The waves have been small in the dog days. Fires burn the state and cast a faint filter on coastal light bringing fall into focus a shade early. Our street is strewn with red and yellow leaves. I’m betting on an early winter but I have been wrong the past three years.
Got a few waves this week. Check it out.
My son, Matthew, and I surfed into sunset on summer solstice. We used to do this every year, but I wasn’t surfing last year, or the seven preceding years for that matter. But then I got into SUP. Then SUP surfing. So Matthew and I planned an outing for Tuesday evening, not realizing that the actual solstice was Monday, but hey, we were close.
We got in the water about 7:30, and got out just before 9. The sun had set, and we had wide grins. My wife, Donna, was there to greet her lads. Matthew, by the way, had never surfed a SUP, but he’s a fitness trainer at Empowered Fitness, has great balance, used to surf a long board with grace and agility, and boy did he take to SUP Surfing like a duck to water. Check it out.
SOLSTICE SUP SURFING from Tom Adams on Vimeo.
I’ve been busy, and tired, and edgy for waves. Not the gigantic wind chop slop that’s come day after day. I’ve needed rest, but only as a last resort, when the caffeine and the chocolate have run their course and left me deflated, eyes flapping in a wind of to dos.
My posts have been pushed past the end of the day then placed on the shelf where they just gather dust. But this morning the wind stopped, the swell dropped, and the sun came out. There was time to take out my big board for some much needed play.
Caught a few waves, recharged my battery, now ready for a 21-day cleanse that starts tomorrow with no caffeine, sugar, gluten, dairy, or alcohol. What’s left, you might ask. Fruit, veggies, lean meat, fresh fish, almond butter, humus, and lots and lots of water.
So if you have a minute, check out my play time.
It’s been at least two weeks since I stepped foot in the surf. The waves have been large and unruly but it rained which is good. My ten week workshop with the San Francisco Writers Studio has been fulfilling. This class ends Tuesday. I signed up for the next one which starts in two weeks. Between now and then I plan to publish some of the work I’ve done in the class.
Yesterday I got wet and it solidified the notion that SUP days are better than others. Even though I lost my footing more than once, I caught waves and paddled the length of the beach. After an hour session I left the water with a clear head and sore muscles.
So why the title African SUP? Watch the one minute video: It’s the music.
A long boarder and a short boarder getting great waves at Linda Mar in Pacifica, July 2011.
A few years ago I thought my surfing days were behind me. Bad back, torn shoulder. But the beach was still a place of joy. A place to walk along the shore, take a few photos, get sand between my toes.
I shot this image into our beach-front Taco Bell on one of those days. Pedro Point and people chowing on tacos shows through while a solitary surfer reflects back.
I’ve surfed twice the past week. On a Stand Up Paddle Board (SUP) and am so grateful that a board is under my feet again. Every day I wake to check out the surf. And from time to time get to ride on it.
This afternoon I walked the beach to greet the incoming swell that will pump through Mavericks tomorrow. It’s not expected to be the gargantuan size that they sometimes get, but a 20 foot face would certainly get my chest thumping.
Today, with an outgoing tide and plenty of shore birds, I got a few SUPs against some crisp jazz. Enjoy.
My future daughter-in-law took me to the beach to watch the birds, chat it up, and see some SUP surfing. Here’s a bit of our morning set to the contemplative jazz of Scott Wilkie.
We have surf right in front of our world famous Taco Bell. It might be the only Taco Bell on the planet built on the beach. It has stunning views, and at high tide, during a large swell, the surf might flow under the building. But let’s discuss soft top boards, not soft shell tacos.
I saw this guy heading out to surf with a soft top board, like those pictured above, but his was white with blue stripes. Soft tops are the board of choice for most surf schools, since they soften the inevitable fall. I assumed, therefore, that the guy was a beginner.
During the next half hour I put my new camera through its paces. This is the camera that got drenched during my close encounter with large waves at the pier this past Thursday. It seems to be functioning quite well.
There were close ups of gulls posing beside the terminus of San Pedro Valley Creek and surf scoters gliding effortlessly over the low tide swell. The guy on the white and blue board, who was hardly a beginner, gave me a handfull of fun waves.
I’m still under the weather, and it was raining, but I had to hit the waves with my camera. Mind you my better gear is not rain friendly so I used my little Lumix pocket cam which takes full HD video though its zoom lens is tough to hold steady hand held.
Today there were three paddle boarders in the surf. I met one of them, Rick, after his session. To be fair, he caught a few nice waves while I walked from my car to the rocks where I recorded one good wipeout and the last ride he rode for the day.
An imprint of FATHOMBOOKS.
Poetry, Fiction and Art
happy endings begin here...
Stories and memories from author, Tina Harden, of the series of children's books Cameron and Tigger the Tabby
Adventures in Watercolor Painting and Sketching, Watercolour Magazine, with Charlie O'Shields
Steve's body of work spans conflicts, vanishing cultures, ancient traditions and contemporary culture alike - yet always retains the human element.
thoughts and images from my perspective
Bursting my bubbles
Talk Books. Drink Coffee.
Blogger Without a Cause
Phyllis Moore MythRider Every story is an adventure. Come along for the ride.
from Donna Blethen, MFT
SUP DAYS are better than others 