Saturday Surf Session

Original photo by Clayton Plummer

Well, actually, it was a Sunday Surf Session, but you get the idea.  I was back home at Anderson Street this weekend.  It felt good to be in a familiar break. 

Tamarack is sweet and I've had quite a few fun sessions there;  I just wasn't ready last Saturday for the size.  My SUP is a nice board, but I'm not good at surfing it in heavy waves.  I psyched myself out as I drove to Tamarack and before I ever suited up it was too late for me mentally.

I should have surfed my 6'8" Meyerhoffer Lemondrop.  It would have been fun, especially since I haven't ridden it in a while.  That board is better suited for the waves we were getting here in SoCal last weekend.

I didn't psych myself out this Sunday.  As a result, I had a blast.  It was fun and I didn't put any pressure on myself to perform.

The dolphins were out playing in the surf as well this morning.  I really enjoy watching them play in their element.

The surf was OK.  No where near as big and powerful as last Saturday.  The period (time between waves) was a little short, but manageable.  I caught a handful of waves at least.  They were all redemption waves for last week's shut out.

I called it good and rode my last wave all the way in because I noticed that the lens of my GoPro was fogging up like there was water in the waterproof case.  DOH!  So, rather than risk a $400 piece of equipment, I retired on a high note.

Thankfully, after getting back to my truck and drying off, I took the GoPro out of it's case and had a look.  There wasn't any standing water.  I think there had been JUST enough moisture in the case from when I cleaned it last week that it caused the lens to fog.  The camera itself is fine and so is the case.

Until next time, keep it rubber side down!
Clayton

Saturday Surf Session

Original photo by Clayton Plummer

This Saturday I surfed somewhere else!  I know, WHAT?!  Yes, I surfed down in northern San Diego County at a break called Tamarack.  It is in Carlsbad, CA.

It was a big day for the surf.  I have not been surfing enough, nor am I skilled enough for the power that was out there Saturday.

So, I paddled out and just watched.

There was an old man out there, like 70 years old and surfing a SUP, no less.  He was just chillin' in the line-up, no problem.  He paddled into waves like it was no big deal.  He was definitely an old salt.  TONS of years surfing and the paddle thing was just another wave vehicle.  He was definitely from the era when you had to be a true waterman to surf.  No leashes (kook cords) and the boards weighed over 50lbs.  He made it look easy.

I tried to scratch my way into smaller warm-up waves, but it wasn't happening.  I was too far outside (with the rest of the line-up) for the small stuff.  The big sets were BIG, but had a very long period (time between sets).  I made the mistake of being teased to the inside stuff, catching nothing, just as a big set came through.  I always seem to be RIGHT where the wave breaks when I get caught this way.  Thankfully, I was just inside enough for the wave to break before it got to me.  I turned towards shore and got way back on the tail of my board to let the wall of white-wash propel me zero-to-sixty back to the sand.

I sucked it up and paddled back out.  I paddled around for an hour and a half before calling it good.  I couldn't even catch a ripple to ride in as I paddled back to shore.  I tried, I promise.

So, once back on land, I sat and watched the masters do their work.  It is always amazing to watch guys catch big waves like it's no big deal.  Longboards, short boards, SUPs; whatever they're riding it doesn't seem to matter to the guys that know what to do.

Hopefully, I'll be that guy some day.  In the mean time, it was a day to watch mother nature doing her thing while the real surfers rode the waves and had a blast.

Until next time, keep it rubber side down.
Clayton

Saturday Surf Session

Saturday I surfed at, wait for it, dramatic pause, Anderson Street!  YAY!  I know blah blah boring.  Ha.

I did have fun.  The waves were tiny, but they were there.  I uploaded a video because I actually used my GoPro this time.  I also used the WiFi remote for it too.

The remote made a huge difference in how much data I recorded.  With the help of my girlfriend, who is super awesome at the whole editing thing, I've got my first video.  It's simple, but came out really cool.

While I was out there I got to see a seal.  Which is kind of cool, but kind of scary too.  Sharks eat seals, so in my head seal = shark.

Thankfully, not much time passed before the dolphins came swimming into the area.  That was reassuring.  They didn't swim very close to shore, but they were close enough to see.  I know it isn't completely true, but again in my head the dolphins scare the sharks away from the area.

The sun was hot, the surf was not, but overall it was a fun morning at Anderson Street.

Until next time,
Keep it rubber side down!
Clayton

Saturday Surf Session

Original Photo by Wonderlane

These past couple of weekends have been FLAT.  I mean Lake Pacific versus The Pacific Ocean flat.  Rather than fighting the good fight for non-existent waves, I've been doing other things.

My girlfriend and I have hiked out at Shady Canyon two Saturdays in a row.  Last week Saturday the place was packed.  I've been there quite a few times and I don't know if I've ever seen that many cars in the parking lot.

We are no longer training for a trip to Montana.  That trip's time slot has come and gone.  We were never able to find adequate lodging.  That isn't to say that there weren't places to stay, but nothing that we were looking to rent.  Hopefully, that trip will materialize before the glaciers all melt completely in Glacier National Park.

A couple of Sundays ago I went mountain biking for the first time in a very long time.  I did The Fullerton Loop Trail out and back for a total of almost 20 miles.  The distance struck me as odd because I've done the out and back quite a few times and it was always over 20 before.  This time it was shy of 20 and I didn't do anything different in the route.  Like I said, kind of weird.  It was still a good ride and it felt great to get on the bike again.

Original Photo by Clayton Plummer

This weekend was Labor Day.  My girlfriend and I took the short trip down to her parent's place in The San Diego Area.  Her dad and I went fishing off of his Tayana 37 sail boat.  We sailed out of The Coronado Bay just out to Point Loma and stuck to the kelp beds out there.  We didn't have any luck until we moved away from the kelp and over to the other side of the sunken jetty.  There I hooked into a nice 20+ inch long Pacific Halibut.  I was using 40lb test braided line, a Warbait Slayer Head jig, and a plastic grub tail.  My set-up was more than powerful enough for the halibut.  I man-handled him to the boat no problem.  To give you an idea of size, the black thing (cleat) is about 6 to 8 inches long.  The fish is about 3 to 4 of those cleats long.

Pretty fun, great weekend.

Hopefully, the surf picks up a bit between now and when I pic up some new gear here in the next two months.  More on that in another blog!!

Until next time,
Clayton