021: Hooked

Posted on October 6, 2008
Filed Under Surfing | Leave a Comment

Back to Santa Cruz today to try and get some less crowded, work-week surf. It was my last day of freedom before starting a new job, so I wanted to take advantage of it. The drive south was just as beautiful, as the day before; I can’t imagine ever tiring of it. Scott’s Creek looked good again, but my shoulder was a tad sore, the wind was just coming on, I was alone… ha, sounds like a lot of excuses! But it didn’t feel right with only a couple guys out and really long waits.

The Lane was too filled in, and only breaking along the Slot, so I headed over to the Eastside. The wind was just starting to pick up a little, so I bypassed Pleasure’s and went just down the coast to the Hook. I was looking at the crowd from up on the cliff, and I said to another guy standing there. “Doesn’t anybody have to work in this town?”, He looked at me and laughed and said, “This is Santa Cruz.”

The waves looked really nice, long waits for the good ones, but some great leftover sets from the bigger weekend swell. Glassy, sunny, warm; good shape and anywhere form waist high to about a foot overhead. Nice fast walls and hollow sections. And the crowd certainly wasn’t *that* bad. Despite a somewhat sore shoulder, I ended up pasting white sunblock on my face and staying in the water for a good four hours. I got several good set waves and would say I did my best surfing since moving here. And had a blast while doing it. I have learned to get much more aggressive, you pretty much have to to get anything at all. It’s not really my personality, but I’ve had to adjust. I had a longboarder who was frustrated with my paddling deeper than him, and he just flat out said that he was going on a good set. Oh welll. I certainly wasn’t going to make a big deal about it.

Top it all off with fish tacos just up the street, and then checking out the evening scene at the Lane. I ran into Molly again there walking her dogs as it was getting dark. Warm night and lots people out, really nice scene.