Wing Foiling Session - 5/12/2022

Yesterday evening was a pretty cool day at WPB - there were 7 wingers ripping it up!  Eli, Derek, Kalani, Brian, Paul, Roland and myself - I don't think I've ever seen that many at WPB all at once.  Harris would have been 8, but he had his daughter and had to head back home.

Jeff let me use the loaner Reedin Super Wing V2 4.7m - and I bolted on the Kujira 1210

Wind was perfect for the SW 4.7 - and I really got to put this wing through its paces (minus jumping).  Wind direct was perfect for swinging hard into a jibe right at the peak of an oncoming wave following through with a good drop.  The waves could have been bigger, but this really was a good warm up for summer jibing.

I forgot my watch, so GPS tracks.

Kalani was already boosting his first time back out winging at WPB.

This SWV2 is a really great surfing wing.  It has plenty of power, can be easily pumped when starting, swings around really easily (like the OR A), one hands after the jibe really well - I was really impressed!!!  I was able to pull upwind easily.  And the wing seemed easier to fly/manage compared to the original SW (and maybe even easier than the SWX).  It is definitely lighter than the SWX.  I basically had no issues with this wing.

It only has one inflation tube going from the main to the strut, but it does have a boston valve on the strut - I guess so you can pump up the strut to a higher pressure if you want to - or use it as a really quick dump valve.

Roland was also trying out a new wing - Paul Cooper's Cloud IV 4.2m.  He and I started out nearly at the same time - within seconds of getting up and going, he boosted a huge air!!!  He said this wing had a ton of low end (which explains the high jumping), but he noted that the wing walked around when luffing.

Super fun session!!!!

W:40/F:43/S:14

Lock Down

And here it is -

I checked on the status of the beach this morning and found the gate locked.  Good thing I'm shaping and glassing me some boards!!!  Gotta be productive with what little time we have.

Catch Up Post - 12 to 14 July

I've been slacking again on maintaining this blog.  I'll try and catch up this evening.  First off I went foiling with an old friend who was in town visiting (and eloping).  Jason and I go back to 1997.  We met up at White Plains and spent the afternoon surfing (I was on the Slingshot Infinity 76 and I brought out the Starboard Element for Jason to use).  It was a bit choppy as the trades were starting to fill back in and a new swell was starting to show.  I got up a few times but it was actually a little tough to get the balance point just right.  I had the foil set where I placed the mark - but lifting still felt like work and not natural.  Jason set up a SoloShot 3 and I wore the transponder.  Its a cool device and it tracks pretty solid.  I'll set it up and use it again another day - but I didn't take any pictures on Friday.  I ended up talking to Gary (big green board and Cloud IX foil) and also James (ex-UCT and EOD tech).  We finished the day by heading back to my house for slow smoked pulled pork sliders (SOOOO GOOOD) and beer.

Next day was Saturday and Marlon had a presentation in the morning to finish off his summer internship.  We celebrated by eating plate lunches from Liz's BBQ and napping.  Since this is summer, post nap we still had plenty of light and went out for a surf session.  I had the foil out again (this time bringing it forward a little) and Marlon brought his longboard out.  The foil flew a little easier, but still not effort less.  The swell was picking up for sure.

On Sunday we picked La and Noe up at the airport (Noe participated in a Laser regatta in the San Francisco area).  Evening came around and the swell was hitting full on.  I brought out the Greedy Beaver and Marlon brought his shorter board (the Squirrel).  The swell was well overhead and the drops were epic!  I only got a few waves that stayed open, but all the rides were awesome.

I actually had a loose fin (starboard).  On my first wave I felt some chatter, but for the rest of the session it was stable.  What an awesome surfing weekend!!!

Mother's Day 2019 Swell

The first big south swell of the year hit on Mother's Day.  It was overhead on the sets and the direction was perpendicular to the beach at White Plains (so it was closing out the normal outer break).

Marlon caught some good ones and got pounded a few times.  I caught four good ones (but the rides weren't too long because of the closeouts).

I did not bring the foil because I want to mix things up (and I knew the swell had hit) - always a good time on the Greedy Beaver!

Taking a Break

Marlon and I went on a dawn patrol yesterday (Sunday 3/31) and instead of bringing out the foil again, I decided on paddling the Greedy Beaver.  Marlon brought the "Squirrel" (his hybrid shortboard).  I wanted to mix it up just a bit just to keep the muscle memory, and for the fact that at the last outing (Saturday evening) the foil touched bottom twice.  I could have switched to the 18" mast, but decided it was better to just try the shortboard.

It was crowded on the outside - lots of the regulars on their longboards - so I stayed inside and caught several fun ones (albeit not the crown jewels of the day, but my waves also didn't come with multiple riders).  Mostly waist high, but with larger waves on the outside.  Tide was still shallow - but that is to be expected with the nearly new moon.

Always a fun time in the water!

Saturday Evening Surf - 2/2/19

It has been several days since Marlon and I have gone surfing so we made a point to break that streak.  The winds have been way up so our assumption has been blown out surf.  Well - the winds finally backed down a bit yesterday evening, so we gave it a try.

All of these pictures are from Marlon.  The swell was waist high and decently consistent.

There was also a smaller monk seal basking in the beach.

Marlon likes taking pictures of sunsets.

It is always good to get wet - even if the surf is small.

Monday Dawn Patrol - 1/21/2019

Mrlon and I headed out this morning - the swell that has been hitting the south side was still present.  And what a present it was!  Super fun waves that kept rolling in - plenty of waves for everyone!  This set was from a single wave - awesome turns up and down the face...

I had a great time out - super light winds and continuous waves - I couldn't really ask for more... I love living here and getting to surf this break!

And my GoPro was operating perfectly - obeyed voice commands without a hitch.  I need to stick one of these on Marlon's board next time.

Jan 19 Dawn Patrol

Marlon and I went on a dawn patrol yesterday despite the forecasted weak swell conditions.

The waves got to about waist high - I stuck on the inside and got plenty of rides - all an exercise in milking small wave energy.

Still - it was a fun morning!

Sunday Dawn Patrol - Fourth Outing with the Foil

Marlon and I got in a session before I had to take him to music practice.  The wind was down from yesterday's session (but you can sense that will change once the sun rises higher) and the waves were pretty much the same - which was good for me as I took the foil out again.

Marlon brought out the longboard and was getting some long rides.

I caught five waves with the foil.  The first three I was able to stand and it wasn't until I tried to turn that the board threw me off.  One of those rides I was way up and stable.  I am being stopped more and more by other regulars as to how the foil works.  I think to really get going I am going to have to finish off the smaller foil boards.  With those I won't be fighting the less than optimal board-foil compatibility issues.  I'll try and get at least one finished this coming week.

Evening Surf Session - 10/28/2018

Marlon and I were out most of the day running errands - haircut, music practice, groceries, clean up around the house - but before the afternoon slipped away, we headed to the beach to grab some of the last remaining energy coming up from the South Pacific.

I brought out the longboard thinking the swell would have backed off, but yet again I was proven wrong.  Marlon even said the waves were bigger than Saturday's session.  I managed to snag a few really good sized waves - just overhead - and they were awesome!!! Top to bottom turns and running right walls -

The other notable thing about yesterday's session was that it was really cloudy.  I didn't even see the sunset - the day just kinda faded out.  Hopefully there is still some swell to be ridden at White Plains, but taking a moment to reflect on this past year - this has been a really good year for surfing!

Hurricane Walaka Surf

Hurricane (Typhoon since it formed in the Central Pacific) Walaka has been sending surf our way since Wednesday.  Marlon and I went out on Wednesday morning and it was awesome!!!  Head high,  clean surf with plenty for everybody.  I brought the Greedy Beaver out and it did not disappoint.

Marlon passed on a dawn patrol on Thursday morning.  The swell had gotten bigger, but the period was tighter and the swell had a strong westerly component to it.  No lefts at all and the bigger ones were closing out.  Still I managed to get some good ones.

Saturday September 22, 2018 Dawn Patrol

The wind was up.  Not so bad to blow the surf out, but enough to put a chop on it.  Size was decent, but the tide was a little full and prevented the waves from really breaking.  I took the ULI GLX out and Marlon surfed the longboard with the banana fin again (he really likes the 'drift' he gets from the fin).

Fun day regardless!

Sunday Dawn Patrol - September 16, 2018

Or not so dawn patrol - I woke up late and we left even later because we took some time to switch out the fins on our surfboards.  I opted for a Greenough Stage 6 and Marlon went for a smaller banana fin.  Marlon was not happy with the water quality - it was noticeably acrid and there were protein bubbles everywhere - so we only stayed for about 45 minutes.

This Stage 6 seemed really sticky to me - not as fluid as the 8.5" flex fin I've been using for a while now.  

I went ahead and swapped out the Stage 6 for a 9.5" Stage 4C.  More of a conventional fin, with more surface area than the flex fin - we'll see next time if this one feels better than the flex.

Saturday Dawn Patrol - September 15, 2018

The tide was really full which dampened the breaking waves, and the wind was up - but it was still good fun!  Lots of opportunity to convert speed into pure torque!

Sunday Dawn Patrol - September 9, 2018

We went on the dawn patrol again yesterday.  It is still down right hot and humid, but you can sense fall conditions are starting to come around.  The sun is moving southward and first light is coming just a little later every morning.  I mention all this because the water was a little less warm jumping in.  I took the Starboard Element SUP out and Marlon took the longboard.  No wind so the faces were really glassy.  The swell seemed about the same as Saturday, but bigger on the sets.

The GoPro had the field of view on narrow so these pictures suck - but filler they are no matter how bad they suck.  Lesson learned - verify your settings are good to go before paddling out.