May, 2002: Surf Ugly Part 2

So it happens that whining in this column works! You may remember last week the DogMan whined unforgiveably about the lack of email for the turtle column. This stimulated lots o' email! Thanx to all who wrote. I was mostly just goofing on it, but I do appreciate the responses. Here's a sample:

"Just so you don't think it was a total waste, I enjoyed the turtle pictures, but then, I enjoy anything that reminds me of Hawaii..."

"Just 'cause we didn't write doesn't mean we didn't like your honu story. We just got back from the Big Island and had a gas with the turtles at Pu'u honua, my hubby's first trip. Liked the pics too..."

"Sorry about that letter from your Mom. I liked the turtle article, but I have to admit that it didn't get me stoked like the Ugly piece."

Well I think Garrett said it best, the surf ugly column really touched a nerve with the PWR readers. Here's some more email on the same subject:

"Ugly is the best, not all my budz agree. Before I had a car I spent many a morning leaving the beach dry because no one else felt like getting in. Now I have my own wheels, so I can take on the ugies whenever I need, which is nice.

"Worst conditions ever - last winter at Cronkite. 15-20 kts onshore, cold, hazy, high tide, waves walling up and closing about four feet from the beach. My friend Dave and I were sitting in the car checking it, gauging the whitecaps and whitewater mess in front of us. We got out and started suiting up and it started raining!

"Caught several quality waves, saw some seals; one of my favorite sessions ever, largely due to the fact that we just went. It's true what surfing ugly makes you better. Nothing like an ugly SU day to set your mind right!. Riding waves is like candles on a cake - being in the ocean, smelling it, tasting it, laying down and floating in it, checking out the other folks in the water (seals, whales, dolphins, whatever)... that's the stuff. Dropping down a glassy face (or better yet making it on a choppy, chunky, knee-buckler) makes it better, but you gotta remeber the basics."

Garrett has a way with wordz. I like his description; maybe he should be the columnist!

"Ah, those 'no alibi' waves look familiar.

"Thought I'd share a little of my ugly philosophy with you.

"Surfing those same, sometimes less-than-ideal waves it is easy to spend a looong time staring out at the water wondering whether it's worth it to suit up, go to another spot, or wait another day. My standpoint is that it's always better to be wet, and any sess is better than none at all.Ê We call it 'The Power of Here'.Ê Example of our conversation:

" 'I dunno.Ê Looks kinda mushy.Ê What do you think? Should we see how it is at Cron?'

'Well, we're here right now.Ê Let's get in.'

" 'Power of Here has resulted in only a few completely forgettable outings, but more often it means less driving and more surfing.Ê In San Francisco, it's OK to have your 'wicked paddle out[ if you can pull off some dom-in-a-tricks, right?"

I couldn't agree more, Dave, thanx for the story. I like the "Power of Here" philosophy.

"Hey, wanted to thank you for your columns on PWR - I'm a recent transplant to SF from Montana, and I decided that I may as well become a stereotypical Californian by attempting to surf. Anyways, I am sans car these days, so unless my roommate feels like schlepping me down to Linda ÊMar or HMB, I'm stuck riding the 5 bus out to OB to surf. Let me tell you, the drivers really don't like to see me try to get on the bus with my 9'4" board, but whatever, my tax dollars are paying for it.

"I just got up for the first time the other day. The ride lasted about 2 seconds all together, but it's progress. I'm getting the hang of things, and have only ugly waves to surf at OB most of the time. So it goes. Like you said, makes those perfect conditions so much more enjoyable."

And thank you Shane, for a cool story about beginning to surf. It's an episode we all go thru one time or another. It's been so long since I learned to surf that Shane's story really helped bring it all back.

Many of you will recognize the beach and break in these pix. I ain't gonna name it, and I ain't even going to give it one of those silly pretend FogMan names. It's not a secret spot by any means, but the point is not the break, the point is the uglies out there. One bad surf day for sure!

Like the OB pix, this break has it's share of good dayz, but this just happened to be major big time ugly day. What I like about it is the surfers you see in the pix are still having one heck of a good time. Like Dave said: "It's always better to get wet. Any sess is better than none at all!"

Email me with your ugly surf stories, and maybe we'll see part 3 to this popular series.

CU Out There,

DogMan