It was really great to be out in the surf again! It's
beenbad weather for a couple of weeks now and last
weekend wewent out and it was so awful we didn't
even get in the water. Bodyboarding is sooooo much
fun! I wish the weather would get better soon!

Had my first real run in with a surfboard today.....
OUCH! Big bruise on my ankle from us both going after
a wave. I got the wave... but I hit my ankle on his
board as he wipedout and his board flew over next
to me. Ouwie!

Before that....I spent all morning driving around
SF scoping out local spot that I haven't actually surfed
yet. Probably should have just stayed at the first place
I went to.... a little spot underneath the Golden Gate
Bridge. But... it breaks onto rocks as soon as the wave
crests. It looks like you have to be able to cut left
quickly. I'm not that good yet, and... there were only
2 standups in the water...and the road was blocked off
because they were having some sort of a marathon so...
I figured I'd go over to Ocean Beach and see what it
looked like over there.

I checked out Rockaway and Pacifica as well.. but
ended up back at Ocean Beach for the morning session.
I knowpeople always say that Ocean Beach is so great....
But honestly, every time I go there I just end up
spending like 99% of the time paddling out through
big foamy pounders and getting pushed like a half a
mile south from wherever you start by the strong
currents as the ocean pushes into SF Bay. Maybe it's
me... but... I have never had an enjoyable session
there.

For the afternoon... I thought maybe I'd be brave and
try that spot under the bridge. But by then it was high
tide and the waves were breaking way up close to the
seawall. I decided to go for a sure bet (I thought) and
drive down to Santa Cruz. I'd surfed down at Pleasure
Point before and people always seem to say that Santa
Cruz is usually consistent even when everywhere else
is blown out. So, I was pretty surprised to arrive and
find little tiny baby waves and only a handful of
surfers even out.

I still paddled out. I figured I could practice even
though there didn't seem to be much power in the waves.
They did look pretty clean though.... just really small. I
was a little concerned that the standups would be none to
happy to have a sponger in the mix considering the
scarcity of good sized waves. But, people were friendly
and nice. We all took turns and played nice. What a
concept!