This week(end) we are located in Jacksonville, Florida. The plan was only to spend a few days here, but the rain and weather made us readjust our travel plans and spend the weekend…and it's a good thing we did.
Surfing is a lifestyle and it has a lot to do with "family". Our stay in JAX allowed us to meet up with some old friends -- the Thayers. We have known these people since the late 1980s…from our time in the Azores.
In addition to getting to see "family", I also found a little time to paddle out. Even though the rain was continual on Friday, there was a little break in downpour and I finally looked at the SurfGuru to see what the current conditions were on the webcam. It looked GOOD, so I headed to the Mayport Poles surf spot for a look see.
It's was good enough for me to slip on the spring suit and paddle out just as another "old guys rule" kind of surfer was coming it. He gladly pointed me to the right spot that it was breaking and I was very grateful since I not a local around here.
The wave at Mayport Poles is a little interesting. Even though it's a beach break, it pops up quickly once it gets closer to shore. Normally, I like to have a little time to see the wave growing so that I can swing my longboard around and start paddle…no time for this at this break.
One of the best things about the Mayport Poles surf spot is that the POLES are a barrier from the locals since the north side is on Mayport NAS. This keeps the locals (somewhat) at bay from crossing the barrier. Since Mayport NAS boarders Hanna Park, the locals get plenty of waves on the south side of the poles…leaving the lineup pretty empty on the base side which is good for kooks like me.
However, some of the locals ride right past the poles and I almost had a run in with one of them short boards on Friday. Since he was south of the poles, I assumed he'd head left leaving the right open for me. I paddled in and didn't even look left until I was up…and there he was. You could tell he was upset, but life goes on and I apologized (just like a kook should)!
Also, this weekend is the Wavemasters Surf Comp at the Jax Beach Pier. I didn't head down since it was raining, but I did watch online (now that I have internet again).
On a side note: I wish I had been a surfer when I was in the Azores. While a little cold in the water temp, the swells do come! Check out this -- http://www.surf-forecast.com/breaks/Praia-Vitoria
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