Good Saturday

Today was a bigger, better day than we've seen in some time, and it was sunny and warm and Saturday, and of course that means a lot of people were out. I waited as long as I thought I could for the tide to drop, but as it turned out wind was favorable all day. Waves were about waist high.

I got, and got up on and rode, my first wave of the day, which makes any session a good session. I had a few of those. But the waves would close out too quickly, and when they did I didn't know how to keep my balance, and fell. I saw some people who were getting longer rides---the key seemed to be turning hard and fast once on the wave. But I haven't learned how to do that and these weren't waves that gave me time to figure it out.

The thing that is still surprising me is that I am making all of my takeoffs now! In the second half of the session, I was so surprised to have made some of them that I didn't stand up right away, thinking I hadn't made it, and then when I realized I had, it was really to late to get up. And some of them I made so early, which I think is a good thing, that I didn't stand up right away because I thought the wave was going to drop down on me---which it did, but I can handle that now, if I'm prepared for it. (Do you even know what I mean by drop down? I find it frustratingly hard to express in words a lot of what happens out there.) The feeling of taking off early is so different from most of what I've been doing. (Do you know what I mean by early? Up high on the wave?)

All in all I was doing very well and feeling very confident. I think it's true what people have been telling me: it really is easier to stand up on a bigger wave.

Then C. came out and started getting in my way. No use surfing anywhere near C., because no matter who's in rightful position for a wave, he'll take it. He's not so much Surf Mafia as Surf Mafia of One.

Yeah, I dropped in on him. I did it on purpose. I thought we could work it out. He and the Mafia are always dropping in on each other, plus he drops in on everybody all the time. On purpose.

It didn't really work, but we didn't collide; we just both blew the wave.

That was twelve hours ago, and I am sure he hasn't stopped talking about it since, blowing it up into mythology as everybody does every little thing here. C. has the mentality of a 12-year-old, which means he doesn't get tired of saying the same thing over and over. By this time it's become the Legend of How I Dropped In on Him, and he's going to run me off the beach, hire a posse to keep me out of the water, etc. etc.

I'm glad to be the source of entertainment for him, but dropping in on C. is hardly a crime. I've just gotta get to the point where I can do it with more skills.