Session 4.195

Today was an interesting day in a sense that I know that the big wave front was coming in the afternoon, and in fact it did come (picture).

I had to fix my web site algorithm last night so I was up past midnight last night to do this, and so I could not get up early enough for a DP, but I worked a bit in the morning then arrived at a beach at around 10:30 AM on the way to the office.

Sure enough the waves were already bigger than yesterday, and at some point it was about the over head size break, plus it was a bit difficult to get out. But I was really happy about this because this is a kind of condition that more experts tend to prefer and they do get outside with a fair ease, still compared to me.

For me, on the days like this, I need to read the water a bit more, especially finding "channels" where rip currents are happening. This is the area that I am starting to understand it a better too. I am understanding it to the extent that I have a better luck identifying where this is occurring and once I am in it, I am very confident that even when bigger sets are coming, if I kept on paddling out I don't get smashed. It is actually very interesting, as I paddle out in the rip current, it is really rough with a lot of up and down motions of the waves, but the waves never really break up. They just bump up and you go over them.

Today, though once I made it outside, it was still really big. Quite often sets that's over my head come in, and I had to paddle even further outside just to take a rest. It is kind of nice that if you are on the outside enough, the waves do not break upon me.

But when it comes to catching the waves, it is not that easy. Sets do go up high but often do not form a nice hook to get going. And if I go inside the waves close out without really any chance to ride them. So I paddle out to wait and rest and when I am ready I start to paddle inside, and I hope to catch some smaller breaking waves. This often works and when it does it is just a lot of fun, as I just jump down the wave and then I can really do some fun bottom turn back. The new JC 7'5 just works really perfect for that kind of set up. I am really happy about it. As if I was using a 6'6 that would make it more difficult to take off. I think if I used the Takayama DT3 9'0 that would have been fun.

In fact, I should really strap that and the JC from this point on. Well, there will be this type of waves for the next few days, I ought to enjoy this while they last. (Something I would not have said a year ago!)