What Came over me?

Seriously, what got into me to actually surf someplace within a 15 minute drive?

I was sitting in my home office, which was nice and cozy. The dog was asleep on the couch, and I was just reading some emails, and doing a few things. I knew the surf had picked up a little, but the weather sucks! It’s cold out, not Nor Cal cold, but cold for here. I know the water was cold, because I went for a nice 2.5 mile paddle on Sunday in the bay, and my arms where freezing, but at least it was warm out. That little paddle kind of got me fired up to surf.

My buddy did another "Black Ops Dawn Patrol at LZ1 this morning and said it was fun. So, here I am sitting in my office and I check the cams, it looks good. So I figure, what the heck, just run down and surf for 45mins, then come back and work.

I grab my 6'-6" Webber Compact Disc and head out. I got the heater going, a nice cup of Joe, all the while my mind is saying, just check it out!

I pull into the "Staging Area", hop out, and shimmy up the hill and peak over the top to check out LZ1. It looks good, plenty of action, other guys moving all around the LZ, digging in. I suit up, wax up and head out down the rocks.

I waited for a bit to size things up and look for the best, fastest and easiest way off the beach. I hit the water just a set was coming, bad luck on my part, but I pushed on!

I sat out side and waited. I told myself, to wait for the right one. Sure enough, a nice little peak pops up on the outside; I head for the right, another guy for the left. I paddle hard, mentally telling myself to get to my feet fast and don't blow it! I feel the wave start to lift me forward; I take one extra stroke for good luck, put my hand on the deck and push off. Now, this is where my friends are usually paddling back out, and either my hand slips off the deck, or I just blow it and cartwheel right in front of them. NOT THIS TIME! I angle right, feet planted firmly, I stay low and compact, and go to the bottom, lean on my inside rail and push with my legs to make a nice smooth bottom turn and look up at a nice shoulder/head high wall lining up. (I almost pissed my wetsuit with excitement that I did not blow it.) Coming out of my bottom turn I got some speed, and shot up the face. I shifted my weight back over the center, got low and eyed the lip in front of me. (Holy #$@#! don't blow this!). I leaned onto my back foot, leading with my left arm, and pointing with my right, I hit the lip, drove some weight onto my back foot while rotating and threw a nice little spray. (I almost pissed my wetsuit with excitement again) No typical stalls and falls. I actually looked like I knew what I was doing. I must have been channeling my inner surfer that has been dormant. What ever it was it was FUCKING AWESOME! I came back down, leaned into the face for a quick speed pump, and noticed it was going to close out. I shot back up and did a nice flying pull out with a Triple Lindy, and into the water.

Granted, it was not the longest wave, but, hell, beach breaks are not points.

Sadly I was surfing as "Mr. Lonely, party of one". None of my friends saw it.

I caught another good one and came in from my 45 minute heat, stoked!

All it takes is one good ride to get you back into it. The best part was that I was doing this local. Not driving north or south. My crew will fall over when they read this.

BLack Ops - Dawn Patrol Mission(Surfing is a Addiction)

I get this from a good friend of mine this morning. I have talked about this guy in the past. This is my friend that has Glaucoma in his left eye, had that surgey were they put a little pressure reflief valve in to keep him from going Blind. Well, surfing is like a drug. He was told to stay out of the water beacuse he could get an internal eye infection and go blind! That was two years ago. I guess he can't stay out of the water any more. Kinda of like falling off the wagon. he has been on a surfing binge for a little while now.
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This was the email and photo.( He loves to use Corel Draw on his Photos)



Hilarity this morning at the cliffs, while most of you were getting an extra hour sleep. Ned is hell bent on surfing 6 days a week so when the waves are good I try to join him. Even if he has a meeting at 7:00am he will get in the water at O dark thirty. This morning was no exception, waves were a solid 2-4, so Ned recommended we go to the (spot deleted to protect the locals).

So we meet at 5:30 near *** beach. Ned pops out of the Prius, with full camo paint on his face………………..Jesus,we are like two 8 year olds. After cracking up and taking a photo we wait for Travelocity(nick name of other surfer) but,the invasion can’t be late so we move to the launching point on the beach. After reviewing the huge consistent waves and the massive current we agree, on a LZ1 spot ( Landing Zone ) directly in front of the bathroom lights and the first palm tree. After we paddle out, we plan to meet just outside the waves (like on Saving private Ryan when he says “what do we do now sir” and he answers “get to the beach” well this is kind of like the opposite of that, get off the beach!

As we walk out into the surf, and its fucking black as night out in the pre-dawn, and I can’t see shit,I say to Ned “now I’ll meet you straight out………….right there”. Once we jump on our boards and start paddling, its clear why I’m titled paddleboard champion and Ned is not. As I’m halfway out, and still in earshot of Ned, I notice there is a lull in the waves and I yell “COME ON DUDE GO NOW!”……I paddle hard, and barely make it over an outside set, look back to see the carnage that is Ned, being dragged to the beach with about 18 more waves in the set on his head……..

I stay and surf at LZ1 (as planned) for an hour and a half and then head in about the time I know he has to leave for work. We all converge in the parking lot and discuss the failure to meet at LZ1 and how we would have all died if we were in Vietnam…

Boards FOR SALE Doc Surf Perscriptions and a Hoffman

I feel like mu Blog has turned into Craigslist. These Boards need to go, I am selling for a friend

6'-4" Doc, Pro 2 model, Brand new, never been in the water $440
7'-4" Doc Gun, used a few times, $425
8'-0" Hoffman 23-1/8"x 3-1/8" A big Board $395 with out the fins. This was used 5 times.

Send me an email, craig@crwallace.com

Beach Trike

I have Three of these Cool Schwinn Adult Trikes for sale for $220.

If interested email me craig@crwallace.com

Influences

There are certain things that have influences on you when you are young. This is one of those pictures. The way DP looks with his spiked braclet, Converse Hi-tops, shaved head, at a time when you could get beat up for looking like this. He was anti-establishment,anti-authority, rebel, punk!. To me as a young skater that loved punk rock, Duane Peters was, and still is the coolest. I wanted to be just like him! I had this photo up for a long time. I recently bought an original and have it up in my offfice. I think some of that early influece still exists in my life. I still find myself going aginst the grain, turning left, when everyone goes right.

This picture was taken by Ted Terrebone, TBone. He has a cool website of all of his skateboard photos from the 1970's to now.


Check it out.

Santa Monica Mountains and Spindrift madness from Behind the Orange Curtain

While I was out with my son and his Cub Scout Pack doing a hike in the Santa Monica Moutains, I couldn't help but look and think about the surf.

As you see by the photos and video I got from a friend, There was plenty of spindrift going on behind the Orange Curtain.

Friends that surf and Friends that don’t.

Friends that surf and Friends that don’t.

I just got off the phone with a friend I had met back in 1984 when we both went to Cuesta College (that is another story, best reserved for a camp fire). Through wonders of modern technology, I was able to track him down. I think the last time we talked was 1988/89?

But we talked like we had not missed a day. After I hung up, it dawned on me how surfing influences your friendships. Most of the longterm friendships I have are there because we share the common thread of surfing, we are surfers (at least I try). What is it about surfing that keeps these relationships? Do Golfers have these; do people identify themselves as “golfers”, what about other sports?

Think about the friends you have that don’t surf. Do you talk to them the same way? It is a shared experience, from kook to non-kook. Hours spent driving up and down the coast, looking at the ocean, watching the weather. Do your non-surfing friends notice a flag blowing by the side of the road, and can tell if it is offshore or onshore? Do they know what it means when the seasons change? Do they think Santa Ana winds are just an annoyance? Do they even care?

My good friends surf!

A fast Visit to "BCB"

I was in Pacific Palisades doing an Appraisal, still amazed at the values up there for a 1,400 sf, all original home "teardown", selling for a million, but hey, its the westside.

I decided to head down to Beer Can Beach on the way home. I fully expected to see Christian paddle out at any moment, but, since this was noon, I knew he was working.

I sat there for a liitle bit, hoping to see an apprearance by the "Landlord" aka, "the man in the grey suit", "whitey", do his thing and breach out of the water, but alas, no such luck..........

What was I thinking?

What the hell am I looking over this wave for, another better one? Come on? This was last friday November 5th. Vince and I decided to head down to trestles and see what it had.

By the looks of this it was ok. But, why did I not turn and go on this wave? Seriously, WHAT THE HELL WAS I THINKING?


Perhaps it was something like this from the first wave....CLASSIC!

Rivers End.......

So, as some of you are aware, I am in full work mode. This happens when you are "self-employed". It is feast or famine, and for too long it as famine. I had to take a part-time 1099 consulting job to keep the wheels on the cart. Well that ended back in September. However, it has been full speed ahead on the appraisal front. 7 days a week. work all day, take a family break in the evening and then back at it until I can't keep my eyes open. All this to make the almighty dollar.

I have heard, seen and read about how good the surf has been, but, my priority was the dollar for the familia.

Today was different, it was about 10am, I was looking at the HD surf cam of the closest spot to my house, "the rivers end" and actually saw some small rights coming in, a small crowd and 80+ degree weather, hot and sunny. I jumped up from my desk, left the dog sleeping on the couch, ran downstairs, like the house was on fire.
Grabbed my trusty 7'-8" pintail single fin, and was almost laying some rubber as I torn down the alley. I told my self, " C-dub, you only get 45 minutes, so make the most of it"

Into the parking lot, to a slot in the front row and into my 2mm short sleeve full in record time. Hit the water to be greeted by a girl in a bikini paddling out and took my place in the lineup. There must have been a "sweepers" meeting because there was about 7 "oarons" of minimal talent on the outside, all trying to be Laird......whatever.

I grabbed about four waves, not great size, about waist, maybe shoulder on the take off, they lined up all the way in. I would just set the rail, get up towards the front and just glide...

Ahhhh......it was a good time. Surfing feels good.