who here has been surfing this week?

That cold front came thru over the wknd, believe it was chilly already Friday. We kept an eye on it Saturday, that morning i saw wilmington, NC cams looking shoulder to head with big lines - looked amazing. So did the math, see when the winds would match those up there - decided it wouldn't be until the evening after hi tide. 3 of us suited up, gloves n booties - only one of us wore a hood and the other two were immensily jealous. The wind was still 20+mph, so the spray was piercing as was the wind out there. Took the 6'6 barrel boart with me while the other two grabbed shorties. I managed to get easily a handful in a short 45 min sess i'd say. We drifted all up the washout, wasn't planning on another sess tho guy with the hood thought we were (figures...). Them other two didn't get good sessions, but i thought the water felt pretty good and the rides weren't all that bad. Lotta quick drops in and out, and the rights were open while lefts were steep and closing out quick. Had to get on the shoulder, they hollowed out most of the time. I'd say they were chest hi. Def didn't get out of the suites until we all made it back to our respective houses, the cold/wind was merciless. It's slowly warming up, hoping to get another sess mid week after work Wednesday

 

Our conditions sounded like yours. Crazy weather Saturday: warm with tropical stormy conditions in the morning, them the wind switched, the sun came out, and it got super cold! Went from 70 degrees to 25 degrees in 24 hours.

I paddled out at about 3pm Sat. Nice chest high nugs coming in with 20-30 mph offshores. If you didn't paddle for the first wave of the set you were dropping in blinded by spray. Quick rides into looong closeouts, and a handful of mini doggy-door type tubes. I took my hood off for about 30 seconds out of a 2 hour sesh. Feels good to be back in the saddle.

 

Had a 1 hour window yesterday where it all came together then quickly fell apart , took out the 6'8 natural art ( red top blue bottom) thruster set up. Manages to get about 6 waves and 1 gem of a ride. I'm sure it wasn't as good as I think it was but perception is everything

 

I need another surf trip. Just looked at flights to do one next month. Good thing I shot down to Puerto Rico last month. Cape Hatteras will have to do......may need to buy a tent to offset the price of gas.

 

The struggle is real

 

Yea, was thinking about Puerto Vallarta again this week. Reminiscing... Took the 6'2 sunday board out last night, wind was supposed to die down but that was only inland. Buddy and I trekked it to Washout, conditions looked a bit chop and rough but lotta surfers out there expecting the same - a clean up. Just seeing it, we knew it could be a rough paddle out. Stomach to chest. Had a couple rides on first outing, but last one took it to far to shore. Couldn't get paddle past waves, so trekked it back up after a southernly drift. Took a br4eather, got back out and size was noticeable bigger - shoulder to head hi. Could tell my board and buddy's potato wasn't going to cut it. Had another couple, one quick in n out and another long ride. I was content, but buddy had another bad session. Hopefully he scored this morning for the clean up. I'm back in the Upstate, going to March Madness Greenville games. Die hard Duke fan here

 

Fun sessions the past two days. Might be a wave again this morning once the tide drops.

 

I feel you c.j
2 good sessions and hoping the morning brings another
I know I say sometimes I picked the right board or the right spot but the more I think about saying that the more I think to myself maybe I made the most of the session with what I brought and the spot I picked .
If I see waves I rarely check anyplace else. I usually pack 2 boards and an extra leash and a couple fins.

Anyway the water is warm and the days are warmer. Spring break is here and shit is crazy here in cocoa beach so I've been headed south, mostly to avoid the crowds.
Planning another trip for Mexico Baja peninsula maybe Rosario in late july.

 

Had some chunky windy surf Saturday and Sunday early was better and tides weren't an issue.
My neck has been hurting for a few weeks. When I massage under the shoulder blade it helps any suggestions.
Maybe I should post in the medical advise section

 

I was plagued for at least 10 years with the type of pain you describe before I discovered this back roller. A tennis ball or a raquet ball will work too. Game Changer!!! At the first hint of neck pain or tightness lay on this thing and manuever until you find the trigger point then apply pressure and massage it out.

 

In short: I had the exact same pain and went to physical therapy for it and it changed my life and made me a better surfer.

Long story: That is your scapular muscles that are hurting. Mine always flare up this time of year when the time changes and I start surfing more. It got so bad last year that it was keeping me up at night, so my wife made me a physical therapy appointment.

I had done the roller/tennis ball thing for years but it felt like I was doing more harm than good so be careful with that. My therapist also did not recommend a roller so I stopped completely.

I went to PT 2 times a week for a month and they completely cured my pain. Cost me a few hundo with my insurance but 100% worth the money. I didn't realize how much I had been compensating with other muscles to make up for scapular damage and weakness. So, when I "graduated" from PT after a month I was paddling stronger, popping up faster, and most importantly was pain free.

Now I have a short list of stretches and exercises that I do, but if I do a few reps of the Cat-Camel yoga pose before I surf that alone will keep the pain away. Other good ones are Scapular retraction with resistance bands, and supine scapular protraction with dumbbells.

 

Went out last night and took the longboard out very week swell but enough to get going and cruise glad I went because it's fairly flat today but it's warm and sunny air is 82 water 78

 

That's an interesting jetty set-up. Where is that?

 

They call that the L Jetty

 

One if the casualty s of the sand bs , Squan also is on that list . A long story of this place . Originally a 20 ft high sore thumb creating a cove . Replaced in FDR years with a 45 degree angle facing S , this structure which was destroyed in the 50s by Canes . The L was built but the Corp decided to take the s facing leg out wiping out all the sand at the cabana s . The Corp replaced it immediately and extended the tip in the early 80s The break was jetty rock bottom formed from the original rocks . All gone now , covered in sand , progress .

 

It will take time, but the break will return. I hope. As long as the next project is 10 years away we'll get that setup back. And all of the fish habitat they buried along with it. It was an amazing place to spearfish... held BSB, tog, striped bass, fluke... all gone now.

 

LB , that pic was in the 80 s , Shlut and Scotty called it secret spot . The fishing destroyed is also a freaking crime , my go to spot . I fish the 4 jettys to the N but the L was a fish loving paradise !