La and the Kids Hit the Beach

Without me :(

Actually - I think it's a good thing they are getting out there!

Surf Report 10/15/2014 Part 2

The kids had some shore break action And by the end of the day, Marlon had ventured out into the realm of the unbroken wave. I think he is still intimidated by the drop, but I reassured him that that will quickly become the most exciting part of surfing (taking the drop and leaning into that first bottom turn of the wave - making torque and G's out of speed, gravity and positioning). The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step

Surf and Fishing Report 10/4/2014

We took a drive down to Matanzas Inlet to got shelling, surfing and fishing. The coquina is really fine and can get pretty think at this beach (North side of the inlet). La and the kiddoroosters went out the second sand bar to catch the breaking waves. After a little bit, I saw them paddling back in pretty quickly. They said they saw a shark in the lineup and calmly came back in. The tide was coming in at the same time, so the kids found another, even more fun diversion - what they've named the "Lazy River". It's really the trough of the last sandbar before the high tide line. As the tide comes back in, the waves start to fill it back in and as it drains, you get a steady flow back to the low point. The kids ride their boards on the current and I would say have even more fun than they do when surfing. I had the surf gear and was pounding the trough between the second and third sandbars - but I got nothing. I brought out the cast net and made some casts to see what was running just offshore (inside the waves). I caught a bucket full for finger mullet (and let all but seven small ones back in the water - I kept the seven to use as bait later). I asked Noe if she wanted to cast and she caught one!!! Lastly - I saw some fish that were not mullet hanging right where the water and shore met. They were really small pompano. I hope this means their bigger siblings are on their way back down south. Another great beach day in Florida!!!

First Beach on Saturday

Back at it - hanging out, getting tan, trying to fish (no bites - water was too choppy), and surfing!!! As you can see, it was windy - but unfortunately I anticipated slightly lower wind speeds - the 16m2 kite I brought was too big. The choppiness of the surf gave Marlon and Noe a new perspective of surf quality. The last time we went out and the surf was like this, they had some apprehension to getting in - this time they just charged it, but weren't able to stand up as much. It's the hard times that make you better, but conversely any surf is better than no surf when you have to drive 3.5 hours to get wet.

Saturday at Southgate Beach

We spent most of the day at our secret surf spot - and we used just about every piece of gear we brought down with us. First up - the kiddos on their boogie boards!!! Marlon declared he much prefers surfing at low tide - and from the looks he and Noe gave while zooming around, I think that declaration will stick. I rode a few on my surf mat and then...

Surfing Kiddoroosters

More catching up - these were from a week and a half ago down at Mayport, FL.

The kids would fearlessly pull their boogie boards (we got one for Noe in addition to the one Marlon has been using) to the deeper part of the beach break (even I had the heebee jeebies but I didn't show it - don't want to spook the yung'ins from taking risk) and RIDE the big ones in!!!

Marlon owned the break!!!

Today we're off to some of the surf shops in the area to interrogate them for surf spot info - more to follow...