9.5.11 - Labor Day Swell
Jacob, John (our friend that lives in Boston, but works for a California company, Solar City for two weeks) and I went to Montara at first and it was so choppy and out of control. I dropped into 2 crazy waves and ended up tumbling over the wave. Jacob always seems to be able to catch waves wherever he goes! John got tossed by the waves and decided he didn't feel like taking a beating. He waited for us on the beach until we relocated to LM. 

LM was much more crowded but mellow with knee to waist high swell. Surfing in crowds at LM isn't too bad though. We are always able to find a peak that works and able to catch lots of waves without any hassle.

We all had a much better time and caught a ton of fun waves. John told us the last time he surfed was when he was visiting us back in March! He has a board and suit back east, but says he isn't as motivated now since we aren't always calling him up to go - haha!

9.7.11 - Clean, Mellow, Fun LM
Jacob, John and I went to LM before work. We found some fun waist high peelers. Lately, I have been using my 8'6 WRV longboard a lot more since it is summer swell. I am sure I will be using my hybrid Tweety P more often with the upcoming fall and winter swell.

John had a blast and catching tons of waves. He said that surfing is the best way to start the work day and I couldn't agree with him more!

9.8.11 - BEST WAVE OF MY LIFE AT MONTARA!!!
Since LM was really small, we decided to go to Montara. When we arrived there was no one out, no wind, and glassy swell. We quickly got ready and paddled out.

At first, the swell was chest high and glassy. I caught 2 lefts and 1 right . Throughout the session, the swell was building and so were the number of surfers in the water. Jacob and I took off on one wave together that we both tumbled over the falls. We both have bruises on our shins to prove the beating from that wave.

John was hesitant to take waves since they were getting bigger and what he said "beyond his limits."

Jacob called last wave of the day and caught his right away. He caught a sweet head high left right down the line. 

Right after Jacob caught his wave, I saw a perfect left coming too! I set myself up perfectly and paddled right into the BEST WAVE OF MY LIFE!!! I quickly stood up and felt the 9'0 maroon platoon shoot quickly (probably the fastest wave I have ever felt) go down the wave. I could hear Jacob excitedly hooting and hollering for me from the shore. I also saw some water shooting over my head for like 2 seconds and all I could think was, "Am I in the barrel?" It may have only been for 2 seconds but it was the coolest feeling I have ever felt in my life.

From Jacob and John's perspective, they said that I stood up on the peak of the wave and shot down the steepest part of the wave. Jacob thought I was going to bail, but when I was on the wave I felt at ease and no hesitation. They said the wave looked huge and was an overhead and a half wave (note that I am short) but still would have been overhead on Jacob. Jacob said it was definitely the best wave he has ever seen me ride and we have been surfing together for 10 years.

When I got out of the water, I was screaming, shaking and could barely breathe from all the excitement and adrenalin pumping throughout my body. It was the best feeling I have ever gotten from surfing in my life. Waves like this are why I am addicted to surfing! I don't think any other activity makes me feel this way. I was literally filled with adrenalin all day and night. I couldn't stop replaying the wave in my head and how perfect it felt. I still can't stop thinking about how I want another wave just like that one or better! Surfing seriously makes me so happy!!! It is truly indescribable!!!

9.10.11 - Clean, Glassy, Gentle NH Swell
Jacob and I flew to Boston to go to the 7th annual GBQ because we have never missed it and we weren't going to miss this year either. September and the Fall in New England happen to be the best time of year to surf. Summer crowds dwindle, water is still warm from the summer and hurricane swells arrive.

We heard the surf was really good and trying to figure out how we were going to get surfboards. During dinner at a local seafood restaurant, we ran into John, my surf teacher and mentor from when I was 13 years old. I still consider him my mentor and was so happy that he joined Jacob and me for our first surf as a married couple after our wedding. It was like everything came full circle at that moment because I was with John, my teacher and Jacob was there as my husband and I taught him how to surf. John is probably the most stoked guy I know. He is a really great surfer too.

John told us to come over to his house and take his boards in the morning from his garage and that we could keep them until we return to California. He lent us a 9'0 Silence board shaped by our mutual friend, Bill and a 7'6 CB Classic. After we picked up the boards, we headed to Straws at Jenness Beach. We arrived around 7am and there were only a couple other surfers out with a sunrise.

NH Sunrise

We caught clean glassy shoulder high swell. The waves were really gentle and the shape of the waves were beautiful. We met a really stoked woman in the water and she was telling us the swell has been so good lately. She was filled with the aloha spirit! Our friend Denise was suppose to join us, but she wasn't able to get to NH in time.

Jenness Beach

Ride Waves and Spread the Swell,
J-Bird

8.31.11 - Mediocre LM
Jacob and I surfed LM, but the waves were holding up too long and were hard to catch. They were closing out and breaking right on shore making for very short rides.

We caught a couple ok waves but nothing spectacular.

9.1.11 Shifty JT
Jacob and I headed to the JT to catch some south swell, but it was so shifty and gnarly that we didn't catch much. We were paddling to stay in position and to keep out of the rocky jetty. We both dropped into small sections that turned into white water right away.

9.3.11 Sweet South Swell!
Jacob, Chris, Jessica and I went to Kyle's at first and didn't find much. 

We quickly decided to check out a different spot (Cynthia calls it Rachel's Point) and found amazing head to overhead clean lefts. Chris and I positioned ourselves on the inside wave and we caught some of the best waves we have caught in awhile. The drop ins were awesome and rides were wicked fast. I was able to get in a couple turns in. Jacob ventured further out and caught some really long lefts on his longboard. Jessica was taking white water on the inside.

I was so excited that I got some good waves here because last time I was there I didn't catch anything.

Ride Waves and Spread the Swell,
J-Bird

Jacob and J-Bird

On our actually wedding anniversary (8.23) Jacob and I went out to Paradise Beach Grille for dinner and planned a Surf Adventure for the weekend. 

We decided we were going to drive down the coast and try some new spots. I really wanted to surf near the Pigeon Point Lighthouse, but unfortunately the swell wasn't big enough. We found swell at San Gregorio State Beach. The swell was really big and swell period was really short. I wasn't able to get through breakers and should have brought a different surfboard for those conditions. Jacob was able to get out and caught two overhead clean waves. 

We kept driving further down the coast and ended up at "The Hook" in Santa Cruz. We have never surfed this particular spot. It was a good day to try since it wasn't too crowded. The swell period was really long but we caught a ton of waist to chest high waves. I rode Jacob's 9'8 and Jacob tried my 7'10 hybrid. He hasn't really ridden this board. While we were in the lineup, we saw a couple of otters playing in the kelp beds. It was awesome!

Año Nuevo

After we were done surfing, we had a picnic at sunny Año Nuevo state beach! There was a quail family and blue bird that joined us. After we ate, we walked down to the beach and watched the surfers. It was entertaining to watch them catch steep closed out waves. We took some sand from the beach so we can add it to our Unity Sand in the years to come.

Wedding Day: Watamu, Kenya (engaged) and Playa Esterillos, Costa Rica (our adventures)
1st Year: Mt. Mayon Volcano, Philippines (honeymoon)
2nd Year: St. John's, US Virgin Islands (our travels)
3rd Year: Santa Cruz, California (our travels)

8.21.11 Dolphins at Montara
Jacob and I took out his co-worker Shai (from Israel). He has surfed before but very much a beginner. He caught a lot on his belly and enjoyed the rides.

Montara was very calm, glassy and waist high. Three pods of dolphins also joined us in the line up! I love seeing wildlife while I am surfing.

8.25.11 Longboard Linda Mar
Jacob and I headed out for an early morning dawn patrol at LM. We caught a ton of fun longboard thigh to waist high waves. I finally rode Verde 9'8 (Jacob's favorite board). At first, I was having trouble maneuvering the board because it is GIGANTIC! However, I caught one of my best waves of the day on his board and had blast on it.

8.27.11 Jellyfish Line Up
Jacob, Chris, Larry and I ended up at Montara with tons of jellyfish in the line up. Larry tried surfing in Hawaii last year but hadn't surfed in awhile. He was catching a lot of whitewater and having a blast. 

Jacob, Chris and I were catching fast head high waves that cleaned up throughout the day. Jacob wanted to try Chris' 6'4 short board while Chris rode Jacob's 9'8. Chris caught a ton of good ones on Jacob's board. Jacob had some sweet wipe outs but caught a few really good ones down the line as well.

On one of my waves, Jacob said I just disappeared. It was a wicked fun drop and I got a pretty good adrenaline rush. It reminded me that fall and winter swell are just around the corner!

Ride Waves and Spread the Swell,
J-Bird