Kelp Sliding

27 – 31 October, 1 – 3 November – Sketchy surf and good weather before our first good storm came through for Halloween. I surfed a few times, Most notable was on Sunday – the storm surf mellowed and a few lined up between Second Bowl and Sharks. I ventured out an hour post high tide and got some before the pros came out to boost. It didn’t take long for the Second Bowl take off spot to have the kelp mats replaced by pro-mats. Faced with reality, I got one in and watched the proceedings. Today, nada – another storm passing through and storm surf prevailed. Tomorrow – vote. Uncertainty rules with one exception: 1,000 warriors protect the past (corporate status quo).

4 November – Small wind swell at Segundo Bol gave me some late afternoon solace, but eventually the day’s end and kelp mats had their way. What about the bundles of band saw blades that pass as kelp? Did you vote? It will be interesting to see the final tally. Spoke to Larrf – sounds like he’s doing well and was real stoked about a Takyama shaped and glassed redwood that he was orchestrating. He was also considering a glass job to the top of the church van – apparently he’s getting wet.

The headline read: “Rice can trigger severe gut reaction in infants” – At first I had to agree, Rice does trigger a severe gut reaction for me – but why focus on infants? I mean, Condi must make whole populations ill. Then I realized the headline referred to rice – the food staple. My bad.

The suffix, "-ocity" means, "having the quality of." Surfocity, wavocity, groovocity – Next?

5 November – We have a new Prez, but we have disgraced ourselves by showing disregard for a specific group of PEOPLE. On the balance, I am not satisfied. I guess it’s knida’ like the day. Beautiful weather, wind just right – but the surf was flat. On the balance – a beautiful day – why complain. Unfortunately, what a majority of the State’s population said to a small group of citizens was “fuck off”. On the balance, a poor choice. As surfers, we greet every day with the hope of waves – good or otherwise. Esperanza.

6 November – I went out even though it was pinner. Kelp mats not withstanding, I stood on a couple of knee-high slappers at Segundo Bol, felt the cold water and hot sun, and made it through another day. Tomorrow, a new experience waits. I am to show up as a juror at Federal court in San Jose. Two bouts of civic duty in one week – Just as I breath - I am an American.

7 November – Flat. 70F sun on the water flat. No worries. Arsene on football: "Every single team has more experience than we have. I don't believe strength is linked with experience. It is linked with desire, with talent, with intelligence. You can be intelligent at 18 or 20 and be stupid at 30. Every club and every player gives us a different problem and we have to be strong enough to find a solution." Yea. Still looking to the horizon.

8 November – Swell filled in during the evening, and although it was blustery, there was some good surf at The Steps, The buoys showed 12.5 feet from 300 at 12 seconds. It was tough surf, the take-off spot was narrow and guys were strewn all along the wave. I tried outside, but I had the best luck duck-diving sets and getting the in-betweeners. Tried a couple at Tiburones – but the swell direction, size, and tide conspired to make it less than what The Steps was showing. It was Sunday, and plenty of ardent worshipers were on it.

“Detroit and supporters in Congress essentially argue GM, Ford and Chrysler are too big to fail. They employ 250,000 people in the United States and support more than 4 million additional jobs in other areas of the economy.” As the statement indicates, the auto companies cannot be allowed to fail. They can design fuel-guzzling cars in the face of higher demand for oil and fixed supplies, W can provide tax breaks for those willing to buy Hummers and the like, and they don’t have to compete with foreign manufacturers. I see it like this – socialism for those in the upper tier – those who are making bank while the gas-busters are rolling off the sale’s lots. They made plenty of quick cash, dispensed with the long-term planning, and relied on the government response to the idea that jobs will be lost - “..they employ 250,000 people in the United States and support more than 4 million additional jobs in other areas of the economy”. For the legions of daily workers – it’s free-market economics – the pawns of the corporate socialists. It is the average folks and small businesses that are exposed to the free market, supply and demand, and painful market adjustments. Not the corporate infrastructure. They are too big to fail. Plus - they all got parachutes.

9 – 11 November – Surfed Sunday and Monday as the swell metered down. I kept to the low-tide kelp-ridden hours of the session, but scored a few. Also did a lot of swimming/pulling through the kelp-infested water to retrieve my board. I’ve been surfing cordless, and was ejected from the board several times as I ran aground on island mats of kelp. Have I used the word “kelp” enough? Tonight, the moon rising and the sun setting, I caught a few at Segundo Bol before night overtook day. It was fun and a bit of a challenge staying out of the grabbing brown hands. It was a beautiful evening - orange skies and water ribboned with the moon's reflection.

Exurb - A residential area outside a city and beyond its suburbs, typically inhabited by well-to-do families.

"Real breakthroughs are not found because you want to develop some new technology, but because you are curious and want to find out how the world is" -Anton Zeilinger 2008

Hi Kelly - take care Larrf  ¶ 11:28 PM