Nose Exploration

I work in a local bike shop. Of the 17 people that work there, 8 surf and several more are in the process of learning (I suppose we're all still in the process of learning, but you know what I mean). The boss surfs, the manager surfs, and so on. We've been getting together mornings lately and surfing together before work. It's been great and we've scored pretty great waves for July. It's not uncommon to go weeks in the summer without rideable waves, so several days a week is pretty good.

This morning was shaping up well with light off shores and a couple feet of swell at a decent period at WB, so I got up at 5:45 and was on the beach by 6:20. I watched for a few minutes, trying to make up my mind. There were only two people out and they didn't seem to be catching much. I decided that since I had gotten up and driven down I might as well get wet, so I drove a couple blocks down and found a parking spot close to an access and waxed the log, hoping I might just catch enough to make it worth getting up (it doesn't take much). I made my way up to the access where we meet and eventually found Cam, having ridden a few pretty good waves in the meantime. It ended up being pretty darn fun, with stomach high glassy waves, left and right, a bit of a pack (it is Sat. and July after all), but spread out enough so that it wasn't a problem. By 7:30 I was surfing with Jim (the boss), Cameron, and Billy, all good company. It's not saying much, because I'm not a great noserider, but I got three of the best noserides I've ever had. It was a memorable session on that note alone. Just fun quick clean waist-stomach open-faced lefts where I could make my turn and run to the nose. Usually that lasts only a second before I've either fallen, outrun the wave, or have to back off, but these waves just held up perfectly in front of me, and water was breaking over the tail, so it held me up. I got out around 8:30 and went to work to get a shower and cup of coffee before the day really got going. It was a good one.

And I even have witnesses.

Corporate Sesh

About a month ago there was some confusion about a shop meeting and who was in charge of it and my boss Jim volunteered me to head the meeting this week, since he would be in Costa Rica (poor bastard) surfing his brains out. I jumped at the suggestion by seizing control in a dictatorial manner and proclaiming that the location of today's meeting would be at the WB beach break of my choosing. Donuts, I suggested, would not be a good idea, as they would get salty, sandy, and possibly tubed. Anyway, today was the day, so I rallied the troops last night for a prework session this morning. The forecast looked pretty good for fun little loggin waves.

Bill and Georgia, Covi, Jason, Cam, and myself showed up and everybody got in the water for a bit (except Jason, who chilled on the beach and shot pictures). The waves were super clean and glassy, thigh-waist high, and a little chubby with the falling tide. We traded waves for a while and hooted at each other. It was so much fun that we're going again tomorrow. How cool is that? Play in the ocean before the workday with your coworkers? The people that didn't show were so jealous that I think tomorrow they'll be a few more people. It was my first surf at C street, and it was pretty fun and uncrowded. Bill and Georgia took a bunch of photos which Bill then cobbled together in a slide show and set to music to show at work. He even got some OK shots of me I think (I'll post a few when I get them).

Super cool. What a great way to start your day.

Billy

The fellow in the center above is my friend and coworker, Bill Curry. Billy is an excellent surfer, East Coast Surfing Hall of Fame inductee, bicycle mechanic extraordinaire, philosopher, humorist, Ironman, father, and husband, among other things. The photo, he tells me, was taken in about 1965 at Wrightsville Beach. The boards are 5' Malibu popout belly boards, with a center skeg. When I asked if they stood up on them, he replied something like, "Hell yeah!" I thought that was pretty cool. These kids were sliding down the line on their feet on 5' boards in southeastern NC in 1965, before the shortboard craze had begun. Hopefully he won't mind me posting his photo. For Bill's always unique perspective, view his blog at:

www.localsol.blogspot.com