June gloom with waves plus SUPable surf

Slept in past sunrise, slow start out the door and had to run a quick errand before driving down to the beach chancing the winds/ tide combo yet still hopeful for a Stand Up Paddle session. The weather lately has been gray plus AM winds plus negative tides, if on Hawaii's 9th island (Vegas) I might as well write them a check with those odds.


I pull up and act as if I'm going to watch it before I go out. As I catch myself thinking that thought I backup and drive down to my spot (yeah I have a spot). With the low tide and exposed reef I choose to leash my 12 foot Ron House SUP Board. The classic old faithful. The crowds light on the south peak but they must have been giving away gold on the point just to the north, stupid crowded!


Paddled out and had some fun waves. Lefts, rights and about 20 minutes where the wind laid down and the faces cleaned up.


The big set for my session started marching on the horizon so I took it on myself to be the welcome wagon. Especially since the one other guy hanging out with me was stuck on the inside. I greeted the 5 foot swell with an Aloha and cruised back to my spot. Walked out in the sand, showered and started the work day.


So know I watch the winds hoping for a repeat.... with less winds.


Don't be a kook! Paddle with Aloha

Saturday morning Stand UP Paddle fun in the crowd

Saturday AM. Swell is here but it's Saturday and I wanna go Stand Up some fun waves with a little juice on it. So I cruise to a spot that breaks off a rock reef that has some new sand in it. The tide is good, wind is good, crowd is overwhelming... and I'm the only Stand Up Paddle Surfer.


I paddle through the line up and get a couple hecklers, but they're bruddahs from the past so it's all good and in fun. However I get that vibe from others, they don't understand that I come packing Aloha.


Watching the sections come and go I paddle over to a spot that no ones really at on a wave that is make-able only on a SUP. Right after right after right. I'm riding my 9'6" and having fun smacking it on the bing bong! The fin configuration is loose which makes for a lot of fun.


Another wonderful day in the water. Sorry no pics, the skies are too gray.

SUP back on the water

I've been land-locked for the past 30 days. Why? Don't ask. Well... I guess not completely land-locked, I've been able to get out on the water and sail a couple days this past month. However there has been no Stand Up Paddle Surfing for me.

Still needing to keep a dry ear and going stir crazy with all the swell we've had this past month or so I figure I can go play it safe and make a couple laps down at Dana Point Harbor. So confident I don't even bring my wet-dry bag for the baggies.

The tide was going negative and the wind was blowing out of the west around 8-12kts. It was a good afternoon for a workout. I was up for at least a couple laps, still feeling my couple hour workout from this morning. The first lap was downwind the outside channel and upwind against the tide through the mid-channel. Everything was going fine until I rounded the corner where the Harbor Patrol station is. Between the negative tidal movement and the wind it created a weird eddy/ vortex thingy. It didn't really click until I went to dig and it felt like my paddle hit air and I followed up with a splash. I remember thinking to myself, "I just fell in...what the..." And then, "glad I didn't bring my iPhone for tunes..."

It was warm enough that I was pretty much dry by the time I reached Danalina and started lap number dos. This time I paddled down and back on the outer channel. The wind was better for the workout on the way back up.

There was nobody else out, really surprising. Oh it's Monday...

Paddle with Aloha

Big outer reef SUPS bombs

Yesterday morning more bombs to Stand Up Paddle Surf. By accident of incident most of our local crew ends up on an outer reef that only breaks when it's really big. As a matter of fact the inside reef only breaks when the ocean is pumping some juicy swell. There we a couple of guys towing in the day before.

Originally three of us squeaked the shore break and paddle over to a left working off one of the semi-submerged rocks. We cruised over there for a couple of waves but were watching another spot. After seeing a steady stream of incoming surf we paddled over and to much our delight were greeted by most of everyone we Stand Up Paddle Surf with at Kaulapapas.

It was pretty fun dialing in a spot you never get a chance to surf a lot, or ever. It took a minute, but we realized where we needed to be and start to have some real fun. Sliding down these faces were a blast. Big open faced waves on a Stand Up Paddle Board is good.

The tide started to feel in and it became difficult to paddle into. We cruised in to battle the shore break again. This time the tide was higher and it was dumping on the sand/ rocks. Trying to negotiate this was on my 12 footer was anything but graceful. I think some of it was after having so much fun outside I didn't care. I pulled in to one, made a bad judgement call, took a couple thumpers on the head and let it drag me across the beach. I little rock rash and sand in the shorts never hurt. It got so bad the Rangers closed the lot down because of the water and beach coming up on the parking lot.

We drove by today and you would have never known that the bombs of yesterday were even there. The swell is backing off everywhere. I actually broke out my short board, found some of my favorite rights and craved my initials in a couple.

Hope everybody had as much fun as I did.

Oh and here is some video of SUPS at the Wedge.



Aloha!

Finally a Big South Swell swell with some SUPS punch

Down at Kaulapapa's, the Stand Up Paddle Disneyland, something was very strange...the surf was overhead... and at times showing almond barrels (one was chasing me backside). Today wasn't the day for the turn and burn technique, I tried it and it didn't work out well for me. A couple good size waves came in and I thought to myself, "I can make this". One late take off under the lip resulted in a personal yard sale. I was on my 12 footer, made the drop but was way back on the tail. With too much board out in front of me I was trying to make it to the bottom of the wave for a bottom turn but the wave demanded I just go straight to jail and not collect $200. The paddle was ripped out of my hands and my watch was ripped off my wrist as I went skipping down the face, fun.

But those were the exceptions to my session. I had a couple fun drops, not too many sets really lined up until the tide filled in, my last wave I likey. There were some bombs that rolled in and I saw some guys and girls draw get some really clean lines, laying on their rails and heavy on their paddles. And when I mean bombs I mean 10-12ft faces on the super sets. I can say that in confidence because Sean Collins from Surfline was commenting at the US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach and said that Lowers was "double to triple overhead". We had a HUGE clean up set, I paddled at least 2 stokes maybe three to get over the face.

Buddies caught in the inside, Pastors praying, leashes popping, Tracey take 28 straight waves on the head but still gets out and catches her wave of the day, shuttles to trails, all before 10AM.

So the question is where to stand up paddle surf tomorrow? Weekends at Kaulapapa's can be so blah with the limited parking. "Hmmmmmm", I wonder. (there's a hint in there if you "follow" me.

And send a prayer out for the family that lost a son today at the wedge. I read he got caught up in the jetty and was taken to hospital where he passed away. The article I read also had a video clip of some wedge action from today's swell and there was a dude on a Stand Up Paddle Board dropping in (1:29 minutes). WHAT!?

Paddle safe this weekend.

Wore out

I don't think you're suppose to be this tired before the swell shows up. I'm exhausted already. The beginning of the week I stand up paddled surfed a bit more than I should and then yesterday went for an outrigger paddle of close to 6 miles. This morning when I started my way through the inside I was feeling it.



Going to get my rest tonight. Pretty tired from a combo of this mornings fun welcoming the new swell and the sun draining what remaining energy I had while on the sailboat this afternoon. I need to work more, I'm more rested when that happens.

Stand Up Paddle FOG Surfing

The last two days have been interesting down at Kaulapapas. The morning marine layer was laid on pretty thick. Yesterday more so than today. There were times that we couldn't see 20 feet in front of us. The surf was inconsistent enough that we would had no idea where we were at. Then the sets would pop up through the fog and it would be a mad scramble to make anything work.



Today was similar, except it was clear in the morning, then the marine layer rolled in. It wasn't as thick as it was yesterday but enough that you couldn't see the shore at times. So if you couldn't see any waves I guess there wasn't any..... or was there.

Great White Shark at San Onofre

What an awesome day! Stand up paddle surfing with no waves.... what to do, what to do? Let's go paddle. Just like yesterdays stand up paddle surf session. With all the shark buzz going around here in southern orange county I wanted first hand knowledge. Up until today I hadn't seen up close (I've seen the dorsal and tail fin) and personal the Great White that all my buddies have had chance encounters with.

Stand Up Paddle Surfers have been pushed down to the south end of San Onofre State Beach, exiled if you will, south of dogpatch. The surf is fickle enough down there with all the deep water spots but when the swell is weak and the tide is wrong it's more or less a lake. Point in case today.

I got bored trying to make believe my 9'6" Ron House SUPS board is actually my 12 footer so I paddle out past the "break" and paddle in semi circles. These aren't random, more of a search pattern. Looking to encounter "fluffy" the San Onofre Great White. I pace patiently out there for 20 minutes or so. Staying over the sandy area looking for a shadow to cruise slowly by. Just as I was about to paddle in I see her. (I'm referring to Fluffy as a her).

That dark shadow I've been waiting for is only a few feet away. How cool is this? I'm standing on the water looking down on a Great White shark. She seemed to be as curious as I was. I paddled over a little closer to try and get an idea of how big she really was. All the reports I've heard from friends have been around the 8 foot mark. Again, I was on my 9'6" SUPS board and she was probably a foot shy, nose to tail, of my board.

For about fifteen minutes we played. There were a couple times where she positioned herself in a way that placed me in a precarious position, which I'll admit was quiet spooky. However most of the time I paddled beside her, both watching what the other was up too. As we kept moving I noticed we were getting into the deeper holes near the power plant and she was popping in and out of the camouflage of seagrass.

At this point I was either under estimating the "tiny brain" of this primitive yet advanced predator and/or pushing my luck. I listened to that "soft tiny voice" in my head and backed off.

I paddled back in complete amazement and respect for this creature that sends fear in the hearts of those when they hear the name, Great White shark. She has probably been in the area for years, silently slipping in and out of the line up unknown to those who prefer to catch waves on their bellies.

All this being said. I'm no shark expect and by any means I do NOT recommend anyone try this, especially if you have a tendency to fall while stand up paddle surfing. We all know the capabilities of a animal of this size, strength and reputation... and if you don't flip on the the Discovery Channel. This was my experience and I thought I'd share it.

A sharky fun filled day at San O the Stand Up Paddle Surf way

Smooth as glass this morning and all most as flat. No expectations but fun on days like this. These are the days that make Stand Up Paddle Surfing so much fun... pure fun.




Well if there was one expectation it would be that this guy would see our resident Great White again. G-Money has the most spottings of fluffy the past couple weeks. No fluffy today, just a couple leopard sharks, a couple sand sharks and a good size thresher or blue... hard to tell. 4-6ft long and splashy.... he flicked a little water at K-MO today.






But seriously.... there have been legit shark sightings at San Onofre, one has been a Great White. And I'm not sure about this guys shark story!? So if that kind of thing freaks you out don't get in the water. If you're bleeding at all... don't get in the water. And don't forget this, that where they've always been. Let's get freaked out when we see them on land.

K-Mo doing his thing on the tiny tiny surf... taking a little walk.



Finding the nose....


Executing his patented cut back.




Our wahine for the session, the Abinator!




Half the line up.... smiles for miles.


Hoku out.