Wednesday's Waves -- Surfing (SUP) Session

After being sick for the past week, I finally found a good day to head to the beach.  With the weather at almost 80 degrees and the winds projected to be light, I figured I had a small window to paddle out.  

When we arrived (yes I took Bettina with me), I found that it was flat with a few rollers coming in at knee height about every 3-5 minutes.  So I quickly took the SUP out (vs the longboard) and didn't even put on the wetsuit (yes, the water temp is running a little brisk at 63 degrees and Swellinfo.com wetsuit guide recommends a 3/2 full suit).

However, since I was SUPing and not SURFING, I thought I won't fall in the water, but that was a mistake.  

After paddling out, the conditions got better for a short while and I was watching waves on the SUP and riding them to shore.  While NOT large waves, there were FUN waves!  And I only got wet a few times…boy howdy those board shorts were NOT enough to stay warm, but it was FUN!

BTW:  The forecast for the next week doesn't look promising :(  The only good day is projected to be Friday morning with some glassy conditions in the morning with swells at the 3-4+ ft level.  Looks like side shore and on shore winds will make it a little choppy for the foreseeable future.  Let's hope Friday (and potentially Saturday) stays as projected.

Mondays' Motivation

“The biggest sin in the world would be if I lost my love for the ocean.”  Laird Hamilton

Surfing Buddies - Mon General

I know that most of us think we are a General at heart, but when it really comes down to it, we are really all just a bunch of foot soldiers. This goes for whether we are on dry land or in the water!

But this week's surfing buddy is both...a General in REAL life and in the lineup!

You see, I came to know (and love) this guy when he became my boss in the spring of 2010. He's a great guy, was a great boss and is someone I consider a friend.

Mon General is a surfing kook like me and this makes surfing with him a load of fun :) But better than that, he even got his son and daughter into surfing...what a leader!

We had a few surf sessions together back in the day, but the most memorable was the morning we all switched boards. It was a cold day in central Florida, but everyone was enjoying the surf, fellowship and friendship!

Mon General may be a true, no kidding, real life General, but when he's in the lineup he's just one if the bras.

Mahalo Mon General for being a true, no kidding, real life surfing buddy!

Wednesday's Waves

The temperature has dropped along the Space Coast with temps hitting the 30's and a windchill taking it even colder!

However, I have plans to hit the surf on Saturday since it is projected to be 3+ feet!  But that can all change...since Thursday was projected to be the day earlier in the week.

Check out the Cocoa Beach surf at:  http://www.swellinfo.com/surf-forecast/cocoa-beach-florida

Happy wave hunting \m/

Monday's Motivation

“Surfing's one of the few sports that you look ahead to see what's behind.”  Laird Hamilton

#Surfing
#LairdHamilton

Surfing Buddies - Q

Well, it can be said that "Q" is one of those type of surfing buddies who really makes an impact on you.

Q is one of those guys who can talk you into skipping out of work to go catch a few waves…even if it is going to get you into trouble.  

Over the years, I've only surfed with Q a few times, but each time was very memorable.  Whether it was when the air was 32 degrees, the wind blowing at 20mph and the water was a miserable 58 degrees!  He was the guy who would show up and loan you some booties to keep you warm.  

Q is also a Shortboarder which makes him someone I truly admire as a surfer. But he's NOT just a short boarder, but he can mix it up just a easily on a longboard or fun board. 

One of my most fond memories is when he brought his brother Paul along and they were surfing handmade wooden surfboards that Paul designed and handcrafted in his garage.  The boards were masterpieces that would add life to any room as a wall hanger, but these two were shredding the East Coast waves on these logs…  It was a thing of beauty that I will NEVER Forget!

Mahalo Q…you make my surfing sessions the BEST!  I hope we have many more in the days and years to come!

BTW:  Thanks for keeping my stoke during the year long deployment with getting me a subscription to Surfers Journal which is a real surfer's magazine and not just a bunch of photos of guys riding tubes and girls in bikinis.

Surfing…the WA(y)VE of Life

When I think of LIFE, it makes me think about the comparison to SURFING!  Yeah, I know, I have surfing on the brain!!!! 

Surf and LIFE are synonymous.  In LIFE, we are tossed by the waves.  Like many days in the surf...sometimes the surf is coming from various directions and at different intervals.  These waves can really toss you around.  But it's how you paddle and position yourself during this time which will determine if you will survive and/or succeed.

Other times, you have to deal with a little Rip Current, which will pull you out and away from your intended goals.  But you must remain "calm" and not struggle against the forces that are pulling your away from your goal.

While all of these waves sound like a lot of fun, there are other times (like the 1st few weeks we have been in Destin) where the waves are all flat...non-existent.  It is during these times in life (when nothing seems to be happening) that you must "stay the course"!  Don't give up for some day, soon albeit, you be back in the middle of a good swell.

Surfing has kept me ALIVE!  There have been many times in the last 5 years that I just didn't get...LIFE.  I didn't understand what was going on, why LIFE was the way it was, or I just needed something to look forward to...and SURFing was the ANSWER.

While deployed in "an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia"  (AKA Al Udeid, Qatar), I found myself working a LOT of hours (and I mean A LOT of HOURS--normally 20+ hours a day for 12 months straight).  I had to deal with the normal stressors of life (being away from the family, wondering what was Next in LIFE, trying to be a good Airman, keeping my bosses butt out of trouble, dealing a lot of ZEROs who just didn't get it, flying missions into hostile territory and wondering could I manage?).  During this time, I found SURFING and some great friendships (read this as MarkM, CindyD and KatieG).  However, it was Milam who was my solid friend and allowed me to talk 'SURF' at times when I needed to decompress.  

I can remember going to the JAGs office and just hang out and talk Hawaii surfing.  He too was a surfer (true to the heart) and had maps of the surf spots around Oahu.  I dreamed of surfing spots in Hawaii and we talked about surf (LIFE)!  

It may be small and a short ride, but it is AWESOME!!!

Every day I'm in the water, I again feel alive.  Even though I SUCK as a surfer, I go out and try to catch waves.  Most rides are less than 5 seconds...yeah, not very long for a LOT of work.  However, during those 5 seconds...I am the World's Best Surfer (at least to myself) and I AM SUCCESSFUL!

The MEN in Grey Suits

Last night on the local news, there was a story about the tracking of a Great White Shark along the Florida Coast.  In fact, the story mentioned that the 2,200 lb shark was being tracked (via some GPS tracking system) and was located along the Cape Canaveral Seashore -- WOW, now that's close to Cocoa Beach!!!

So when is the sighting of a shark TOO close to say you can't paddle out into the lineup?

Today, I found myself contemplating this very issue!   Do I paddle out (since the shark was 10-15 miles north of here) OR do I sit on the shore and watch some nice waves and good surf pass me by especially since the weather is projected to turn cold over the next 48 hours!

SO.....I decided the risk outweighed the concern for the sharks in the water.  Anyway, there are always sharks in the water around Cocoa Beach...just NOT a Great White Shark!  BUT...I will tell you the thought of the shark did cross my mind a few times while I was out there waiting for the next wave.

Enjoy your surf and forget that humans are no longer at the TOP of the food chain in the ocean!

Check put the local news stories --

FoxNewsOrlando

MyNews13

Monday's Motivation

“Out of water, I am nothing.”  Duke Kahanamoku

When we find ourselves on the shore watching the surf, we see that we too are as small as the sand crystal.  

#Duke
#Surf
#Surfing
#Dahanamoku

Surfing Buddies - TheJudge

Let me say this first…without surfing buddies, surfing would be NO FUN!  

While most surfing buddies are found in the line up or are friends that you GO surfing with, this surfing buddy came about a very different path!  In fact, we have NEVER surfed together…  however, we have talked surf and shared a lot of our surfing experiences.

TheJudge is one COOL guy who came along in my life when I needed a friend!  See I was a LONNNNNNNNG way away from the family on a military deployment for 12 months…yes, 12 months away from the ones you love is a LONGGGGGGGGGG time!

However, when I deployed in the summer of 2010, I wasn't sure what would keep me sane, but I figured it would be something to do with surfing (even if I wasn't going to catch any waves in the Persian Gulf.  It was during this deployment I met and become LIFE LONG friends with TheJudge!  See he too was deployed for 12 months and he was a SURFER!

During those long days of work when I needed a break, I'd head over to TheJudge's office for some surf talk.  I can remember the first time I walked into his office and he had maps posted on his wall of ALL the Hawaiian Island surf spots.  This is when I knew I had a "real surfer" in my presence.  It turns out he had surfed Hawaii in the past and this was a reminder of the "good ole days".  

For me, these surf spots were "dreams of the future" because I too wanted to surf some Hawaiian waves, which I did during my mid-tour break (15 days in Hawaii surfing Kaisers almost every day).

Additionally, TheJudge knew I would be "dry" from some time and to help me stay "stoked", he cut me a CD of all of his Jack Johnson tracks.  This was music to my ears.

To TheJudge…THANKS for keeping me stoked for the 12 months in the war!  I couldn't have made it through many days if you hadn't been there to keep my mind off of the daily grind with a little surf talk!  Friends FOREVER!!!! and I can't wait until we someday get to paddle out into the lineup TOGETHER!

TheJudge with his bride in Morocco…I'm sure he was checking out the surf 

Wednesday's Weekly Forecast

I have looked at a lot of sites who predict swells and many of them offer various degrees of information.

However, one that I like the most is SwellInfo.    Maybe it's the pretty graphs and easy to to read wave height that catches my attention, but…I do like this site for getting my forecast information.

I'll be giving a projected forecast from SwellInfo.com on this weekly blog post.  I guess you could go directly to SwellInfo or another site, but this is my weekly look at the surfing opportunities for the upcoming week!

This weeks swell in Cocoa Beach Florida is looking at little big…with 2-4+ feet through the next 7 days. Most of the days are looking like it will be a little choppy since most of the days the winds will be coming from the North and East…not good for a East facing shoreline. :(

However, right now, it looks like Monday will be the day to go surfing!!!!  With glassy conditions expected in the afternoon with lighter winds turning to offshore.

Please select the HERE for the weekly SwellInfo forecast for Cocoa Beach.

Monday's Motivation

“The best surfer out there is the one having the most fun.”  Duke Kahanamoku

If you aren't having fun while you are surfing, then GET OUT OF THE H20!  It's not fun surfing with a someone who is NOT enjoying themselves.

#Duke
#Kahanamoku
#Surfer
#Surfing
#Surf

1st Surf Session 2014

Yesterday was a GREAT day, since it was my first session in the New Year.  The conditions left a little to be desired as a Longboarder because it was like I was in a "washing machine" for about 20 minutes as I paddled out to catch some waves.

During the paddle out, I considered turning around and just coming back in!  It was a little too large for my type of surfing, but I needed to get wet, so out I paddled. 

After finally making it into the lineup, I spent a lot of time dodging the various swells coming...it seemed like I just couldn't find the "right spot".  However, I did catch a few and had several more wipeouts!

After the morning session, I decided to take the spouse to the beach and to see about another session.  I once again found myself...about ready to die for a surf session...just too much white water and crashing waves for me to paddle out.  Also, my arms were tired from the morning session.  However, I finally made it out into the line up, but this time...NO waves!  

After about 90 minutes "trying" to catch a wave or two, I finally had my leash snap on a wipeout!  Yikes...I wasn't planning to swim into to shore the 400meters or so after two long and tiring surf sessions.  

After trying to make it to my board which was quickly pushed to shore from the churn, I found myself "PRAYING REAL HARD" to make it to shore. 

I just wasn't my time to drown!!!!  I made it to shore, picked up the board and headed to the wife where she asks me "did your leash break?"  With my answer "why yes it did!"

I was DONE for the day!  To much paddling (out through the rough swell and back to shore withOUT my board)!  

I think I learned something today...I might be a Knee to Waist high swell surfer in comparison to the Big Swells!
 

Surfing Buddies – RocketBoy

The surfing community is a very unique group of people. In fact, as a new surfer (or kook), it is sometimes hard to get into the group...especially when you are as old as I was went I started surfing.

Lee surfing MY Board!!!

However, my surfing experience began with the meeting (and begging) to learn to surf from RocketBoy! It was in the summer of 2009 when I had pleaded with many (too many) surfers in the area to teach me how to surf. Now I know that a 43 year old asking some young groms to teach him to surf must have come off – let's say “crazy”!

When I moved to the Space Coast in October 2008, I was determined to learn how to surf. While I first thought I was “cool enough” to learn to ride a short board, little did I know then that I was meant for the log.

So after begging and pleading with every one I encountered who know ANYTHING about surfing, I was beginning to think I would never get the opportunity to “learn”! Yeah, I know...all it takes to surf is you, a board and the waves. I had 2 of them (me and the waves), but I didn't have a board. And even though there are many board shops around the A1A, I just wasn't sure WHAT I was doing or how to get started. So....I waited for someone to “show me the basics”. This is when I met RocketBoy...in the summer of 2009.

Let me recount the sequence of events regarding the friendship and learning to surf because these go hand in hand!

It was a summer Saturday afternoon when I was shopping at BB&B (Bed Bath and Beyond) and I ran into RocketBoy with his family shopping there as well. See I work with RocketBoy and we had met...but I don't remember asking (begging) him to teach me to surf. See, RocketBoy was an experienced surfer from the Left Coast. He had been surfing for some time (like 8 or 9 years at this time). Also, he had surfed some cool spots along the Cali coast and also in the mecca of surfing (Hawaii). To say it simply, I saw RocketBoy as a surfing expert!

Well, as we left the store, the summer rain had commenced and we (both me and RocketBoy) were stuck outside the store waiting for the rain to let up. He came over and asked what I was doing tomorrow morning and of course I didn't have a thing going on. He then said “I'll see you at 8am tomorrow to go surfing.” Boy was I one happy :) guy. I was finally getting the chance to learn to surf.

I couldn't sleep al night and began looking up “how to surf” on the Internet, just so I didn't look like an idiot the next morning. I also worked on the popup endlessly throughout the evening.
The next morning I was like a kid at Christmas...excited about the new experience I was about to have. I was up early and kept looking out the window down towards RocketBoys house to see if he was outside. I didn't want to appear too eager and didn't want to go sit at the curb waiting for him to “come out and play.” So I watched and waited and waited and waited until I saw his car back out of the garage.

It was play time and I was ready!

We headed to 2^nd Light and he walked me through the basics with a little shore surfing. I had to lay on the board on the beach and act like I was paddling out and then popup when he said. We did this for a little while he explained a few basic safety rules.


Safety Rule #1 – Never allow your body to be between the board and the shore.
Safety Rule #2 – Respect the wave.
Safety Rule #3 – Watch out for the other surfers...no need in killing someone else with your board.
Safety Rule #4 – Make sure your leash is attached.
Safety Rule #5 – Enjoy yourself

After the beach lesson, we headed out into the surf which was less than knee height. RocketBoys plan was to push me into some waves and yell when I was to popup.

As RocketBoy recalls, he thought that this day would be a “waisted surfing day” for him since few people get up the first time out. Well, I was MORE THAN READY to learn and on the first wave he pushed me into, I jumped up and rode the wave all the way to the shore. We did this about 4 more times before RocketBoy had had enough. He was ready to surf so he had me paddle the board and we then headed out to catch some real waves further out. I have to admit that RocketBoy had been gracious enough to allow me to use his Cadillac Surfboard (a Robert August What I Ride 10'). With this wave riding machine, it was no wonder I was able to learn to surf on the first outing.

Now I must caveat that when I say learned to surf on the first outing, I must clarify that what I really mean is that I made some semblance of surfing, but I still had a LONG way to go. Even to this day, I would call myself a kook.

I then waited until the next weekend to get to go out again with RocketBoy. This time he allowed me to use his backup board a 9' board that was very different than the Robert August board. This day I spent MOST of the morning trying to catch waves. I did catch a few, but they were few and far between. I think I spent most of my time paddling to catch waves instead of riding waves...but I was hooked. I realized that I LOVE SURFING and immediately after getting home, I headed to my local surf shop to buy a board. Why I didn't have RocketBoy come with me I don't know! However, my 1^st board is still my only board (I have owned a 6'8” 7S Dart for a week and a 9'6” thruster when in Hawaii and my SUP) and it was served me well! I'm ready to get a new stick, but can't make up my mind....a fish, a mini-mal, another log or a fun board.

Since learning to surf, I have caught many waves and surfed many days. However, NO surf day has ever matched to the day RocketBoy taught this kook how to surf. I still ride that stoke every time I go surfing.

Both RocketBoy and myself left the Space Coast because of our careers. He has moved on to bigger and better things while I have taken a life of a little slower pace where I am pursuing a life of RVing and looking for surf.

RocketBoy has become one of my closest friends. It's not because he taught me to surf (but I am forever grateful for him for taking the time to teach this old dog a new trick – surfing). I have been one lucky guy to get to know RocketBoy! It is good to call him my FRIEND!

RocketBoy...THANK YOU! You are truly the best surfing buddy I have.

Lee & Larry - Dec 2013

Sex Wax

If I could surf this good, then I'll always use…

SEXWAX

Check out this video of surfing on the river in Germany.

Mr. Zog's SexWax

Surfing Safari.. Let's go surfing!!!

Since I've made a life change over the last year, I now have time to SURF! And since I REALLY like to SURF (can't take my mind off of it), I have decided to hopefully run a BLOG regarding my Surf Life over the next year. Since some of the travels will go “inland”, some of my surfing escapades will be on my SUP (Stand Up Paddleboard). However, I consider SUPing to be flatwater surfing...so it counts.  I'm a LONGBOARDER all the way.  I like to have a high wave count and riding a LOG allows me to catch many more waves.  Besides, I'm a lazy surfer who doesn't like to expend too much effort on catching a wave...

For those who have watch “Step Into Liquid” surfing documentary, you may remember the guy who featured who had surfed every day for 13 years straight, this will NOT be me. I WILL surf – more than some and not as much as others – but I will surf.


Finally, to start off this blog, I guess I need to tell you a little about me and the plan. Remember, the plan is very fluid (do you like that pun to water?). We have plans, but they are always open for changes. Life happens and life might make changes over the course of the next few years.


So, you may be asking yourself “Who is this KOOK?” and you would be correct! If you saw me in the water, you'd say watch out for that kook. I am a 47 year old who learned to surf in 2009. Yeah, I know that's a little late in life, but...I always wanted to learn to surf, but I never lived near the ocean and therefore never had the opportunity to learn. But after my first day on a board, I was hooked! My buddy (Rocket Boy), pushed me into a few waves and then took me out into the deep. While I didn't catch many waves, it did catch some. After surf session #2 the next week, I purchased my own board and can say that the rest is history.


If you run into me, expect the discussion to somehow get to surfing. I love to hear about others surf adventures.


I'm stoked as I take on this challenge of bloggin about Surfing. However, if you are more interested in my “other life”, take a look at my other blog on RV Living at: Man in RV 


Mahalo and happy surfing \m/