Puttin’ in (foot) work
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I went sleep last night to the sound of some nice crashers, hoping I’d wake to the same sound. But no luck. I knew today would be a good longboard day so I slogged the 9′6″er out to “used to be Alejandro Fernandez’s house, now it’s gonna be a big giant condominium and they’re gonna cut off access to the beach” break. You see, you can’t just put up a barbed wire fence and expect the locals to not cut a large hole in it, especially if you have no permits or legally binding documents to show that you have the right to put up said fence. [ed- get to the point]
I made it out to the relatively light lineup just in time for the mid-day winds, but still managed to greet some beautiful water hills. I’ve been studiously studying T.Adler’s Ron Church Surf Contest book and today I practiced my foot work. Trying to let go of my unconscious need to inch up the board like a lead-foot hopscotcher. The modus operandi was to try a fluid foot over foot maneuver towards the nose and back. up and back. up and back. A few larger sets rolled through, somewhere in the shoulder to head size, giving up some really nice rides, fin firmly planted in the hill and feet together pointing forward a foot behind the nose, sitting position, hands in the air, bow of the wave breaking over the feet. heaven.
