Picture of Me Holding My 9' Banana

[TromboneAl]

That's right, it's my 9' 8" Harbour Banana surfboard.

Here are some photos from my first non-weekend surfing day in Crescent City. Note that there were two other surfers on the entire 2 mile beach. Of course the waves were terrible, it was about 60 degrees with a 20 knot onshore wind, and mostly cloudy.

 

[TromboneAl]

The waves weren't quite as small as they look in these photos, but they were all closeouts.  I had DW get some shots of me on some of these monster waves close to shore:

 

[TromboneAl]

-

 

[TromboneAl]

Next is the 15 minute ordeal of removing the wetsuit.  The thing is like a straitjacket, and I decided that I have to replace it with something easier to take off.

Finally, here's a shot of the drive home through the redwoods.

I still can't believe that I can do this any day I want to.

 

[laurence]

I need to get back up there and visit my parent property! Awesome!

How cold is that water?? It's August, I remember spending summers in the water near Trinidad with just swim trunks.

 

[TromboneAl]

49.3 degrees today at the Crescent City Buoy. 

It would be a real wienie-shrinker in the ocean with just trunks -- were you in one of the lagoons?

 

[unclemick]

Vaguely recall something about the Japanese current - a warm 40 something degrees all the way to Alaska - where relative to the usual temp there - one might consider it warm.

Long Beach WA and around Oregon beaches it was never warm - no matter what time of year - even when I was young.

Perhaps the top layer of water toasts up in CA??

heh heh heh

 

[Cut-Throat]

49.3 degrees today at the Crescent City Buoy.

It would be a real wienie-shrinker in the ocean with just trunks -- were you in one of the lagoons?

Reminds me of the Seinfield episode with George Castanza yelling he just went swimming and it was 'Shrinkage'

Cube-Rat - Feel free to jump in here any time

 

[laurence]

49.3 degrees today at the Crescent City Buoy. 

It would be a real wienie-shrinker in the ocean with just trunks -- were you in one of the lagoons?

Wow, maybe I was young enough not to know any better! I actually grabbed a large piece of driftwood (more like a log) and used it to boogie board the waves. I did get some looks though...

 

[mb]

Vaguely recall something about the Japanese current - a warm 40 something degrees all the way to Alaska - where relative to the usual temp there - one might consider it warm.
heh heh heh

The California current flows south along the Pacific Coast from Alaska. Kind of an inverse Gulf Stream. It and the wind blowing from the west moderate the coastal temperatures in both winter and summer. That is why the ocean is colder than on the east coast but also why our temperatures are warmer in the winter and colder in the summer. A good trade in my opinion

MB

 

[unclemick]

How about that - had it on the wrong side of the ocean, flowing the wrong direction and the wrong name.

I did get the part about it feeling cold as a kid right tho - er I mean - it's still a wet suit kind of swim even now:

Right

heh heh heh heh

 

[astromeria]

Nice redwoods, Al.
Anyone else for a Hunks of ER calendar :? I think we got Mr January

 

[Nords]

Of course the waves were terrible, it was about 60 degrees with a 20 knot onshore wind, and mostly cloudy.

Brrrrrrrrr... but any day surfing is better than the best day working!

 

[JB]

Next is the 15 minute ordeal of removing the wetsuit.

Been there, done that. It can be exhausting after a surf or windsurf session.

Nice pictures...

Stand-up surfing is taking off here. Anyone doing it where you live? You use a 11-12 ft board stand on it and paddle onto waves using a wooden or aluminium paddle. A few years ago I saw Laird Hamilton doing it at Hookipa. Now there are usually 2-3 at the longboard breaks.

 

[donheff]

49.3 degrees today at the Crescent City Buoy.

It would be a real wienie-shrinker in the ocean with just trunks -- were you in one of the lagoons?

I give you credit for stickin with it AL. I used to windsurf in the Potomac in a steamer wet-suit in February. But now I won't go out unless the water is warm, the air is warm, and the wind is blowing just right. Oh yeah, and it helps if someone else rigs my gear and carries it to the water.

See y'all in two weeks. I am heading down to Nord's territory this morning. DW gets to work and DD and I get to play. I will look for surfin lessons on the beach 8)

 

[TromboneAl]

Once I'm out there in the wet suit, it's very warm and comfortable. But putting it on and off is a bother. Also, I don't have my glasses on, and I have earplugs (proplugs) in to keep my surfer's ear from getting worse, so that also decreases the experience.

Better than this, though.

I used to have a great picture of guys surfing in New England with snow on the trees in the background, but I can't find it.

 

[Nords]

Stand-up surfing is taking off here.  Anyone doing it where you live? 
A few years ago I saw Laird Hamilton doing it at Hookipa.  Now there are usually 2-3 at  the longboard breaks.

I see one guy doing it at White Plains a couple times a month, and of course Buffalo Keaulana is raising a whole generation of stand-up surfers at Makaha.  I tried an 11-0 last week and it felt like trying to turn a tanker.

Laird Hamilton-- he's everywhere.  I know the guy helped invent tow-in but I'm sure getting tired of his big-wave bad-boy trash-talking image.  I thought Gabby would've mellowed him out by now...

See y'all in two weeks. I am heading down to Nord's territory this morning.  DW gets to work and DD and I get to play.  I will look for surfin lessons on the beach  8)

Not that you need a lesson with your windsurfing & snowboarding experience, but check your PMs and give me a call if you want a lesson... south shore will be 6-8 feet through next Wednesday!

I used to have a great picture of guys surfing in New England with snow on the trees in the background, but I can't find it.

Geez, guys, give it up and buy a freakin' snowboard!

 

[BunsGettingFirm]

Nice redwoods, Al.
Anyone else for a Hunks of ER calendar :? I think we got Mr January

Oh, oh, Mr. Astromeria better start monitoring where Mrs. Astromeria surfs on the Internet. There are simply too many temptations.

 

[astromeria]

shhhhhh....

Actually, I thought that after having to read a brazilian posts with bump&grinding avatars, waitress pencils and such, a little harmless turnabout was fair play. Be thankful that I didn't make a remark about trombone-al's (s)trumpet <I'm kidding Al!>