No Country for Old Men

My Valentines day gift from my wife was 'go surfing!'

In a cruel irony of events, my spot Grandview was about two feet too big to ride. But with the sun out and a free pass I had to paddle out.

On my way down the stairs I was greeted by four snapped surfboards! I got out got a wave and then paddling back out on Lucas' board I was met by a monster set. Then you are forced with the question of trying to paddle out and make it through before it breaks or do you let the wave break then duck dive. This is me trying to remember Bonga Perkins interview on Duck Diving big waves with a longboard. If you duck dive and the wave hits the back of the board you will paddle in with two boards.

Like the algebra problem you try to calculate when a piece of ice get stuck in your throat, I tried to figure it out, only to have the set break in front of me. I went under and did a few flips holding on to the board for dear life when I noticed that I forgot to take a breath before I went under.

It was time to go home. Do I feel defeated...no. As always, it is always better to paddle out even when all you have is a war story.

The Rock Showed Swell

The many faces of huge Ventura. If you started out at the top of the point you would end up about a half mile away at the Pier.

As the wind changed Ventura looked perfect and then gnarly all in ten minutes.

Some of the sets were big. Scary big, but if you had the position you could go on forever.

Cutback


Jason Schecter is my new hero going for an off the top floater reentry on a wave that started double overhead. He made it and won the heat, the contest and scored the highest wave score of the contest at 9.43.

After each wave you needed to run back to the line up. The heats barely afforded two waves. The no leash Cardiff Crew had to strap on what they had. Lucas' old soft board leash lasted about one 12 foot set.

With 8 minutes on the clock it was an interesting run back to try to get out for another wave. He put back on his leash event though it was broken maybe to feel like there was some measure of safety.

Big and perfect, a wild ride had by all

Dugan left us

For my non-surfing followers Dugan was one of the 'good guys' in life He really was a part of the fabric of surfing Leucadia. He must have been a good 15 years older than me. And, Dugan would be out surfing when the waves were huge... mostly sans wetsuit suit even in the winter.

From the Leucadia Project

"Anyone who knew Dugan had respect for him. He was a one of a kind sort of guy who was a living link to surfing's past. For the past 12 years that I have surfed Grandview I have been both inspired and humbled by him. On the days that I would wear a 4/3 he would trunk it. On the days that I was nervous to paddle out, he would be out at the crack of dawn (in trunks) taking off on the biggest sets. On the small days when the surf was flat he would entertain me with stories of the places he's been and the people he met along the way.
Dugan was a true waterman, a living legend, and a friend to all he surfed with. He lived life to the fullest and made a lot of friends along the way. Personally I will never forget him. This world and our little surf spot he called home were better places for having him.
Good bye Dugan. We will miss you."
Ed

I can't say that I knew him all that well, yet it really hit me when I read Ed and David's blog this morning. Dugan always went out of his way to say hi to me and he could not have been more stoked for me as my kids started surfing. I can say that he always put a smile on my face when I saw him.

'If the waves are big and the only other guy out is Dugan, It's time to go in' (my axiom on when the waves are too big)

"True religion is real living".... Albert Einstein

Meanwhile at Grandview

David sent me this picture of Ed answering the age old question...Was that wave over my head?!!

I received the latest David Gray pictures while here in Minnesota. Check out the dead eel. He is ugly.

Here is Bob Rogers from last summer. He started surfing in his 40's to be able to hang out with his kids. Pretty cool we thought. We would give him waves and encourage him. Then just like a grom he started surfing well and taking lots of waves. All of the sudden we have another wave magnet. Sorry Bob no more free waves!!!