This past weekend I finally convinced Linda she needed to get out of the city and take a break for 2 days of camping/tanning/swimming. Everyone else from our crew had plans or bowed out and the swell forecast didn’t look epic as of Thursday night. We left montreal at 6 am on Saturday. Forecast had also called for 2 hazy days with possible rain and overcast conditions; not the best for lazing around on the beach but we decided to go anyway. The waves forecast had called for knee to waist wind slop at best so I figured i’d be able to catch some lazy rides and have a bit of fun in the cool fall air.
At 11 am we get to Hampton Beach to find, Bright sun and temp’s starting to soar, the beach lined with car’s with surf racks, 100 people or so in the water (not that bad for a Hampton saturday on a huge beach) with some absolutely perfect lines coming through. Forget this knee to waist business — The first 10 sets I watched roll in were shoulder to a couple feet overhead in very clean conditions with no wind at low tide.
I suited up, which incidentally I only wore during the two morning paddle out’s all weekend; the rest of both days wearing my rash T and boardies cause the water was that warm !! Mentally It took me a good hour to get into gear, I had been expecting a mellow day and now I was looking at a tough paddle out. The beach break was surprisingly strong from a storm way off the coast. My first wave of the day I paddled into must have been head high at least if not bigger. I mucked the take off and went ass-over-tea-kettle into the soup with my board right beside me. I flipped, it flipped, I flipped again and my fin whacked the side of my knee. I knew this day would come; as I haven’t been hit hard with my fins yet. Luckily it hit on an angle and cut into my wet suit on the side of my knee only leaving a very small cut in my skin and a bruise. It hit me hard enough to break the tip off my fin so I’m counting myself very lucky – I can repair the suit and I bought a new set of fins.
Saturday ended being a crazy day. Lots of large waves rolling in. Not my best day surfing, had a couple good rides and by far some of my largest drop-in’s. I guess my mind wasn’t in charging mode. But I’m getting more and more comfortable in overhead conditions.
We camped out on a perfect warm mosquito-less Saturday night in a half empty campground. Sunday was just as beautiful with just as nice waves in the AM – waist to head high with only a trace of wind. Had much better rides including a good long backside ride where I got my board back up the face and got to properly gain some speed backside.
Overall a wonderful weekend. Linda really loved it – all that lounging around and tanning. I even got her to lay on my board and pushed into some whitewash. You never know – she says she won’t surf but … ! This coming one looks off the charts – if you believe the forecasts ;-) …. more on that later.