And of course - SUP Surfing!!!!

Surfed even though it was 40 degrees (colder with the wind blowing - nice and offshore) and the water was probably just as cold. Smashing ice cream headaches, getting caught inside with more ice cream headaches, a couple of neckline flushes BUT it was all worth it! I caught it on the right tide (upcoming high), with some swell from the previous couple of days from the onshore blow. I'll take what I can get, but this did stoke the stoke flame!

Tiny Surf in Frigid Water... I'll take it!

So after many months of NOT surfing, I finally got a session in!!! And although it was small and cold, it was clean, offshore and long enough to make me smile and forget about the worries of life for 50 minutes (after which my hands were too cold to bend around the paddle). The ULI FAQ was tons of fun on this beach break (South Gate in Virginia Beach). I had 10 waves during this short session - and it made me realize "it sucks to live inland!!!" For those of you who live close to water where you can surf - do not take that for granted. Thanks to La for taking the pictures!

FAQ on the Lake

My old friend Jason stopped by today - a good time to bring the FAQ out of the bag and test it (to make sure it made the trip unscathed). He normally SUPs down in Corpus Christi on a Starboard WP 8'10" - and was keenly aware of the 'flex' on the ULI. It's sitting on the driveway getting warmed up (so the fins can straightened out) and then I'll pump more air into it.

Pops on a SUP on Wednesday

I had an opportunity to catch some South Shore surf this afternoon - you don't have to twist my arm too hard! I met Jimmy at Pops.

I've got three days left before I begin my journey back to the land of insane fishing - I might try to cast the fly tomorrow afternoon after work... but it isn't hard to see why I didn't fish while I was stationed here - the surf was too darn good!

If I haven't said it before, this Fat Ass Quad is a blast to surf! I can't grab a wave the way I can with a hard board (driving a hard bottom turn and running a combo to an off the lip) primarily because of the softer rail on the tail - but it is so fun to slide around on a board this loose.

Nice way to end the day!

SUP Surfing

The tide, swell and timing all lined up today!

Small, but clean - I'll take it!

This ULI FAQ is so fun to surf!

Flat Island SUP Surfing Session

The Trades were down today - took advantage of the situation and paddled out at Flat Island (in Kailua, Oahu).

Two and a half hours of SUPing the Uli Fat Ass Quad - with no one out!!!

Waist to Shoulder high sets that I rode for yards and yards and yards...

I laughed the whole time I was out - even when I wiped in shin high water (and paid my dues in scrapes and a little blood - Kailua takes some heavy dues from me... yikes - but that's another story).

It's in the Mail

I ordered one of these Fat Ass Quads directly from Uli.

I asked Jim (Weir) to put four D rings up front so I can use it for multiple purposes (fishing platform, trainer for the kids to get up on when catching a wave, snorkeling platform, etc). Also looking forward to using this on the Potomac through Great Falls this coming Summer.

I'll be on a trip to Oahu starting this coming week and the board already arrived at a friend's house (Mahalo Jimbo!!!). I'm still debating which 3 piece paddle to get to compliment the travel-a-bility of the FAQ - Quickblade or Werner...

6 days and I'll get to surf again after several months hiatus. The things I give up...

In a way it makes you appreciate the things you give up even more. In other ways it plain old SUCKS. Actually - besides not having the family with me, I have little to complain about - I'm not getting shot at and I'll never have it this good EVER AGAIN on the fishing front.

Oh well, no time to dwell on the negative - life is too short.

Awesome times ahead and I'm going to surf the crap out of this board. Stay tuned for the paddle mounted GoPro shots!!!!