The swell report says that we are receiving a nice big south westerly storm swell. I kick off work early and head out to Burros at 2:30 or so. As I round the curve to see Destiladeras, one of the test markers, the waves are breaking nice and big and further out then usual.
I pull in to the parking area to see no other cars. This is unusual. As I hiked the trail and come down on to the beach, I can see Birro (a local) dropping into a 5 foot wave and getting tubed, a hundred feet from the shore. Just as I make my way out on to the beach, a monster set comes in. At least 8 to 10 feet, depending on who you’re asking. When Burros is this large, it tends to break in one entire mile long line and close out. I’ve only seen it do this once before.
Instead of shucking my gear and jumping in the water asap, I sat on the beach watching the swell. It was very awe inspiring, if a little intimidating. I even saw tubes here and there. As I watched the set come through, it seemed that there was a spot that wasn’t closing out. And that the mixing bowl, to the right, was unusually large (don’t get caught in the mixing bowl). The large set was replaced with smaller sets but nothing under 6 to 8 feet. I reluctantly paddled out into the fray.
It turned out to be an amazing day, nice large waves and only 4 of us in the water. I rolled into one, right at the crest, dropped in and back up the face, cut-back on the lip and back down, bottom turn and right back up for another cut-back on the lip. As I came around again, into the white foam and turn out, I see the lip over my right shoulder, I crouch down and viola, I’m tubed. The crashing wave is hitting my left shoulder and for a second, she’s giving me a big fat kiss. Out the front, up the face, cut-back on the lip and down again. Chicharro (another local) is pumping his fist in the air, yelling.
This was probably my best ride, ever. In terms of being in tune with the wave and responding to it’s movements. I was in the pocket, the entire time.
I met another gringo in the water, Erik (from Oakland) and I asked him how large he thought the sets were. He laughed and said he wasn’t the kind of surfer to speculate on wave height, they were big and fun, but what’s big? Hawaiians might say it’s three feet. I laughed and said he was probably right, but I definitely wanted a second opinion on how big, big, is right?!
This day was amazing. I only got caught on the inside of the larger sets once, took a few on the head, but nothing life threatening. I imagined what it would be like to surf larger waves, every day. How it could improve my skill and for the first time, I realized that I am on ok surfer. Not great, not good, but ok. I love it, enjoy it and can handle my own, but I want to be a good surfer, someone who can surf 8-10 feet and surf 2-3 feet just as well. and enjoy both, religiously. I know i’m well on my way to being a good surfer and I look back at how far I’ve come in two years and I am content, but I definitely feel the itch: Hawaii is calling, Indonesia is calling, Tahiti is calling, Australia is calling.
you should go visit scott and cath, they have shelter in waikiki and are an easy ride to north shore, witch i heard is buenisimo…