3.13.2005
Circus
Last time I checked in, the swell was pushing up. Surfed sharks on Tuesday and the swell was building. Rumor had it that the biggest swell of the year was on its way. I've heard the rumors before, but as I came down 38th on Wednesday, I knew the circus was on. The traffic was heavy and so was the mist off the ocean. It was booming. The cliff above the hook was packed with spectators watching the few that were willing to provide entertainment. The swell was big enough to change the local seascape. Normal reef set ups were gone making the whole scene look like a beachbreak with peaks and walls all over the place. It was a great time to identify outer reef structures for summer fishing. It seemed only the top of the point was holding shape. Of course, we were provided with a near death ship wreck imitation as someone tried to land onshore at the hook at high tide. Board and body trashed. Later in the day the swell cleaned up as the tide dropped. New Brighton was the spot, and the traffic above the beach was testimony. The whole thing was a circus - I didn't surf. The buoy showed 14.9 feet at 17 seconds from 285. The next day, Thursday, the circus continued. The word was out in every conceivable media outlet and the masses fell like rain. The swell was 9.5 feet at 14 seconds from 300. As the numbers indicate, the swell dropped a little and the direction lessened the impact on the eastside. I surfed sharks - very kelpy as the tide dropped and the waves broke further out on the reef. By Friday the swell and masses had subsided and I got fun 2nd bowl. Tried my luck on silly Saturday and had a fun time again at 2nd bowl; however, on my first wave one of the more inexperienced members of the cast bailed as I was moving down the line and shot his board out on the wave face. The nose of this kooks board impaled the bottom of my precious and left a gash that almost penetrated the deck of my board. In addition, about 10 inches of glass was peeled off the bottom. I kept surfing anyway - got a fun little 3rd bowl tube and split. The board's in rehab now. What's next? Any rumors? How about summer---