This session was kind of interesting. You know, it’s just so hard hauling ass from work to the lineup and trying to get three waves before it gets dark. The golf tourney at Torrey Pines finished up RIGHT at quitting time at 4 p.m. and traffic in the TP/UCSD area was such a frickin’ nightmare. The moment I got onto the streets I was like, “I’m never going to make it.” Plus then there was a wreck on I-5 right where I was going, not good. So I basically broke three laws, hopped a curb, made an illegal right on red and tried to circumvent the madness and take some side streets to Gilman Drive. Then I got hosed into a turn lane, which actually wasn’t such a bad thing. Because the lane light went on, and a good Samaritan had not blocked an intersection, so I hooked right into the intersection (and blocked it) when in fact I was in the left turn lane, which in fact cut off about 50 other cars, thank god. It was a bold move, but it was a surfer move. Then the Gilman Drive thing worked really well and the I-5 was at 70mph at that entrance, so off I sped to surf, thank god, lost about 20 minutes, though.
Out in the lineup things were much calmer with hardly anyone out again. Conditions were nice and pristine and glassy again (how many more days like this will there be!). It was very inconsistent, though. Maybe a set every 25 minutes, but somehow I managed to get a right, paddle back out, nail a left, and in 15 minutes I had two waves and plenty of daylight left for more. What was hot was that I got three more waves as the tide filled in and darkness started to pounce on me. Then this really nice set came in and one guy I know really well who had only been out for like maybe 25 minutes took off on the left and I got the right and while riding I was like, “He’s not coming back after that one!” Well, I wanted to go back out, and did, and the lineup was completely empty and getting dark. And I sat there alone, with one inch of burnt to a crisp orange sunset left on the horizon and the ocean as flat as a lake. Not so much as an inside slider or nothing. And I wait with hope. And nothing comes. And it got a little darker. Then I waited in anticipation and paddled inside a little. Then it got a lot darker. Then I paddled back outside a bit, maybe a little hopeful. Then it got really dark. Like, 6:15 type of dark. Then my feet started to feel a little vulnerable to becoming someone’s dinner, and it basically got pitch black, and I basically said, “Well, that was your last wave after all because I’m outta here.”
And of course I get half way to the middle of the reef and a set pours in outside, big black lumps and illuminated rows of whitewater. Great. Classic. The moment you move, a set comes in. Bellied in on one long enough for it to calm down enough for me to stand up and ride for 30 yards or so. Wasn’t a soul left up on the street. The Ranger was the only vehicle, again. I kinda like it like this sometimes. Everyone else gone, eating, shopping, watching tv, taking care of the kids, obligations, etc. I hung out and enjoyed the peace of it, heard a couple more sets, had a smoke, felt relatively cold, and didn’t get home until 7:30 p.m.
- cliff