Xmas day
This holiday season was a blessing for me. The past decade or so, I have been far away from my family. This time around the sun, I decided to spend it with the North Shore contingency which involves 5/7ths of my fam. One brother resides with his family in Florida. Another brother lives with his family in Washington.
Xmas eve created a bit of a stretch for me when brother Bri and sister Liz each had their own celebration scene. Thus, the folk's and I had to choose one. This year, we chose to celebrate with Brian's fam and neighbor friends.
But today, we were all together at sister Liz's North Shore surfing headquarters. We ate at her neighbor's house who had a brunch for the street. The food consisted of bagels, sweets, kietsche, fruit salad and pastries from the famous Ted's Bakery.
Meanwhile, the kids are all running around, temporarily satisfied with their sudden increase in material possesions.
I mosey back to Liz's where Ro is sharing some music with a few of the boys. When the downloading completes, he turns to me and asks: "Do you want to look at the waves?"
"Sure."
We walk the 70 yards or so to the edge of the sand which gives us a commanding view of the Backyards surf break. We see that there are only a few surfers out. The waves are as big as double overhead. I did not bring my longboard, not enough room in the vehicle, I figured I'd go back and get it. Roberto wants to go out and invites me along. Lends me one of his boards - a 7'8 gun. This is a far cry from my giant 9 foot longboard.
We paddle out over the shallow reef on the right side with the current and wrap around the breaking waves. I've become very used to the stability of my longboard and the contrast between that and the gun I am now on is vast. Still, initailly I am able to stay close behind Roberto until he just edges over a wave that catches me and sends me backward from wence I've come. The waves are much bigger out this far than they appear on shore. The wind blows strongly from the inland. I stay near the edge watching the sets come in and gaging their stregnth, searching for a shoulder that I can enter on.
I watch Roberto catch one and have a sweet ride. He paddle over and points out a better spot for me. Surfing has such variety depending on the power and shape of the wave. Backyards is known to be for experts only. Has a steep drop, lots of power and a severely shallow razor sharp reef. All of this is in my mind as I paddle over. Every once in a while I go for a wave but am unable to catch any. This is OK with me. I'm kind of on a scouting expedition out here. Able to watch the experts surfing at one of the more difficult North Shore breaks. Roberto, fearlessly catches a few more, I watch him from the front and then the wave passes by and all I can see is his head as he carves to the top of the wave and then disappears when he rides down it.
Finally, it's time to paddle in. I make my way to the inside, shoot for a few waves but not even close. Then, a wave behind me crashes and I see the white froth boiling towards me. This, I am able to catch and ride it in like a boogey board. It is low tide and the reef rests only a foot or two beneath. When I try to stand, the strong eastern current makes this difficult. The first thing that happens is my heal gets pierced by the sharp coral reef. The current finally succeeds in pulling me down and the tops of my feet are scratched as I am sent 70 yards eastward. Soon, I am able to find a smooth place to stand up on, making my way to the dry sand.
Caio received a beautiful boogey board for Xmas. Almost all of us walk down to "Shores", where he will be able to break it in. Sunset Point can be seen in the background; surfers are catching double overhead waves; the ocean is playing Santa. Bri, Roberto, Caio and I swim around on boogey boards, catching waves until the sun is met by the ground. Mom takes pictures of us all and the setting sun. At one point, a man in a red shirt with the number 36 stands in the background talking on a cell phone with a wine glass filled with red wine. Mom keeps complaining about him being in the shot until Dad walks down and tells him that there's a "professional photographer taking photos" and can you please move out of the frame. He complies and the last photos are taken before we all head home, across the sands of time.
Xmas eve created a bit of a stretch for me when brother Bri and sister Liz each had their own celebration scene. Thus, the folk's and I had to choose one. This year, we chose to celebrate with Brian's fam and neighbor friends.
But today, we were all together at sister Liz's North Shore surfing headquarters. We ate at her neighbor's house who had a brunch for the street. The food consisted of bagels, sweets, kietsche, fruit salad and pastries from the famous Ted's Bakery.
Meanwhile, the kids are all running around, temporarily satisfied with their sudden increase in material possesions.
I mosey back to Liz's where Ro is sharing some music with a few of the boys. When the downloading completes, he turns to me and asks: "Do you want to look at the waves?"
"Sure."
We walk the 70 yards or so to the edge of the sand which gives us a commanding view of the Backyards surf break. We see that there are only a few surfers out. The waves are as big as double overhead. I did not bring my longboard, not enough room in the vehicle, I figured I'd go back and get it. Roberto wants to go out and invites me along. Lends me one of his boards - a 7'8 gun. This is a far cry from my giant 9 foot longboard.
We paddle out over the shallow reef on the right side with the current and wrap around the breaking waves. I've become very used to the stability of my longboard and the contrast between that and the gun I am now on is vast. Still, initailly I am able to stay close behind Roberto until he just edges over a wave that catches me and sends me backward from wence I've come. The waves are much bigger out this far than they appear on shore. The wind blows strongly from the inland. I stay near the edge watching the sets come in and gaging their stregnth, searching for a shoulder that I can enter on.
I watch Roberto catch one and have a sweet ride. He paddle over and points out a better spot for me. Surfing has such variety depending on the power and shape of the wave. Backyards is known to be for experts only. Has a steep drop, lots of power and a severely shallow razor sharp reef. All of this is in my mind as I paddle over. Every once in a while I go for a wave but am unable to catch any. This is OK with me. I'm kind of on a scouting expedition out here. Able to watch the experts surfing at one of the more difficult North Shore breaks. Roberto, fearlessly catches a few more, I watch him from the front and then the wave passes by and all I can see is his head as he carves to the top of the wave and then disappears when he rides down it.
Finally, it's time to paddle in. I make my way to the inside, shoot for a few waves but not even close. Then, a wave behind me crashes and I see the white froth boiling towards me. This, I am able to catch and ride it in like a boogey board. It is low tide and the reef rests only a foot or two beneath. When I try to stand, the strong eastern current makes this difficult. The first thing that happens is my heal gets pierced by the sharp coral reef. The current finally succeeds in pulling me down and the tops of my feet are scratched as I am sent 70 yards eastward. Soon, I am able to find a smooth place to stand up on, making my way to the dry sand.
Caio received a beautiful boogey board for Xmas. Almost all of us walk down to "Shores", where he will be able to break it in. Sunset Point can be seen in the background; surfers are catching double overhead waves; the ocean is playing Santa. Bri, Roberto, Caio and I swim around on boogey boards, catching waves until the sun is met by the ground. Mom takes pictures of us all and the setting sun. At one point, a man in a red shirt with the number 36 stands in the background talking on a cell phone with a wine glass filled with red wine. Mom keeps complaining about him being in the shot until Dad walks down and tells him that there's a "professional photographer taking photos" and can you please move out of the frame. He complies and the last photos are taken before we all head home, across the sands of time.
posted by Dij at 8:30 PM
0 waves:
Post a Comment
<< Home