Summer Surf Log 2023

[Major Lazer]

Felt like fall to me for the past 3 or 4 days..... mid period swell in 5-7 range, gloomy, wet, and sunny all in 4 days. Just have to find a suitable combo of sand or step up to the Rocky Balboa fight club? Seems mostly too packed in all around, although waiting on a few locals that might shine all packed in and whatnot. Fall is always hit or miss IME, never get too amped for it anymore. Never lasts for very long and after the last few winters, can only hope for a late summerish kinda of fall. Been liking May-June better these days and have to say a few weeks ago in August was pretty fun.

[Major Lazer]

Anyways packed up the angsty Gotham teen, slow-moving tween, and wife and doggy for the annual fam end of summer camp out down the coast at a usual local we can post up where Dad can nab some waves without having to check 20 spots I think my kids have been scared growing up with an analytical and often frothing OR valley surf Dad Booked reservation back 6 months ago and expectations were low when the forecast finally presented itself. Def wouldn't have gone that far if I didn't have a res and prob surfed closer to home.

Made it over late Sat. Cut over a little early and passed a few packed surf lots along the way. Souths were up thou, but sun was out, it was warm, so cracked a few cold ones earlier than I usually do these days and enjoyed the weather. Winds were chill Sat am surprisingly and so was the crowd of 3! Gloomy grey bird OH-HH lumpy and thumpy and water was toasty! Had to blind faith board choice and made the wrong call. 5'11" bump squash was bad one, but thats what I've been having fun on. Old surf buddy and mayor was on a 7-0 and laughed when he asked what I was on. Will admit it while solid, kinda slopey and dopey which would have been a great call for Jah Mid. Still managed some workable walls and a few fun feeling backside hooks back in the pocket, but also got bounced around on a number of drops one I almost rolled my ankle on. Conditions got weird, souths came up, and called it for some afternoon poor man's crabbing in the bay on my SUP, which netted keepers we feasted on.

Woke to early am rain yest so slept in. Cooked the fam brekey and we packed up camp and went to day use lot. Sun had popped and was warm and pleasant. Waves looked serviceable and saw a few running lefts on the check. Clean conditions, but still a bit of wonk. Bit of a crowd, but to be expected here these days, and a large playing field here. Opted for Jah Mid and hoodless 4 mil knowing the water would be balmy and it was, maybe 63? Might of even been able to ditch the boots? Bit of a duck dive fest getting to the outer bar. Sat in a zone where no one was really surfing and figured out why quickly, nothing really goin on. Paddled north to pack. Some HH sets but kinda of backing off. Took me a bit to find my rhythm on the Mid. I haven't been riding this board at all as of late and honestly hadn't surfed in a few weeks. Found some of the lefts I saw and even a few rights. Board felt big and clunky thou, but been on 5'11" sticks...... twin + training wheel fish coulda been the call Would have been cool to test it in a little size, but left it a home. Wifey doesn't know about it yet either. All and all a fun kick-off to Fall and good to get a change of scenery in old stomping ground. Hoping for small kine in the coming months with golden conditions for some banks closer to home I've had my eyes on

[Howly Wolf]

Trunked it on the paipo this morning.

[Major Lazer]

62.4 °F at 46029 and 56.7 °F at 46278, which is much closer in, but pretty close to the bay mouth but I would expect that to measure it warmer this time of year. At around 70 I like a 2-mill top, which is what I was surfing in a month ago back in New England. Could maybe do trunks and that on a warm day at 65. Been waiting for the Marine Heat Wave to move in all summer:
https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature- ... ton-coasts
A tuna fisherman told me it hit 70 about 60NM out at one point this summer, which I also saw briefly on 46089. He also said that has never happened before. Maybe why the lower Columbia salmon bite was so off this season? Water often warms up in the early Fall and knew with south winds last week it was going to be toasty. 4mill was perfect and the difference between a 5 is quite noticeable. Funny to see clueless heads hooded and gloved this past weekend. Wondering if El Nino is coming into play? Wore a spring on several occasions last time it did.

[BOX]

Trunked it on the paipo this morning

Hit up dawn patrol at first light this morning. Temp gauge in car said outside air temperature was 47 degrees. I did not trunk it.

Funny to see clueless heads hooded and gloved

I pretty much wear my hood and gloves year round but no argument from me on being clueless

[Major Lazer]

Shed the gloves and hood and live a little, my friend. Just make sure you have earplugs, which I would recommend with or without a hood. Water is cooking and might stay like this for a while!

[Howly Wolf]

Proper surf this evening. 4mm wetsuit, no hood-- felt like a warm bath. Velvet sea, 4-5' pulse. Tidy. Sandbar was breaking off a peeling, occasionally reeling, righthander which I surfed with two old timers and then by myself for an hour or so. Was joined briefly by a whale, who surfaced about 20' away-- close enough to see the habitat of its spine. A few lefts passed through and let 'em pass. Brat pack eventually sniffed out what I was onto, but by that point I didn't care. A few more rights and then called it good as sun set. Asked a guy passing by with a green foamie if he had fun and he replied, "No bad days in the water". Today, I had to agree.

[BOX]

Asked a guy passing by with a green foamie if he had fun and he replied, "No bad days in the water"

Hahahahaha! That’s awesome! If that didn’t really happen, don’t tell me because I don’t want to know

A few weeks ago after a session I noticed a ~1.5” crack in my board right up next to the center fin box. No idea how it happened. I didn’t trust myself to do the fix, so I brought it in for a repair. Repair went well but I was without a board for about a week or so. My quiver is embarrassingly shallow and since I broke the ol’ green foamy in half a couple of years ago all I had left was my wife’s old 7’6” blue one that she never uses. I took it out for a few sessions and it was… an experience… I caught waves with it, but man, I was glad to get the log back. Thinking it’s maybe time to pick up a cheap back-up board on craigslist for the next time I kook out. That is, right after I replace my holey wetsuit

Shed the gloves and hood and live a little, my friend

I'm sold. Dawn patrol in the buff tomorrow a.m.!

[Major Lazer]

Classic September morning conditions wise, sunny, calm, lil NNW 4 at 10 pulsing. Jumped out at a creek sandbar I've had my eye on since May/June. Looked pretty good from the dunes, glassy peeling left and rights and no one around. Only concern was current, which can be wicked at this particular stretch. But given the winds have been down and it's Sept calm kine, nonissue.

Paddled out on the MR in the hoodless 4 mill, and left the 7 mill booties high and dry in the car. Clear warm emerald green water and complete solitude, which was quite pleasant. Nice not to be shocked by the cold water and hand stinging that was on tap during last month's summer swell run esp this early in the am. Got lined up off the house I set as a landmark and sets came through..... bar ended up being a bit too soft though, Mid may of been a better call but nabbed a handful of running rights I wiggled through multiple sections on, and a few short lefts. Bit of paddling getting back out after the rights as there was a tiny bit of current. Gave it my best effort and called it after about an hour and change with mixed results.

Wasn't quite satisfied, conditions were still good, so drove to the next close by bar I had luck at most of May and June and a few in July. Actually had checked it prior, but was not as clean or inviting as creek bar. Couple heads that were out earlier were finishing up. Saw one of them get a fast running right that got me suited but NOT booted again pretty quickly. Was breaking in a more classic spot than where I've been surfing here off the house with the red window trim. A right I know pretty well despite its fickle nature. Pretty fun dumpy fast running with walled out sets in the mix. Had to get the right one per usual here and some you just had to race. Rides were pretty short, but got some really fun feeling cutties on the twinny, one I slid the tail out in the pocket and then turned it back about and raced to the shoulder. Surfed solo for a few hours until one guy paddled out, but I was spent and caught another fun one in. No cougars on the beach other than a few Lake-O-looking older ladies in yoga pants.

[Major Lazer]

So get this after a nice Sept am headed back to Gotham to work. Had a hankering for hunger and had to piss so stopped at Snack Jacks for some peanuts. Went straight to the jon, drained the main vein, washed my hands, and went to unlock the door and would not unlock. Twisted the deadbolt back and forth with no luck? Door would not fuucking open! Deadbolt would not move. So I start banging on it, screaming HEY HEY IM STUCK IN HERE. Lady working the register comes over and starts to try and open it and says turn the top lock and I say I am it's not moving the bolt. So here I am stuck in this bathroom with not windows and no phone and definitely feeling trapped. After some messing with it a little more she says she called the Fire Dept. So I sit on the shiter and wait and try to breathe and stay calm. Luckily the bathroom was pretty clean and eventually Fire Dept shows up and end up having to bash the door in. When it opened there were 3 ladies from Banks FD with axes and ramers. THANK YOU I've been in here for 30 mintutes I exclaimed!!!! Not sure I will ever be able to lock a bathroom door again. Kinda traumatized

[Doc]

An excerpt from "State of Zero" (profanity edited for the easily offended):

“Shi++y in here today,” he said, studying the toilet.
“I’ve been in Men’s rooms up and down this coast,” I said. “Everywhere’s shi++y.”
He set his beer on the urinal and grimaced. “You know where’s good right now?”
“Des Moines…I heard Iowan’s are clean?”
“No.” He leaned toward me and spoke slowly: “Art Museums.”
From his chest pocket he plucked a small pamphlet of Oregon Art Museums-I think there were, like, 4.
“See these?” He pointed at the classical edifices.
“That’s farcking paradise. I’m thinking of checking them out, leaving all my shi+ in my trailer here.”
“I been to art museums,” I said.
“You’re damn lucky. What’re you doing here?”
“Just looking around.”
“Well, you know where else is good?” Spike asked, flicking ash from his joint.
“Art Gallerys! The stalls in those are incredible!”
“I was in an art gallery last year.”
“Is it unreal, or what?”
“I enjoyed it, but didn’t get much action, the best spots require an invitation.”
“Oh, yeah,” he said.
“Look, I don’t normally like big cities, but I been to a couple and I’ll tell you what-Sooo many art galleries!”
“What about *************?”
“What about it?” he asked, brow furrowed.
“It’s home, but I’m sick of this place, man. There’s a huge world out there, and I need to travel more. This ain’t Beaverton!”.
“But it’s crowded out there,” I said.
“Aren’t Oregon art galleries pretty empty most of the time?”
“Not on 1st Thursday, dude!”
Wind howled from the south; black rain clouds above us began leaking.
Bob looked up, then at me.
“Man,” he said, “this place sucks-no freakin culture.”

https://surfinoregon.blogspot.com/2008/ ... -zero.html
doc

[smithgrind]

So get this after a nice Sept am headed back to Gotham to work. Had a hankering for hunger and had to piss so stopped at Snack Jacks for some peanuts. Went straight to the jon, drained the main vein, washed my hands, and went to unlock the door and would not unlock. Twisted the deadbolt back and forth with no luck? Door would not fuucking open! Deadbolt would not move. So I start banging on it, screaming HEY HEY IM STUCK IN HERE. Lady working the register comes over and starts to try and open it and says turn the top lock and I say I am it's not moving the bolt. So here I am stuck in this bathroom with not windows and no phone and definitely feeling trapped. After some messing with it a little more she says she called the Fire Dept. So I sit on the shiter and wait and try to breathe and stay calm. Luckily the bathroom was pretty clean and eventually Fire Dept shows up and end up having to bash the door in. When it opened there were 3 ladies from Banks FD with axes and ramers. THANK YOU I've been in here for 30 mintutes I exclaimed!!!! Not sure I will ever be able to lock a bathroom door again. Kinda traumatized

That’s radical. Same thing happened to a friend while we were in an air BnB in Barcelona.
We called the super and he couldn’t get the lock open. A few other building techs stopped by and gave their two cents on the door situation but it remained locked. He ended up calling a locksmith who ended up taking the whole lock, latch and plates off the door.
He was stuck in there for a solid hour plus. We sipped sangria and nibbled on cave aged cheese with lovely olives as the drama unfolded. It wasn’t the worst way to start the day.

[Tex]

ML- that is a loco story my brother, glad you made it out alive.
I spent last Thursday AM down at SS on the outgoing tide enjoying a light breeze, a very small line up and a decent swell, 4 @10.

As many know, I am exploring the long board experience. Typically on a swell, period and tide, I would have stayed with my 6'5 and pumped a couple cutbacks on some rather thumpy sand bars. Instead, sat outside and waited for the uncrested swell that I could catch early and just slot the log down the line. It took a while, got rolled on many waves but finally lined up a solid bump just north of First Creek. Got in nice and early, set my stance and buckled up for the ride. Backside left held up real nice. Filled the soul tank and felt good about progress made.

Also, spent labor day at CB, old homey from the 90's in SEA, has been in CB for about 15 years now, has insider access at the Point and has built an amazing community of old school locs and new school groms. He was BBQ'ing for the whole crew. Got to talk story with the locs, including a number of guys/gals who knew the ripper who passed away at SS over Memorial Day. Even got to play some fun pickleball games on the courts.

Finally, after taking the kiddos to the go-cart tracks, went to the cove and watched foilboarders ripping up some fun waves.

All in all, 8 days on the coast was a ton of fun. Hope to get more log time the rest of this month.

Tex

[Major Lazer]

HP and a deep thermal low have brought back the Summer NW wind machine. Tried to beat it early yest, but an unexpected swell pulse kind of pushed things out of the swell window the spots I had fun ones at last week can handle, which unfortunately isn't much. So much for September solitude.So couple seshies at 2 No Co marquees last few days, one packed with way too much sand rn, at least half the beach, which would make things quite tricky for a Torqued LB Some OK one's S end, some rare rights, and thumpy corners 2nd and 3rd with a few shoulders at peak high for an hour max and was a 7' HT, otherwise CO's on the sand. Other I haven't surfed in maybe 4 or 5 years. Wasup Bohi! Softcore peelers amongst CO's on Jah Mid and a mostly kooky crowd. Mid Sept and still have not gotten a proper September Seshwon, but hey been collecting some fun ones here and there and enjoying the warm water with no hood and boots and golden late summer days. Not really looking forward to endless rain, cold, to solid swell, close-outs, south winds, social securities, and whiney sour pusses at infamos.

Observations along the way..... rotting stinky sealion on the beach crop dusting anyone and anybody south with an awful foul odor via north winds. This included a group of a dozen enjoying (or not so) lunch and what I guessed was a work retreat to the beach? Ziplock bag of shite next to the log I chose to sit on, hopefully, dog but likely human, which I originally thought was the foul odor. Why they call it shisands I guess? Lots of other trash down there including half a bar of Sex Wax purple in the sand with a box lying next to it. Hey asshat, I picked your wax up for you. A guy in red convertible with Shuler sticking straight up in the passenger seat parked above Haystack Rock which I think I later saw at Bodhis floundering and had to tell me hadn't seen waves in 30 years living in Montana. A bitchin Sept sunset

[Tex]

shite, forgot about the seal, poor bastard, imagine that poor guy is mostly rotted away by now....when I saw, still had the fur, etc.