Turn On It, Tune Out, Drop In

SE WIND 10 TO 15 KT.
WIND WAVES 2 FT.
W SWELL 7 FT AT 14 SECONDS.
TONIGHT S WIND 10 TO 15 KT.
WIND WAVES 2 FT.
W SWELL 8 FT AT 12 SECONDS.

I had a board when I was probably about 12 that an older local guy gave me. I have no idea as to the specs; all I remember is that it was a homemade single fin, heavy as shit, about 9' long, super drawn pintail and absolutely no rocker...the thing was an absolute plank. When he gave it to me he said, "It doesn't turn too good. But once you get it into the wave...just stand right there...", (there was a dark spot in the wax, where it was built up), "...and it will haul ass!"

I was still learning to surf. As a goofy foot, I could go left pretty confidently...but rights were not natural for me yet. I paddled that board out many time, took off and pearled, or caught an edge, or somehow or another...fucked up. It was pretty frustrating, and he was right..."It didn't turn too good".

I went back to my other board, which was a Byrne twin fin, that I had pretty wired. A classic September swell hit that year, offshore winds with perfect overhead waves. I ditched alot of school that fall. Surfing that Byrne one afternoon into the inside closeout, I came up to find 2 pieces of surfboard. I trudged home, got the plank and paddled back out.

After wrestling this beast to the outside, I sat and waited. A peak showed on the horizon and I scrambled to get into position for the left...I couldn't make it far enough over though and had to opt for the right. They were big fat soft waves, and I paddled into it easily. I started angling right and the wave hit the inside sandbar and walled up. I slid my right foot onto the spot and as promised, the board took off like a rocket, racing down the line. I rode that wave into the inside and couldn't believe how fast the board went. I rode that board for the next few days with similar results...right and left.

When the swell died, the board's magic seemed to go with it. On smaller waves it was tough to swing around and it simply was sluggish on anything less than head high, so I picked up a new board pretty quickly. I still brought out the plank when the waves got big, as long as it wasn't too hollow and you could get in early. I can't remember what happened to the board...it probably sat in my mom's yard and wasted away. I wish I still had it.

Local Report:

Waves were nice this morning, but the tide just isn't right... Outside was breaking big, and the shorepound was rough, ...I hung out in the middle section...hope springs eternal. Got some anemic rides despite the size... paddled out into an absolutely gorgeous rainbow that got brighter as the sun came up. Whale spouted, sea lions, and the waves glowed as the rising sun shone through the back. Mostly I just floated and swam around, the tide was really sucking out.

...hit the water solo about 5:45 this morning...found some nice peelers...including a couple of crouched down almost-barrels. The waves were steep and fast...It was a gorgeous morning...bright sunrise, rainbow, sea life, and solitude.

...checked out a left that had a couple of people on it, heard it was good yesterday....Well overhead on the sets with a nice warble to it, good to have a shortboard in the back, it's been a while...