Spring 2022 Surf Log

[Tex]

Sorry for the late report but in between gigs so had the week off with the new job starting this Monday. Anyway, was debating between Wed and Thursday and ended up choosing Wed. On the way over the pass, my buddy called and tried to recruit me to his firm with a $15k bump on salary, it got me stoked for a while, in fact it really distracted me during the whole session.

Wind was on most of the spots at 9 am and was figuring the incoming tide would be best for SS. Made the hike down, only about 20 cars in the lot and some early birds already hiking back up. Asked one guy, he said the waves were not fast enough...I thought, wow perfect for me since I have had like 2 sessions in four months.

Got down there and saw lumps on each creek so that was good. Started changing and noticed close out sets across the whole bay, I was pretty surprised to see that and was not expecting the waves to be as big as they were.

First time surfing at 145 so felt really snappy on the couple of waves I did get, paddling was a breeze, cardio was as good as I could expect with minimal water time. Timing was very off though in general and the pops were LAZY....did a couple cart wheels.

Some guys were out there dominating and catching a bunch of long rides which definitely put my 30 yrs of surfing that spot to SHAME.

All in all, I think ML summed it up well, a forgettable session but with more hours in the water, the timing will come back.

It will be interesting to see how the new job pencils out, they talk about life balance and flex schedules so at least they have the right buzzwords.

[Chanel Derrière]

So far I am on track for Major Lazer's 60 session 2022 goal. Apart from Baja, they have been remarkably average sessions though.. that's all. that is my report. 30 sessions deep for this Valley a-hole. Gas prices might slow this down. But I anticipate surfing a lot more Sept-december.

[Major Lazer]

All in all, I think ML summed it up well, a forgettable session but with more hours in the water, the timing will come back.

Ah don't listen to me. My reports get pretty technical about wave quality. Call me a wave nerd. Or I'm just a bit spoiled or just old and salty. Or all the above...... also kinda tired of those lefts as a regular footer. Its never quite forgettable thou, esp if you hadn't been in the water for a while.

I will say its a bit frustrating when there's good swell in the water (like all last week) and its close out sets across the whole bay as you mentioned. All and all fairly typical once period get above 10-11 seconds but plenty of other swell from WNW to cross it with and break it up last week Blame it on the ever persistent spring rains and no time for sand to settle

[Howly Wolf]

Zzz

[McDing]

Ben G is my “Bud”. Stayed at my teepee under der bridge last time he came thru PDX. Gifted me one of those really cool “sort tops” that he surfer the river on. HD McDing

[Major Lazer]

Youngest gomita did the Otter Rock and Roll Sat. Skies parted ways mid am and stayed dry all afternoon!!!! It was her last year in parent child. Her 1st heat was a little rough as she hadn't surfed since last fall and got a little frustrated, I was hoping to get her in the water last few weekends but weather has been an issue. After a board change and some practice between heats, her second was much better. She had 4 or 5 super long rights on a real surfboard, not an oversized foamy, and even added some flair to one of her dismounts jumping off board and doing a little cele jump kick thingy. If she had just one of those waves in her 1st heat, I think she would of placed as its a combined score of best 2 waves, one from each heat. But who cares this event is about having fun and she got a ton of swag. Best part was how stoked she was after her 2nd heat and is claiming she is going to surf a lot this summer, which is a win win in my book. Otherwise it was a good day of fun and interesting to see some of the groms ripping it up at a contest that was originally geared towards teaching the youth to surf. Level is getting higher for sure. Jumped out for a few waves on the mid in hoodless 4 mill. Water was warm and probaly some fun waves elsewhere.

Classic small wave hellman sesh early yeat am. Lucked into a dry evening of camping and 1st family camp of the summer, but the rain came back in the wee hours of the am. It was that drizzly coast rain that's not pouring, but just soaks you to the bone in no time. Was too lazy to set up the Ez Up shelter, so camp was swamped and made coffee and breaky in the rain while fam slept in the rig. Skated in the rain through standing water and large puddles with board under arm. The intermittent zone of shore pines was moist as a sponge, the canopy tunnels just dripping with water. Small sag ponds and wetlandy areas I've never seen where present all over. When I got a look at it from the dune, was surprisingly clean and offshore. Like really clean. Oil grey glass and empty. It was small, but saw a few sets and what looked to be some zippy low tide CH rights into a little rip. Changed in the rain, my pants were soaked. Air and offshore winds were cold and was regretting not brining my hood. Left my stuff on the beach, covered my skate with my board bag and paddled out.

It was smaller and weaker than it looked but managed to wiggle though a few of the rights I saw from the beach, which allowed for a turn on inside section. Then it lulled. So I sat there and reflected on how quiet it was, only one other human in sight walking on the beach, and how crowded this spot can get these days on an early fall swell. Also wondered how many times I passed on a day like this when I lived in the area. But here I was sitting in the calm glassy ocean getting colder by the minute in my hoodless 4 mil perhaps lured by the perfect conditions. The rain continued and swear I thought I saw lighting out at sea. I continued to wait for another one of those rights, but the sporadic sets were either walled or I couldn’t get into them. I noticed a few checkers but still no takers, which was a bit surprising for a Sunday morning. Sure it was small, but I bet a LB would of yielded some waves a lot more than my quad fish was and I probably shoulda had the mid. Eventually I had to belly one in. I guess the bit of tide push flooded the few rights I was able to get into. Skated back to camp in my suit and got straight into a hot shower. Typically would of milked the day and even stayed another night, but was so wet packed up camp, grabbed some fish, said hello to the seals, and spent the afternoon at home drying shite out.

[smithgrind]

Skated in the rain through standing water and large puddles with board under arm.Air and offshore winds were cold and was regretting not brining my hood. Left my stuff on the beach, covered my skate with my board bag and paddled out.

Are your bearings Rockin' Rons? If so, well...I'ts been nice knowing you.

[Major Lazer]

Ron's. Nah. Bones Reds. You ain't skatin in Oregon if you don't skate in the rain, esp this spring. That said, its mostly a matter of being to lazy to walk the mile or so to the beach on a highly skateable paved trail.

[Chanel Derrière]

I know that trail and have often wished I had my softies while strolling on the early am surf check.

Finally got the 6'0" yolo sled in the water during a mini OSP re-union junk fest. Tide and swell really doing a number on the conditions but there were some surprising little moments being served up if you had the rose-tinted glassed on, which i did. Good to chat to some fellow old-timers out there. Could tell the board was a keeper after the first back hand slasher.

2022 numbers just about on track. 30 sessions thus far. Maybe 6 of which were any good... haha.

[Doc]

Had to bag on a pre-planned Father's Day surf, so went on Monday instead.
Got in the water about 930 and almost swam on my very first wave.
Leashless, so lucky to just barely hang on to the 10' 6" Frye with the tip of my toe.
Turned out to be the only close call all session, surfed til about 100.
Waist high lefts and rights, pretty fun and super user friendly, not too crowded.
A little bit of wind but not too bad, a little side swell gave it a little funk.
At low tide a new school of surfers filled in outside, the actual surf schools were already on the inside.
So wrapped it up with a beer on the logs, and lugged a now much heavier board & pack back up the trail.
It was nice to surf in a relatively injury-free state, knock on poly.
But definitely slower to my feet after 2 months on a couch in the valley.
Stopped off at a now blown out spot along the coast with a nice view for another beer in the sun.
Poured some out for SooLoo and Gaz, they would have both bitched about the waves almost certainly.
Doc

[Major Lazer]

Hype sash Fri mid arvo with a light winds light crowd and all star OSP cast including a very rare Pikey reunion and some other OG's. Was a bit slow to start off the low low, but shape was better than it has been IME with some flurries of serviceable walls in the wonkishy mix. Swell filled in with the tide and started to break off an outer sandbar that has not boded well for Sands this Spring. Sand needs to move in a bit IMO. Regardless with the perf egg was able to get in on the wedgey sets ride over the in between trough flat spot and set up a turn or two on the inside. I don't think I need any other board than this one. Massive highlight was the sun popped and with the water temps pushing 60 things got steamy quick. Paddled in and ripped off my hoody rash guard then unintentionality ended up at 3rd where I got some fun lefts and surprisingly OK rights. Haven't been in that zone since early last spring. Rest of the weekend was either onshore devil west wind, overcast and chilly, bottomed out tide, and a very underwhelming 1-2@12-14 mid to LP WNW ground swell. Surfed with the gromita who enjoyed the warmer water and user friendly size. She was excited to spot an eagle and save a starfish we found on the beach and relocated to the rocks on the South end. Jump off rocks and swim back to shore was a hoot too.

Edit: wouldn't be a Pikey reunion with some story of sorts..... well KooNass left his lights on in the lot and Smithgrind alerted him in the water. KooNass paddled in and yeasted it back up to the lot, turned his lights off, ran the car for a few, then back down and paddled back out.

[Major Lazer]

Underwhelming Spring locally. Reminded me of many past Springs, just not the last 2 or 3 which were quite goods. Only really one highlight was June gloom keeping the winds down and a rando bar with a long lined up rip bowl right turning into something regular, for a few weeks at least.

[Tex]

Heading out to the coast this weekend, Sat am but to spread my aunt's ashes who passed after battling colon cancer for 5 yrs. It is going to be absolute mayhem out there, but we are getting an early start on the day, so should be settled in before the masses head out around 9:00 am.