Boogie Boarding

Took the family to Pyramid Rock to go boogie. Way more fun than it should be... as evidenced by the huge smiles on Marlon's face!!! Charlie and I tried bodysurfing (and got super tired swimming in the current to maintain position), then swapped out the handplanes for boogie boards caught some dumpers on the outside. It takes some courage to take the drop on these closeout bombs knowing the bottom is very likely to drop out from underneath you. Fun - fun - fun!!!

Hand Plane No.1 Done

I used my time after work yesterday to wrap up a few outstanding projects. I switched my 300 grain intermediate fly line from one reel to another, including switching out the backing from the chartreuse I used to use to the orange I've switched to. I used the remainder of the spool of orange 20# I had - turned out to be 628 ft (about 209 yards). That's just at the critical point to stop a double digit bonefish. But I don't like packing my reels too full so I can have some play in getting the fly line back on the reel during a fight, so this all worked out well. I also finished off the hand plane I've been working on. I got the foam pad in place and the strap tied on. Now to get some time off to line up with a fun sized swell to try this thing out!!!

First Hand Plane Coming Together

Here's the first of the set of three I had lined up in the hopper. This one is way out in front of the other two (so don't hold your breath to see the others any time soon). Here it is after the Sharpie artwork (High '5' Octo) and the first coat of polyurethane. I hope to be able to get this in the water by the weekend. I still have to put an FCS plug in for the GoPro mount and fit in the hand strap nuts. We'll see...

Enjoy Handplanes at Honolulu Patagonia

I had a few minutes to kill before meeting an old friend for dinner. I decided to stop into the Patagonia shop here in Honolulu. These "Enjoy" handplanes are really something. Nice, well built tools for wave shredding. And I really like how they've gone full bore into fabric laminates. Gives me some ideas for my own builds.

Next Step on the Hand Planes

After fishing on Saturday, I hung out at Charlie's and took the next step on carving out the hand planes. I sketched out the template on a piece of cardboard and carefully cut them out. The problem with using cardboard for templates is when you flip them, you don't always get a mirror image (since the pencil interacts with the cardboard edge differently). Next up is cutting out the blank from the spoils. Something for next weekend.

And We Surfed

More and more I absolutely love surfing this mat!!! Although the kids actually bodysurfed more this trip than any before (maybe the water temps was finally warm enough).

Body Surfing

We were in Virginia Beach to watch our buddy's Change of Command ceremony (UCT ONE) and are hanging out in the trailer at the Dam Neck Campgrounds - awesome spot that is a short walk to this beach (not the same one we've been going to, just a little further North). And we didn't bring the SUP surfing boards - this was a torpedo squad mission! There was a time when I was a wave snob and did not appreciate small waves. That was a long time ago and now I greatly appreciate even the smallest of waves breaking on the sand. We are liberated and are having more fun than we ever imagined -

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.

New Fins In - Toe Top Blisters Out

This is the pair of fins I have been waiting for... Now I will no longer be plagued by blisters at the tops of my toes from fins that do not fit like a glove (right size, but non-accomodating to two toes on each of my feet - extended use would result in spots rubbed raw on my second and third toes, just behind the nails).

Don't get me wrong - I love my Dafins and my Churchills - and for pulling in the pool during laps, they are perfect! But when it is time to don them for sanding-salty immersion, their compatibility falters and I am left blistered. So - yet again I have high expectations for bodysurfing flights of fancy free of painful reminders that I am still Homo sapien and not fully Homo amphibiensis (I don't have webbed toes). But - if Marlon's feedback on the fins we bought him when we were last down in Virginia Beach are any indication, the third time (that I have bought bodysurfing fins) should be the charm (we bought him similar fins and he liked them).

Now we just have to make another beach trip.... Did I mention it has been challenging to adapt to life this far inland..... (written while still smiling!)