A Great Surf Day

  

I knew it would be an interesting day

The espresso grind was so light and fluffy it threatened to float away.
I did manage to herd enough into the pot to make a decent batch.

A critical part of my morning surf ritual.

Next to the internets. Not to the "surf sites" because they vary widely and are more inclined to overhype a marginal swell that to tip you off to "the thunder from down under"

Besides, pulling up to the beach to find out it's firing is one of life's great pleasures.

Using a service to tell you what the swell is going to be like would be like having a service to tell you what your Christmas presents are going to be. "The yellow package in the corner is a catchers mitt. You will leave it at practice in two weeks and never see it again..."

That said sometimes I cheat. Maybe look at a tide chart or a wind forecast.

The waves are the waves are the waves.

Meditate on that koan for a while. You will figure it out.

But the omens were still with me today.

My wetsuit was dry and if you don't count a bit of sand was still in perfect condition.

Love the limestone neoprene. Although I still haven't figured how they get a delightful bit of rubber out of a rock...

I am happy enough that when someone asks, after a multi hour session "how was the water" I honestly can't say. It was either cold and the new suit was a great insulator or the water was very warm all winter. I can't really say.

My mat and fins are perfect.

Every time I get a new mat from Paul I think "OK that's it, this is perfect and it can't ever get any better that this!" then six months later (and probably a thousand subtle research projects on Paul's part) he comes up with something that rides even better than the last one.

Never buy a surf craft from someone who doesn't surf.
Always get your stuff directly from the maker and shop locally.

That small bit of wisdom should be obvious but in looking at the surf craft industry I think it prudent to point it out. 

But back to the day at hand.

The coffee now drunk, the tidal swings deemed appropriate and the gear all accounted for I began the voyage to the beach.

I don't live far from the beach but living as I do in the very epicenter of the Kingdom of Orange the trip to the beach can, at times, be rather trying

and that is how I knew that today was going to be special

because today

there were no stops.

The 2 point 3 mile journey

using roads under the combined jurisdiction of the

city / county / state of Kalifornia

with some federal highway moneys thrown in for good measure

was as easy as paddling out during a lull

nothing impeded my progress

even once.

And that is how I knew that it was going to be a great surf day.