if we start crying and mumbling about our interrupted group therapy if somebody aggro paddles up. That would scare anyone off ;) Come to think of it maybe I should burst into tears every time I get crowded out...ahhh hahahaha...yes, excellent strategy...

Posted by: s.s. sharkbait at March 31, 2005 02:39 PM

hey kaiser, i wasn't really calling you out, just teasing you since you commented on people just sitting and not looking to get waves. it is obvious though, some people are trying to catch waves, others are not. those people are practically invisible to me. i'll gladly paddle over from the next peak and take their wave, cause they aren't going anyway.

kloo, i don't mind watching people learn to surf, as long as i am watching from the beach at linda mar. really though, some beginners go for it and take the poundings and don't get in the way, thats great, that gets me stoked. it is the rest that paddle around avoiding peaks and getting in peoples way because they are scared. its all good, we all get a bit sketched, but if you are so uncomfortable that you can't turn and go, then surf somewhere more mellow.

Posted by: pitched at March 31, 2005 02:40 PM

No worries, pitched, I just saw a chance to work on my internet tough-guy persona.

Posted by: kloo at March 31, 2005 02:43 PM

Pitched, no worries, I didn't think you were.

If there is an empty wave, someone should try to ride it. If I am close, I will go. There are a lot of bouys in the lineups these days who seem to rather watch then ride.

Posted by: Kaiser at March 31, 2005 02:55 PM

Alpha Level is when the brain gets so expanded under a sensitive situation that it can seem to subconsciously tap the future and react accordingly. Example; moving away from a killer wave before it is seen...

Posted by: Derek Hynd at March 31, 2005 03:02 PM

I wonder how many of the peeps that paddle out at T'po actually go for a wave. I would definately be a bouy there.

Posted by: Dennis at March 31, 2005 03:11 PM

I still don't understand how that T'po wave is ridden. How do you set up for a wave that you can't really see where it is going to pitch up? Man. That is one thing i know I will never do or try, and i am fine by that.

See Desmond Dekker if he rolls up to SF in April! Not to be missed. Oh, oh, shhhaaanty.....

Posted by: Hb at March 31, 2005 03:26 PM

Hey Derek, is that what they call "Hyndsight"?

Posted by: 3to5setsof7 at March 31, 2005 03:26 PM

Open Realm song
(the volume of the recording is a bit low so you might have to turn it up)
radius (8mb mp3)

Posted by: at March 31, 2005 03:26 PM

I heard it today, while surfing: "Yeah, and Blakestah is calling for offshores tomorrow too, so I am going to crack it and show up to work late." If that isn't informing the masses so they adjust their schedules so they can surf thereby crowding out the spots, I don't know what is.

Not surfline, but definitely not innocent.

Posted by: crowd controll at March 31, 2005 03:34 PM

McNutt's Jamaica pics

Posted by: e at March 31, 2005 03:57 PM

Posted by: at March 31, 2005 03:59 PM

Fun looking old school '63 Seal Beach waves!!

Posted by: Hb at March 31, 2005 04:03 PM

Hasselhoff actually golfs. Up at Squaw Creek we had the pro/am type thing and he played this one year. All of us who worked on the course were calling him "Hosselhoff" cause he was a horrible golfer and he always hit the ball off the hossle of the club.

Fun waves today.

Posted by: kookdom at March 31, 2005 04:07 PM

serious spring swell on the east coast this week. my bro said norhtern ri was big and offshore on tues.
but check this vid.
http://www.guerrillaguru.com/vidGal/vidClip18.hal
damn, i'm movin to nyc...

Posted by: steamwand at March 31, 2005 04:10 PM

Let's kill all the weathermen and see if that helps the crowds!

Posted by: blakestah at March 31, 2005 04:33 PM

we don't have to kill them, just tell them to shut up when it comes to prophesizing the recreational activities they enjoy. My god, what would Bill Martin say? I've seen him grumbling about crowds and dropping in on chicks. He keeps his trap shut on the evening news. you should too.

Posted by: at March 31, 2005 04:38 PM

hang the dj hang the dj hang the dj

hang the dj hang the dj

Posted by: Morrisey at March 31, 2005 05:07 PM

b-stah pretty much called this past weekend to the tee..

is bill martin the skinnier guy with the lighthair? longboarder?

Posted by: bagel at March 31, 2005 05:16 PM

Bikinis are great!

Posted by: Kaiser at March 31, 2005 05:48 PM

Hang Zen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
it was fun getting worked today ,im going to miss that soon here.

Posted by: buhda at March 31, 2005 05:59 PM

(03-31) 17:55 PST McKINLEYVILLE, Calif. (AP) --

A U.S. Coast Guard crew in Humboldt County took part in a daring sea rescue, plucking two boogie boarders from an onslaught of rough waves off Samoa Beach.

Two teenage boys were found clinging to a single boogie board for flotation at about 4:30 p.m. Wednesday after a strong riptide dragged them away from shore.

A helicopter rescue swimmer was lowered from a helicopter and was able to get a strap around the first boy, and quickly hoisted him aboard. The second boy lost his grip on the boogie board and had to be snatched from the powerful waves by hand.

"They were physically exhausted, and extremely grateful when we arrived to save them," said Coast Guard Petty Officer Dave Beacham.

The boys did not require medical treatment and were taken back to the beach to collect their belongings.

Dramatic video footage of the event shows the rescue swimmer and the boys being pounded by the strong waves.

Posted by: at March 31, 2005 06:06 PM

You know where B. Martin goes to check to see if he should go surf.....

He's a shortboarder...talked to him a few times.

Posted by: blakestah at March 31, 2005 06:15 PM

today. typical OB - shifty inconsistent FUN. There are so many in's to the beach. Regarding the quality of the surfers, actually everyone looks pretty average there. The SC guys don't know how to line up, so they pretty much sit. And the waves are totally diverse. Today's had a lot of what I'd call bottom warble, which totally messed with the drop vectors and made a lot of people (myself included) miss or start offbalance. Bottom line, it was off shore/calm and plenty enough to get my fix. What the hell it is practically April, and today OB was probably the best wave for 50 miles either direction. The crowd certainly voted our lineup - pretty heavy for a Thursday. Must have been 'stah's offshore call (good call btw). Or maybe I should say it sucked and I didn't get any.

Posted by: banjo at March 31, 2005 11:31 PM

it was a bit funky out here when I arrived around noonish..looked like it wanted to be good but perhaps the swell was too low interval and stacked up but I went 0 for as well! I find that on days such as this I do better with a thicker board, anyone have any fish suggestions?

Posted by: antman at April 1, 2005 12:31 AM

Anyone know if that video of the Bodega Bay rescues is online?

Posted by: Jaques Haas at April 1, 2005 01:20 AM
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