Friday, May 02, 2008

Session 8049,50: In So Cal This Week

WavLOG
Day 49, 50


Day 50: Surf Tip - Dragging Your Feet Under Water?

Second Day at C. St, and it was small but fun again. Rides are always significantly longer here, and that means that after I take a ride, I need to paddle back out for significantly longer.

So I decided to experiment a bit while paddling out on my Takayama 7'2 Egg board (should have taken out the Walden Magic board but I did not bring it this time.)

When you paddle out on a short board, we often do not realize that we are dragging out feet in the water. I was playing with two modes. One time with feet just dangling in the water and another time with toes tied together and out of the water.

For short-hauls they don't make a difference but for longer paddles (say 40 strokes or more), it does make quite a noticeable difference to me. I did feel that I could get to the spot a bit easier and less tired when I get there.

If you are following good surfers, you can tell that most of them are doing just that usually crossing their feet at their ankles or toes.

You may want to check how you are doing in this department next time you are out.

Day 49:

If you have been around some number of surfers, you will find out that many people who have really been doing this for a while have incorporated the sport as their lifestyle, and I must say that I have basically done that too. I now go back to So Cal at least two weeks out a year and it got to the point that I have set it up so that I will go back to the southern Orange county spots, and if you have been surfing a lot, you know where I go. In addition on the way to there from my NorCAL home, I make a point of stopping by in Santa Barbara and Ventura county spots too.

I am presently in Ventura and I had some great fun waves. They really have it good here as I drove between Santa Barbara and Ventura there are spots after spots of places I could paddle out. I must say that that is usually not the case up in San Mateo county spots. For us, it is more like finding the least worst condition spots in most of the times.

Here are two pictures from this morning.



I will be in LA for Saturday, but in OC starting Sunday and more session notes will continue.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Manabu

Welcome back to So. Cal. Here is hoping you the best of surf while in our waters.

Holler at me if you have time to visit my local surf break, El Porto (near 45th street and the Power Plant) 2-miles north the Manhattan Beach Pier.

Miguel Elliot
El Segundo, CA

Unknown said...

Hey Miguel,

Thanks for the comment post. As you know I consider El Porto as my second home break away from Half Moon Bay. I call it the "Industrial Strength Surfing" and it really remind me of surfing here at the K Ave in Half Moon Bay... Wide open beach, sometimes really good, often very challenging etc.

Anyhow, on this trip I am not sure if I'd make back up there in El Porto, but the good news is that I will be back again in early October too. Definitely I'd will be in touch then, or before if I will be there.