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Croptober

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Croptober

Postby smithgrind » Wed Oct 03, 2018 12:30 am

Got a low key sesh at Hanalei Bay on Sunday in the waist to head high range with ex OR coastie shaper Mike Tuel and a dozen or so chill folks. Rolled down there this afternoon and watched some DOH juice power washing through the reef and da local boyz shreddin’ hard. I opted for body surfing with my partner and quality time getting sunburnt on the beach.
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Re: Croptober

Postby Major Lazer » Wed Oct 03, 2018 10:16 am

Sick hommie! Living the dream as of late. Shoulda paddled out on that new stick! Heard tickets were dirt cheap there and wish I coulda jumped on it.
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Re: Croptober

Postby smithgrind » Wed Oct 03, 2018 10:57 am

I did paddle out on the ghost. It’s gonna be a great board. Performed
as advertised.
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Re: Croptober

Postby Tex » Mon Oct 08, 2018 8:20 am

I am predicting an O-FOR-OCTOBER....trying to get my house ready to put on the market, seriously drying out...last sesh was in Asilomar. Next sesh will probably be in Mexico. Had to pass on a three day invite up to the Strait.....that was kinda a kick to the nutz.
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Re: Croptober

Postby Major Lazer » Mon Oct 08, 2018 3:39 pm

No excuse Tex..... No need to hide in the SODJ. Pleanty of waves locslly pull one of your dawn partolls get back to town and then work on house.
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Re: Croptober

Postby Major Lazer » Mon Oct 08, 2018 6:58 pm

Looked pretty char-gnar Fri afternoon, so slept in, let it clean up, and pulled a lazy mans with a buddy I hadn't surfed with in a while. Left the grey drab city for Croptober sunshine and solidish swell. Not a lot of choices given conditions and ended up at the Sands. Lot was surprisingly full at 3 pm, but we found a spot.

Summer crowd in effect, but the swell had power and heads were getting straight broke off. While suiting a dude coming out was limping pretty bad until 2 guys came to help him arm and arm. Felt bad for the guy, but at the same time the consequences of powerful swell got me kinda amped. Big mushy sets out the back, but tear drop tweener HH to OH left wedges being held up by the northerlies rolling into a treacherous shorepound. Lulls allowed some questionable paddlers out on longboards and such a few heads on way to small fishes and grovelers. Saw a dude on a Murdey twin fish recently posted on his feed get just annihilated on a drop (shoulda ordered Skullet brah summers over!)

Christened a new stick and man oh man did I click with it after the 1st wave. Paddled and caught waves like a dream, knifed some late drops, had tons of built in drive and speed, and fugging griped the steep inside walls. Waves were far from perfect even thou some gramers probably claimed the fire emoji. With 3 swells in the water strong southerlies the day prior had some expected wonkeynes to it and while there weren't a lot of turns to be had the OH drops with consequence and racey walls made it fun. Just when I thought there were no rights to be had I dropped into one that bowled up nicely and got an opp for nice lip click on the responsive new stick which felt insane. Reo'ed back into it, set my raill on a steep wall, and got little cover up that I flew out of. Shitt doesn't happen often at poo sands.

"Fire" sunset a best sesh I've had in a while. Stoked on some fall swell and new board :D Think it'll be a good utility shortboard when the waves have some size, but wont be limited to step up days 8) Was hoping to get back on Sun but wife made plans to go to the pumpkin patch. Fooking valley family life pisses me off sometimes :evil:
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Re: Croptober

Postby Tex » Tue Oct 09, 2018 4:30 pm

Thanks for the kick in the A$$ bro....appreciate it and definitely called for.

Super stoked on your last session, my fav beach and your new board, pretty dope combo man, great read!
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Re: Croptober

Postby Major Lazer » Mon Oct 15, 2018 10:31 am

So croppy..... surfed 5 hrs a day last 2 days including fun little LB sesh in between pushing my kids into waves. Progression on the log has been fun the last 4 or 5 months.

While the east in the winds looked good I was skeptical about the swell forecast and even the east winds when I checked my 1st spot on Sat am. Made coffee in unexpected fog and watched the lumpy shapeless wind swell that had filled in overnight. After making brekey for the fam, moved on not to far to spot 2. Fog was burning off, but wind was coming up and seemed more N than NNE. Moved on and by spot 5 and 20 or so miles the conditions drastically changed. Buttery offshore and crispy HH peaks. 6' utility shorty was the call. Punchy and fast with some opps for head dips and hackage. Took the kidos out in the arvo at another local and did some sliding. Redic sunset and post autumnal orange glow.

Woke up yesterday thinking it was flat. Buoy was like 3 at 8 or something so took my sweet time eating and packing up camp, but a wacky southern hemi swell was offering up nicely shaped CH A frama-age. I honestly hate south swells in Oregon. They tease the buoys, but rarely provide reliable waves in my zones. But alas and in October none the less. Surfed 5 hours with a short water and snack break. We usually only get a weekend or two that pans out like this one. And while I woulda been stoked if it was a little bigger and overheard, say 5-6 at 13 to 14 west not complaining cause this might of been a warm up for another week of Oct surf to come 8)
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Re: Croptober

Postby Howly Wolf » Tue Oct 16, 2018 8:35 pm

Just wrapped up a two week vacation, harvesting October huck. First week was a bust-- first there was no swell, then I got sick right before leaving, and then, after rallying up to the peninsula, strained my back on a maxed out beach break in the Twilight Zone. Not much of a story there, just stayed out too long and overdid it. Injury was pretty debilitating, so 180'd back to PDX to post up with easy access to ice and heating pad. Did manage to score the build up to that first big autumn pulse, however, and it was a blast. 1st beach was shaping pretty nicely with a few hollow peaks offering a bit of cover. The swell that did me in was about 6@14 creating solid OH ramps amidst thumping close outs-- caught a few decent rides before getting bent out of shape, so at least I had some stoke to get me through the healing process.

Next couple days were a drag, but entertained myself looking for good deals on surfboards (because capitalism heals all wounds, right?). Found a design I've had my eye on and dimensions and price suited me, so figured I'd make the most out of this cruel hand fate dealt, and ponied up. Spoiler alert: it rips-- ended up getting some of the best rides of my trip on it, one particular left earning a shaka from a local charger who had a front row seat as they were paddling out. Truly cool.

But I'm getting ahead of myself... After healing my back to a manageable degree, hit the road again and visited my favorite breaks from PC to PO. Swell was mellow for the most part, but exactly what I needed to strengthen the spine. Bluebird skies and warm air temp helped immensely. First session back in the water was some good 4'-6' at Chambers on a 7'6 funboard-- not exactly the style king over there (Gaz was holding that down) but perfect for a stiff lumbar, long meandering rollers and sweeping bottom turns. I surfed well enough I think, but it didn't matter-- was just so so happy to be out surfing again. The stoke was so powerful that it must've opened up a chakra or something, because stage was set for a high frequency vibe tribe kind of trip. Got to surf with a lot of rad people-- familiar faces, local talent, dropouts, OG's, lifers-- and of course an abundance of solo sessions in primo scenery. Managed satisfying rides in every session but one, and that one session was just a fun carpe diem rally in nuking N winds at a spot with enough cover to minimize the chop.

The forecasted SW swell wasn't quite making it into port, so headed back to a zone not too far away and posted up there for the weekend. The swell was modest (3 @ 16), but the offshores ratcheted things up immensely. Spot was, and still is, going off-- sandbars galore and an abundance of barreling zippers to choose from up and down the beach, every one offering makeable tubes. Did not pull any myself, sadly, but was coming quite close. I finally feel synced up with my 6'4 now that I'm riding conditions it's meant for and the new 7'1 handled very well on the fuller, sloping ramps. My back is now at 80 %, endurance is up considerably, and I'm feeling pretty fluid all things considered. Things didn't go as planned, but I feel like I made the most of what I got and am surfing better than I ever have. Hopefully, I'll be back in the water in the next few days to keep the vibe alive, but gotta clean myself up and pay off the new stick before the adventure can recommence. Hope you all are getting some-- Croptober is alive and kicking.
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Re: Croptober

Postby Major Lazer » Mon Oct 22, 2018 8:21 am

Sounds like a well timed and dope staycation Howly.

Coasted for the last 3 days. Fri bought into the prosnowbro Insta hype (and one local repopo) and went out of my way of planned destination. Didnt live up to it with out the offshores. Glassy at 1st but not many opening up for doggy doors or hackage. Wasn't feeling new board outside of paddeling in and drops. Pretty sticky on the fairly slopey walls. Think this would been a good case for quad set up. Put it away for the rest of the weekend.

Peeled out of dodge and left the dissapoited faces of the bend Bros who showed up late like myself and watched as the NW wind blew it all to shitt. Dubed it for the eve sesh up the coast. Fading ground swell butterery walls and epic conditions with a small crowd but typically walled on a.fair amont of them. Still some fun and racey corners thou on the backhand with speed for one timed out bash. Low tide lips.were throwing an occasional green screen view over the shoulder.

Sat am looked around hoping to score a mysto but no dinero and wind came up. Swell faded and passed on the eve sesh at Fri eve local. Yest new swell filled in winds were light but not a ton of options. Wonkyness and ended up back at the same ole spot. Pieced together a sesh despite the crowd and typical wonky weirdness. Great weather typical mediocre waves but racking em up this month so far.
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Re: Croptober

Postby Howly Wolf » Mon Oct 22, 2018 5:59 pm

Thanks Major-- it all worked out. Glad you're getting yours and hope all the OSP homies are too. Especially, Tex-- no more California dreaming, man! Get thee some!

Anyway, surfed the past three mornings at Cape Kooka Kooka with 100 of my closest friends. Haven't spent a weekend there in ages, so the vibe was a bit different than I'm used to, but whatever-- I'm there for the waves, not the scene. Fading swell on Saturday made for a nice little warm up session on a fickle sandbar way south from the masses. Surfed it with a couple heads for about two hours before wind and tide gummed everything up. Sunday delivered some heavy OH peaks with a relatively smaller and more committed crowd. Took me a little bit to get my timing and the steep drops dialed in, but eventually found my flow and caught some rights to be proud of, getting shacked on one of them. Also got drilled headfirst into a sandbar at one point, which was funny after I made sure I could recall my phone number and what I ate for breakfast that morning. Fun day all around, potential brain injuries not withstanding, and logged water time pretty much from 8 am until 1 pm when the fog rolled in. Fog was present this morning, but with a solid, albeit less critical LP coming in, so sessioned before work. Some fun shoulders to work with, but mostly just close outs or crumbling sections to derail the rhythm. Worthwhile way to spend the weekend, even if I'm a bit conflicted about this chapter in CK's storied history, but whatever, I'll put up with the Pelican Kingdom for a fat LP swell any day, or at least any day it's not summer.
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Re: Croptober

Postby Major Lazer » Wed Oct 24, 2018 6:46 pm

Killing it homeskillet.

Forgot to mention shared some peaks with OGs Smith G and Spenters on Fri at Jah Hamps. Good to see some familiar faces in the crowd.
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Re: Croptober

Postby smithgrind » Wed Oct 24, 2018 10:18 pm

Major Lazer wrote:Forgot to mention shared some peaks with OGs Smith G and Spenters on Fri at Jah Hamps. Good to see some familiar faces in the crowd.

It was good to see your mug in the line up last Friday too. Wish the waves could've lived up to the hype we all saw on the cams earlier in the week. I was rolling on quads that day (my first time with that sled) after seeing Spent opting for four on the floor with his ride. Feedback was very good. I stuck some super late drops and the board felt really stable in the steep sections.
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Re: Croptober

Postby Howly Wolf » Sat Oct 27, 2018 7:23 pm

Thin crowd at Shorties today, which is exactly what I anticipated, but surprising nonetheless given that conditions are projected to be mondo for the week upcoming. Figured folks would be aiming to get theirs and maybe they were at various other spots I passed up. Trail report told of hucking closeouts, which sounded about right for 7 @ 11 W swell at low tide. Huck was still there when I eyeballed it, but flow tide was easing in nicely, offering a variety of slopes on the fading swell. Lots of water moving around and the waves reminded me of a junk shop on the south coast called One Lump or Two? Opted for a mid size, which was a good call for chasing down shifty beach break, as well as getting in earlier and deeper than the shortboard crowd. Was weirdly anxious paddling out, making it difficult to find my qi, but once I did got a good share in between long waits. Ride of the day was a well-timed glide to the left on a 7' face, ending with a decimating section that I tried (and failed) to outrun. Was paddling back out and some guy asked how the wave felt and remarked that my drop in looked good, which was pretty cool of him. I had felt locked in, yet completely fluid on that ride, so was happy to make the wave look as fun as it felt, which is my MO all things considered-- to sync up with the wave potential. Got my work cut out for me on that one, but the struggle itself might just be it's own reward anyway.

Decent day all in all-- surfed until the rising tide turned everything into a sputtering mess and hit the rain-soaked road back to PDX, where I'll be practicing my pop ups and refreshing various cams over and over, waiting for the next window. Maybe I'll hit the pool too-- tried one out on my side of town and it was heated! Felt like I hit the big time, but then noticed there was a youth swim class happening a few lanes over, so maybe that explains it...
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Re: Croptober

Postby Major Lazer » Sun Oct 28, 2018 9:06 am

2 poop to damn early drive the other day...... passed on spot A cause what appeared to be a little norte in the swell and suck out was making things look a little weird. Or maybe it was the middle aged low T? Who knows. Paddled to spot B where the norte was making for fun runners with a lot less size. Stoked small crowd of what appeared to be fairly newbies who passed and gladly offered up the largest of the set waves, which I prefer at said spot. Laced up new stickage as a quad for the 1st time (AM2'sXHayden rears) knowing built in speed is a good thing for this wave. 1st wave board felt sluggish and sticky once in and almost ran some kid over stink bugging it. Not intentionally, just not much room for margin of error and had to hold my line. Board was paddling in and knifing the tight little drops quite nicely. And although I questioned my choice at 1st, once I found my proper foot placement and mussel and wave memory synced the steeze kicked in. Eventually sun poped and turned out to be quite a pleasant and relaxing session with zero close outs, which was a nice change from last weekends 75% CO rate. Exited at spot 3 and got a nice drop and hook hack before it petered out in the deep trough. All and all cant complain. Croptober has offered a consistent harvest. 8)
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