| Rod Found the Spiritual
Guidance He Was Seeking, but still aspires to a higher plane.
What the hell is all this mumbo jumbo about? Well, I like to keep
my team at work in the loop so usually provide a few choice code words
that they have long since learned how to decipher. MJ first commented,
"Is this like S/L (known in some circles as sick leave, but in others as
surf leave). SuzzyQ was more to the point, "Is there a strong swell running?"
Jackie promptly noted, "There's a gale force storm moving through... hmmm."
All true!
Picked up Neal at the Parole
meeting zone late in the morning (5:30am) and jetted down to the Shore.
No wind anywhere along the route to NJs where we found only a few cars
parked. Nice swells rolling in under good conditions except for the
very high tide. The sole waverider, a longboarder, failed to catch
any waves during a 10 minute span despite several attempts. The waves
were breaking way inside and along the jetty. A few others were suiting
up, but we decided to pursue gamier waves.
Moved on to 48th St., after
a quick check at IRIS where there was a nice little peak with lefts and
rights just off the jetty, but it was running in the 2-4' range and not
very consistently at that. We were jonesin' for more. At 48th St,
I quickly suited up in the 3/2 fullsuit (cool air but warm water) and went
straight out - no need for a surf check. We were greeted to a crowded,
but suitably spaced crowd of waveriders along a 4 block stretch, where
tubettes twinkled in the morning sunlight. Nice longer period peaks
with the best being some slow, but tubular walls. So easy to stall,
sideslip or floater into a nice barrel. Neal was riding his short
board (6'2") with more authority... only needing occasional reminders that
he wasn't on the longboard <g>. Virtually no current. Great
conditions, but there were no freight trains like last Sunday and *those
were kick-ass* killers! Kirk would have thrived in today's conditions
with his new board.
We surfed for about two hours.
Waves decreased steadily in size and started to consistently close-out
near shore. We checked 38th St (small), IRIS (small) and Rehobeth
(small). Opted for some Rehobeth Thrasher's Fries and a couple of cold
ones while we gazed upon the N. Rehobeth break. Buzzed by North Shores
and noticed the q***r folk coming and going at the parking lot... apparently
a popular cruising ground. No waves to speak of so we hit the road
to Annapolis and talked story on our favorite topics of the day.
-rodNDtube
P.S. Some pics of what we
missed the afternoon before - click
here - compliments of the UZB (Underground
Zoo Bodyboarding). |
Neal
Carver's Report. The flags were limp all the way to the beach.
Not a cloud in the sky. Things were definitely looking good for a morning
session. As Rod stated, we got to NJ's about 7:45 and found the gates
open with one guy out. It was glassy and there was a beautiful swell
calmly rolling in. Unfortunately, the tide was real high and that
kept the
waves from breaking at the
top of the cove. I'm sure it got better as the tide dropped.
We were looking for something a little more powerful. We stopped
by IRISS on the way down. It was tempting. No one out and some
real hollow tubes rolling in. We figured it might be a tad bigger
down at 48th. I suited up in the car before our arrival.
I was anxious to get out. I was in the water and had my first wave
before rod made it over the dune. I was surprised to see so many surfers
in the water. However, everyone was spaced out and there was no jockeying
for waves at all.
The sun was bright and the
water was fairly glassy. The waves were
chest to shoulder high with
occasional head high set wave. They were
moving slow but pitching
nicely. You could get tube rides going right or left. The swell
was almost straight off shore. Hardly a hint of drift. It took
some time to get my takeoff wired on my 6'6". I was stroking for
waves that were just not steep enough. After a little while I got it down
and started add to the wave count. I actually snuck into a few barrels
and got to experience the green room before the wave shut down with me
in the hole. Rod hung out and caught a few of the head high set waves
that came through. He took off on one large left and three surfers behind
me were hoot'n him on as rode a high line to squeeze into the tube.
He gracefully kicked out and listen to the others claim that "those never
roll in when we're in position."
At 11 o'clock the wind picked
up from the north and put some funky
speed bumps on the wave
face. The conditions made it a tougher to
catch with out a longboard.
So we took our last few and headed in.
We had hoped to score a
session somewhere else but the swell just
died. We stopped into
Dewey Surf and Sport. The owner advised us
that yesterday's evening
session was really on. Evidentially the
wind died in the afternoon
and the waves had some real size to them.
Guess we just caught the
leftovers. All in all, it was a great beach
day with some pretty nice
surf^Å. just could have used 2 more hours of
surf. Glad I went
cause the weekend looks dismal.
- Neal Carver
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