10.27.11 Bunnies!
Jacob and I haven't surfed Bunnies (in HMB) in months. When we got there, it was glassy and filled with lots of hopping bunnies! We were the only people out!

I took out Tweetie P. I haven't surfed this board all summer because I have been riding my longboards. The waves have been really mellow. 

My paddling was a bit off but I did catch some sweet rides. The drop ins were much different and I ripped down the line. I am looking forward to more winter swells and taking Tweetie P out more often.

As per usual, Jacob had a blast and caught tons of waves. He was excited to get back out at Bunnies since we hadn't been there forever.

10.28.11 - Chill longboarding at LM
We arrived at LM earlier than the sun so we drove down to Montara to check out the surf. However, it was mushy and messy so we went back to LM. 

LM served up a bunch of mellow longboard waves with the beautiful sun shining all morning. A great way to start the day!

10.29.11 - Sunny Lefts at LM
Jacob and I met up with Nikki at LM. It was a crowded sun filled morning. When we first got out to the line up, the waves were slightly messy and not too much punch to them. We had to paddle really hard to get into the waves. After an hour the line up dispersed and the waves got bigger and cleaner. By the end of the session, we were catching a bunch of fun clean head high waves.

This is the best time of the year in Northern California. Great waves, weather and sunsets!

Ride Waves and Spread the Swell,
J-Bird

The past 3 weeks have been extremely busy with family, work and some sickness. I haven't been able to update the BirdSwell blog and haven't been able to record each session. I only have recorded the dates that I went surfing.

Past 3 week surf sessions (no details)

10.3.11 - LM
10.11.11 - LM
10.13.11 - JT
10.19.11 - MT

This past weekend's surf sessions:
10.22.11 - Bodega Bay
Chris "The Red" invited us to surf Bodega Bay and then go to a winery event at Truett Hurst Winery. We had never been to either so we were excited to check out both!

When we arrived the surf looked really fun and the waves were clean and glassy. There were two sand bars that the waves were breaking on. Jacob decided to sit on the outside bar and Chris and I sat on the inside bar. I caught some quick drop ins with mostly short rides. Some were longer but not as long as Jacob's rides on the outside. He was killing it on the outside sandbar. The waves were shoulder high on the inside bar and head high on the outside bar. The water was clear blue. There was no red tide up north! Bodega Bay was so picturesque.

Bodega Bay
 

We ended the day at Truett Hurst and we bought a bottle of Chardonnay for Jacob dad's birthday and bought a bottle of Pinot Noir for our 4th wedding anniversary next August.

10.23.11 - Montara and LM
We were suppose to meet up at the JT for a Coastside Surf Up with friends. Originally, we planned a 9am surf up but Cynthia mentioned that the tide at the JT was going to be really high so we changed the time to meet to 11am. However, on Friday Jacob informed me that he had a charity dodgeball tournament in the middle of the day and had to go surfing early and 11am was too late. 

Instead of meeting up with everyone, we met up with Chris "The Red", Stolte and Denise. We went to Montara and Jacob, Chris and I caught some really fun head high glassy waves. Stolte said it was too big for him so he sat on the beach. After we caught a good amount of waves, we went to LM so Stolte could catch some waves too. It was crowded, but we all caught some fun shoulder high to head high waves. The red tide seemed to be gone too!! The water was not brown but blue (pheeeew!) Earlier this month, I went surfing in the red tide and got a rash on my arms. Usually, red tide doesn't affect people, but I do have extremely sensitive skin so anything that is abnormal will affect my skin.

I am hoping my life will calm down a little and I can find more of a routine. I am sure this won't be possible especially since the holidays are coming up very soon! 2011 has been full of ups and downs and has gone by so quickly.

Ride Waves and Spread the Swell,
J-Bird

9.29.11 - LM Sunset
I was suppose to meet Cynthia at the JT, but I had a client change a call to earlier in the morning. I ended up going going for a sunset session at LM. I could have searched for better waves, but I decided to head into some whoomping close outs. I started surfing at the northern end and caught two fun head high drops that turned into close outs. I paddled towards the middle and found smaller whoomping waves and less people. At the end of my session, Denise joined me along with a bodysurfer. I didn't catch his name but he told me he has been bodysurfing for 20 years! He use to surf, but he likes the feeling of being in the wave.

9.30.11 - Late Afternoon LM
I started off the day delivering hoodies to Log Shop. I drove by LM and there were nice clean waist high longboard waves. Then I drove up to 2 mile surf shop in Bolinas to deliver their hoodies. I was hopeful that I would be able to fit in a Bolinas session, but the tide was too high. 

I headed back to LM and the waves were still clean knee to waist high waves. Even though it was small, I couldn't pass up a sunny, 72 degrees beautiful day in the water. Max and Emily said they were at LM, but I couldn't find them. I headed into the north end and a ton of  fun waves came through. I caught a bunch of long lefts that allowed me to get to the nose and cross stepping on the 9'0 maroon platoon. I don't mind when LM is smaller because the waves don't close out as badly and a nice shoulder forms.

10.1.11 - JT Stiches
Earlier in the week, my friend, Chris, emailed me and said he wanted to learn how to surf. My other friend, Chris "The Red" joined us too. I started him on the beach and determined that he was a goofy foot. I showed him how to do a pop up, taught him about the surf board and surf etiquette. I told him that he needs to be aware of where the board is and if he happens to fall that he should protect his head. I told him that he needs to be aware of rip currents and the strength of the ocean.

He was doing a great job catching white water. He got to his knees a couple times and said he was having a great time. However, when he was coming back out to line up for another wave, the white water hit the board into his face and made a huge gash. I heard the board hit something but I didn't know it was his face! I looked at him and all of a sudden blood was gushing from his chin! I couldn't see the cut so I told him to get out of the ocean, unleash and put his board on the beach. I ran up to the car to grab a towel so he could clean the wound.

He cleaned up his chin and the gash was long and deep. I wanted Chris "The Red" to confirm that Chris should get  medical attention and he said, "Ya, I think he will probably need stitches." Thankfully, Seton Coastside Hospital is only 5 minutes away from the JT. Chris "The Red" stayed at the JT to watch our surf boards and surf while I took Chris to the hospital.

We didn't get out of our wetsuits and drove straight to the hospital. The doctor looked at him and said, 'Yes, you need 5 stitches. I'll get everything ready and you'll be out here before you know it."

Chris was really calm, got stitched up and we headed back to the JT. Chris hung out on the beach while Chris "The Red" and I caught some waves. The surf was junky but I met two really cool people in the line up. A woman named, Judy, who lives in Hawaii for half the year and in Half Moon Bay for the other half of the year. I also met Joel from Monterey. 

Even though Chris had to get stitches, he wants to try surfing again. He was doing a great job and he said that he was sad that his session was cut short.

Ride Waves and Spread the Swell,
J-Bird

9.20.11 - 9.23.11 - LM Sessions
Because I was preparing for Fog Festival and had a ton of design work for clients, I recorded where I went surfing, but I can't remember the exact details of these sessions. Jacob and I went to LM four days in a row. We met up with Nikki for a sunset surf and on we also ran into Amanda in the line up. The waves have been good for longboarding and the wind has been really tame. The fog has subsided and the days have been really sunny and pleasant. I love September through December in Northern California. This is definitely the best time of year! 

9.24.11-9.25.11 - Pacifica Fog Festival!
We set up a booth with the help of my friends, Denise and Stephanie, at the Pacifica Fog Festival. The festival took place next to our house! Our neighborhood is pretty quiet and this is one of the major events that happens. It was great seeing so many people come to Pacifica.

We met a bunch of great people and finally met Emily and Max! I have been talking with them through twitter for a year. We are excited to go surfing with them soon!

Thank you everyone that visited us at our booth and for supporting us!

BirdSwell Booth at Fog Festival


This boy really wanted a picture with his new "Whale of a Wave" BirdSwell T-Shirt.
He was adorable!

9.27.11 - 1 year in California!
Today marks Jacob and I living in California for a year! We had a pretty normal day and went surfing at LM. The waves weren't that great, but we caught a couple together. We saw Luke going into the water as we were getting out of the water.

It takes time to reflect on a whole year, but I know that it has been one of the best years of my life. I am grateful for all the people that I have met through surfing, Jacob's work, my networking group, my work and life in general.

I really miss our friends and family, but we have been fortunate and a lot of them have come to visit us in our new home. We have been back to the East Coast a couple times to see our family and the newest member of my family, Ellie!

What a great year and I hope California continues to bring happiness and prosperity for Jacob and me! I am so happy!

Ride Waves and Spread the Swell,
J-Bird

 9.14.11 - Sunset in Santa Cruz
Cynthia and I planned on going to Santa Cruz to find new wetsuits at the Rip Curl Outlet. I scored a new 5/3 Insulator and new 5 mil booties. My old booties have a giant hole in them and my 6/5 is still in ok shape, but too hot for these waters. I will probably wear it on the colder days during the winter months. Unfortunately, Cynthia didn't find anything and still on the search for a new suit. My new suit and booties kept me nice and warm and a couple times I had to dive into the water to cool off.

After we were done at the store, we headed over to Steamer's Lane and found an uncrowded spot on the middle peak at Indicators. The waves were really clean, waist to chest, but the water was full of kelp! I took off on my first wave and had a nice drop in going down the line but then BOOM, I was flying through the air like Super Woman! It was crazy! I adjusted and paddled over to a less kelpy area and tried to navigate my board through the waves. Both Cynthia and I caught a couple really long lefts that were kelp free. Cynthia and a seal had a close encounter but the seal was quick to dive out of Cynthia's way. It was a great uncrowded session with a sunset. 

J-Bird in Santa Cruz (picture taken by Cynthia)

9.17.11 - Long Lefts
Jacob had to go to a conference for work, so I joined Cynthia and Luke for a session at Rachel's Point. When we first got in, the waves were clean and head high. I set up a little on the outside so I wouldn't get crushed by the peak of the wave and caught 2 really nice clean long lefts. After awhile the waves were coming from two different directions creating choppy unpredictable waves. I tried to catch some, but wasn't as successful. I would almost catch the wave but then it would redirect me in the direction I wasn't paddling. It was frustrating. I am glad I got 2 good ones before the swell decided to be messy.

Luke brought out his new 9'6 high performance Carton board that he won at conference. Whenever Jacob and I go to Costa Rica, we have rented Carton boards. They are great for high performance waves. Luke caught a couple nice ones on his board. Cynthia was on her 7'0 and said she got the spin cycle, but I saw her catch some.

9.18.11 - Fun in the Sun
Our friend John mentioned that we should gather our local surf friends and have a good time in the water once a month. I thought that was a great idea and took the initiative to gather everyone. We had a great turn out!  Luke, Cynthia, Jacob, Nikki, Darren, Heather, John, Adrian, Noah, Denise, and I were there early. Stolte, Avi, and Tim arrived a little later.

We met at the Jetty and the surf wasn't that great, but we didn't really want to go to LM because it was super crowded. We all decided that we could have fun in small waves and we sure did! Sometimes surfing isn't just about how awesome the waves are, but about who you are surfing with and having fun!

Almost every wave was a party wave and a couple lone rides. All rides were knee to some waist high waves. I tried 2 different boards, Luke's 9'6 Carton and Stolte's high performance 8'4. It was a beautiful and sunny filled day with lots of laughter and smiles. At one point, a bigger set came through and I tried to take the wave, but I was caught on the inside and the wave clobbered me. Everyone saw it and John did the best impression of my face when I was going over the falls! I was deemed, "Best Wipe Out of the Day!"