So.... Friday was my birthday. 44.

All in all..... it was a very nice day. I took off from
work early and finally connected with a new friend from he
re. (Hi Sam. ::wave::) I was really looking forward to catc
hing another one of those perfect rides like the other day.
But alas.... it was not to be.

When I reached the beach.... it was so foggy that I cou
ld barely make out anybody in the water from the shore. I m
ean... it is the Bay Area... and.. we DO get fog. But it wa
s supposed to be 67 degrees (F) and sunny today. Somebody g
et a hold of that weatherman!!!!

By the time Sam arrived, the fog was starting to burn o
ff. And later... it actually turned out to be quite a lovel
y day... sunny and clear as promised. The waves were on the
small side... and the water was sort of.... mushy. (I dunn
o all the terms yet.... I think that would be a fair descri
ption) But... people were out in the water... and they were
catching rides .... so... I was still hopeful.

Sam turned out to be a very nice young man! And... quit
e a good sport considering he told me he grew up in Hawaii
and had never really needed a wetsuit before. I think he wa
s cold already.... and we hadn't even gotten into the water
yet! The water up here is hardly EVER above 60 degrees (F)
even on the hottest days of summer. It's generally about 5
0-55 degrees (f)and really quite a jolt to the system upon
entry. (see my post from last sunday when I forgot my gear!
lol)

I guess I'm used to the cold water now.... or... maybe
it's just the benefits of extra padding since I'm pretty fa
t! But... I wear a 3mm wetsuit, gloves, booties and a cap..
.. and I usually stay out in the surf for like... 3 hours a
t a time. I usually stop surfing because I'm just too tired
...... not because I'm cold. We lasted about an hour before
poor Sam, with a light wetsuit and no gloves or cap was tu
rning into a human popsicle before my eyes. I felt pretty b
ad because I didn't bring my extra gear for him and I had a
nother pair of gloves at home. (still yours for the next se
ss, my friend!)

Anyways.... we chatted for a bit while we warmed up. An
d I must say... it's really refreshing to meet a young adul
t who is articulate and goal oriented and just a delightful
human being with nice friends as well (::wave to Adrienne:
:). As a teacher.... in an urban area..... I come into cont
act with a great many young "ladies and gentleman" who simp
ly make you wish their parents had used a better form of bi
rth control. Sam's great energy and his positive outlook wa
s really inspiring and I sooooo appreciate what a good spor
t he was about surfing with an old fat lady in freezing col
d water. I didn't really ride very well that day... but I h
ad fun.. and I watched him DK and learned a bit more about
how to watch for a good wave... and about surfing etiquette
.

We went back out for a while.....and we ran into this g
uy Ricardo who is a pretty good surfer. His brother Allain
is the bodyboarder who first gave me some tips and advised
me to buy my current board. It felt really great to introdu
ce them to each other and to feel like.. "hey.... I have so
me buddies to surf with!".

When it just got too cold for Sam... he and Adrienne le
ft and I stayed out with Ricardo and kept trying. I rode so
me more foam.....but I just couldn't get things to work on
this day. I was too slow on my take offs... and it was roug
h paddling out... ::sigh:: but still fun. By the time Ricar
do said he had to leave for work.... it was like... 4:30 in
the afternoon and I had arrived at the beach about 11:30 i
n the morning. Even with the breaks to warm up... I guess i
t was understandable that I was tired.

I had a great time.... great company....and... I love b
odyboarding just as much now as ever... maybe more! Yeah..
. I know I'm a fat chick... and I'm older than most bodyboa
rders.... but... so what! it's fun!!! And when I catch anot
her one of those perfect rides..... it will be even better!
I'm not giving up.