who here has been surfing this week?

That is a score. A disco was my magic stick for about 5 years. I had always gotten shapes from Plus One, then from my buddy Micah (Addict Surf).... Anyway, on a whim, I saw an add on craigslist (15 years ago) and it was a brazillian dude who bought the board brand new for his girlfriend, but it wasn't suitable for her and they were flying home. $250 if I recall. Mint condition....

This was back before "liters" and volume was discussed on a regular basis, so there are no indication of that. It is a 5'9", which is a couple inches shorter than I would ride in San Diego mostly.... At any rate, from the first time I rode the thing, it was on. First wave, big slash with a little air reverse on the end... I used to mess around with different sized fins on it... It was SOOOOOO damn fun... More versatile than any shortboard I have ever owned. It rips 2 foot OB Pier slop in the summer all the way up to overhead barrels at blacks.....

Unfortunately, since my move to SC damn near a decade ago, the beautiful thing just sits on brackets in my garage. Last time I rode it in good surf was Sandy, to put it in perspective. I rode it in Irma also, but I was in Myrtle Beach and the board just sucked in the wild ass conditions....

Anyway, GREAT board.... I had a few beater Sharpe Eyes back in the day that held up pretty well, but the DISCO model was best in show, for sure.

Now that I got back into my 20's shape again, I give her the eye once in a while and let her know that her day will come.... Probably with the first legit TS swell of the year.

I remember during Sandy, my first big swell back on the east coast, the offshores were so strong and I had to fight may ass off to paddle in. Fresh of a truck from CA, it was no problem, but even hitting top turns, the things was basically trying to blow out the back....

 

Got in the water this morning and should have turned around and biked home for a full suit. Paddled out anyway and froze my ass off. Water where I was had to be flirting with the 50s. Within 15 minutes I wasn't functioning anymore. Rode one chest high two turn backside wave and went home.

 

Today is the halfway point from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

The great thing about summer is I'll surf no matter what. I don't care about conditions, if its rideable, I go.

Paddled out today at the best showing and also most crowded spot I checked, because really, who gives a fuck. There were soft waist to chest sse swell, and if you got into a good one and you had the right board (in my case a custom Thom Eadon, "inspired" by a classic Yater Spoon noserider shape) you were rewarded with long 150-200 yard rides. After a few I moved to the inside to avoid the hordes and traded off knee-thigh peelers with 1-2 others, one after the other. Saw dolphins, and now going to eat fried chicken and down beers on my friends boat while he tries to fish.

 

I got some yesterday, too... middle of the outgoing tide, offshore winds, and like Dave said, clean waist to chest high surf. Thought it would be a lot smaller, so I only had the log... but I had a lot of fun. Only two other local guys out. Which was nice.

 

swell is coming up LB, should be a good push on the tide . The bars have been improving fyi

 

Put in 2 hours on a longboard this evening. Had the spot to myself and got a ton of thigh high runners. Doing my best to be in paddling shape for hurricane season.

 

"Heat hate" love it PJ, hope you and the fam get better soon. Got out yesterday morning for a while. as soon as I got out a nice chest high plus rolled through, I turned and went last second, late takeoff and drop, arms windmilling, no control, about to run over the guy who shaped my board, hard bottom turn and a sigh of relief when I found my line and legs. Lots of fun throughout the morning light crowd to say the least and a dying swell that still sent some nice ones if you waited. Last one was great, lots of turns into the inside then on the nose slaloming through the rocks. Put another ding in the nose, I should have pulled out sooner but it was too fun.
This heatwave is nuts. I can't even take the beach for too long. Praying for rain for my poor vegetable garden.

 

Paddled out in a short arm full suit this morning. Was too cold to function. Caught a chest high wave and went in. Biked home and switched to a 3/2 with boots and went back. Was still cold. Could have used my 2mm gloves. Waves were getting worse by the second. WTF!!!! Off to work now.

 

feelings mutual, CJ, different scenario: Surfline put our Washout cams on premium last week, but my buddy hasn't updated phone so he can still check. I'm out the door this morning, mid length fish in tow, couple miles down the road when my buddy texts it's flat to shin hi. So i busted the u turn and got some more sleep before heading to work. Was a bit suspicious when surfline had 2-3ft poor to fair. Waited til ocean surf shop report, and they had it at the best it's been this week which was thi to waist. I laughed it off, of course texted my buddy giving him sht about it. But surfing brings me mental relief, and this work started sucking about 10 minutes in. Kinda funny, kinda f'd up

 

Glad your back in action, Peajay... It took me about a month to fully get my wind back.

 

got my somewhat redemption swell run this morning. Took the bigger NSP, didn't know what to expect but that board rides everything. Turned out to be some waist plus sets in a build up sideshore variety. Grabbed only a handful.Short sess but it was nice to get some lines to swing the board around. Shortyz were out there without problems. Decent July for swell, nothing major but something to ride for most of the month here in Carolina

 

Fun little waves for the Chip Miller Surf Fest today in Ocean City.

 

Clear water is the best thing if you're worried about sharks. The better that they can see what you are - or rather, what you aren't (i.e., tasty food) the less of a risk they'll want to check you out up close.

 

Been goofing around with a 9' foamy in the glassy knee to waist high waves at the end of my street the past few days. Gotta say these things are a freaking blast. Determined to be in good paddling shape when/if some decent hurricane surf ever shows up.