This weekend was really good for July... punchy thick 5 to 6 foot waves. I had a Friday afternoon session with my daughter, a Saturday Morning session with my son, and a Saturday afternoon & Sunday afternoon session all to my self. The most consistently fun and powerful waves were Saturday morning. Another swell is due in tomorrow but I'm a bit under the weather so I probably won't make it out.
Stay Stoked,
DH
Monday, July 19, 2010
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Giving Longboard Surfing a Try
An acquaintance of mine (our kids often play together at the beach) offered to let me ride his long board recently and I decided to give it a shot. First I'll have to say that I've often seen longboard surfers casually paddling and moving past me at notable speed, even in strong currents, and I envied what appeared to be an ease of movement afforded by their surf craft. Having given it a try I'll have to say the ease of movement is an illusion... paddling a long board is a lot of hard work. The waves were 2 to 3 feet and weak and I only managed to catch a few and barely stood up on those. All in all it was a lot more work than I thought.
Afterward I watched my friend catch wave after wave without a problem... a testament to years of practice in the water.
I love bodyboarding, especially when the waves are big, but when the waves are small and weak, as they often are, I think the longboard is a better choice. It also has the benefit of providing a nice upper body workout. Excellent cross training potential. I'll probably try picking one up at the end of the summer cheap.
Stay stoked, what ever you may ride,
DH
Afterward I watched my friend catch wave after wave without a problem... a testament to years of practice in the water.
I love bodyboarding, especially when the waves are big, but when the waves are small and weak, as they often are, I think the longboard is a better choice. It also has the benefit of providing a nice upper body workout. Excellent cross training potential. I'll probably try picking one up at the end of the summer cheap.
Stay stoked, what ever you may ride,
DH
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Bodyboarder bit by shark in Jacksonville, FL
There was a minor shark attack (29 stitches) recently near where I surf. The video interview says that they were boogie boarding -- normally I'd protest that it should be called bodyboarding, but from what I can gather they were just playing around on some cheapo boards so the term is appropriate.
It sounds like they'd gotten kind of far out and I didn't hear any mention of swim fins so that probably means lots of kicking and splashing splashing which is why it bit her foot. Other contributing factors were very murky water, being out near a sandbar and the time of year which is known for bait fish and shark migrations. Fortunately her injuries were minor. Unfortunately, though she knows the odds, she's decided not to return to the water.
It sounds like they'd gotten kind of far out and I didn't hear any mention of swim fins so that probably means lots of kicking and splashing splashing which is why it bit her foot. Other contributing factors were very murky water, being out near a sandbar and the time of year which is known for bait fish and shark migrations. Fortunately her injuries were minor. Unfortunately, though she knows the odds, she's decided not to return to the water.
Stay Stoked, Stay Safe,
DH
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Where's the swell?
I just realized my recent posts have all been about the kids which is a sure sign that there haven't been decent waves for a while. That's Florida for you... what you gonna do?
Looks like there's a system moving north that could have some decent waves rolling in later this week. Here's hoping.
Stay stoked,
DH
Looks like there's a system moving north that could have some decent waves rolling in later this week. Here's hoping.
Stay stoked,
DH
Friday, June 18, 2010
My son's first Big Wave
Last year toward the end of summer my son caught his first big wave. Now big is a relative term but for a 7 year old I'm sure the thick wedgy 6-7 foot wave I put him into registered as epic on his scale.
I had just bought him his current board and the summer was ending and I really wanted get him into a good wave before the water turned cold. My wife and daughter were busy so I decided to take my son to the beach and give it a go. I left my board on the beach, put my swim fins on and towed him out to the outer break (a sandbar maybe 40 yards out) on his board. These big wedgy crumbly waves were rolling in and after about 10 minutes of waiting (impatiently on his part) I was able to put him into a good one. Holding his board at the front I positioned myself under it laying on my back. Kicking as hard as I could as the wave overtook us I pulled him forward with one arm and watched him disappear into a 5 foot mass of crumbling whitewash.
The wave rolled on and I hung behind looking for him. 10 feet away, 20, 30 feet away and still I didn't see him and I started to get worried. Finally as the last of the wave dissolved I saw him and he turned around and waved to me, half smiling and unafraid but looking very grateful to see me. I swam over to him and he told me a little nervously that he wanted to go back to the beach. He played in the sand the rest of the day uninterested in the waves and I didn't pressure him for any more, but I was proud as I could be for the one he caught.
I'm not sure if he'll remember that wave when he grows up but I promise I'll never forget it.
Stay Stoked,
DH
I had just bought him his current board and the summer was ending and I really wanted get him into a good wave before the water turned cold. My wife and daughter were busy so I decided to take my son to the beach and give it a go. I left my board on the beach, put my swim fins on and towed him out to the outer break (a sandbar maybe 40 yards out) on his board. These big wedgy crumbly waves were rolling in and after about 10 minutes of waiting (impatiently on his part) I was able to put him into a good one. Holding his board at the front I positioned myself under it laying on my back. Kicking as hard as I could as the wave overtook us I pulled him forward with one arm and watched him disappear into a 5 foot mass of crumbling whitewash.
The wave rolled on and I hung behind looking for him. 10 feet away, 20, 30 feet away and still I didn't see him and I started to get worried. Finally as the last of the wave dissolved I saw him and he turned around and waved to me, half smiling and unafraid but looking very grateful to see me. I swam over to him and he told me a little nervously that he wanted to go back to the beach. He played in the sand the rest of the day uninterested in the waves and I didn't pressure him for any more, but I was proud as I could be for the one he caught.
I'm not sure if he'll remember that wave when he grows up but I promise I'll never forget it.
Stay Stoked,
DH
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Two Foot Waves, Bodyboarding and Hermit Crabs
I had a fun session with my son Monday evening. The waves were small but clean, breaking consistently in about 3 feet of water and they were perfect for him to launch himself into. We drifted from 18th street to the castle (a house about a half mile away that looks a little like a castle) and then walked back three times. I was really proud of him.
Believe it or not I got quite a work out. My son went for nearly every wave and I went for nearly every wave he went for. We were going pretty much non stop the whole time. About the only break I got were a couple of times that my son found large clumps of seaweed and we both went to shore for an inspection.
These tangled masses, which contain not only seaweed and marsh grass but also fishing line, hair scrunchies and other debris, also invariable contain hundreds of hermit crabs. My son found one clump that as we shook out that had enough hermit crabs to thickly cover not only his entire board but also the sand all around it. I'd estimate somewhere between 600 and 800 crabs, some so small that you can barely see them.
This was me and my sons first solo session and I gotta tell you I had a blast. I can't wait to get him some fins and have him out with me on a little bigger waves.
Stay Stoked,
DH
Believe it or not I got quite a work out. My son went for nearly every wave and I went for nearly every wave he went for. We were going pretty much non stop the whole time. About the only break I got were a couple of times that my son found large clumps of seaweed and we both went to shore for an inspection.
These tangled masses, which contain not only seaweed and marsh grass but also fishing line, hair scrunchies and other debris, also invariable contain hundreds of hermit crabs. My son found one clump that as we shook out that had enough hermit crabs to thickly cover not only his entire board but also the sand all around it. I'd estimate somewhere between 600 and 800 crabs, some so small that you can barely see them.
This was me and my sons first solo session and I gotta tell you I had a blast. I can't wait to get him some fins and have him out with me on a little bigger waves.
Stay Stoked,
DH
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Micklers Beach Bodyboarding for the Kids
The other week I had the kids bodyboarding at Micklers at high tide for the first time. There was a 3 foot shore-break dumping hard in about a foot of water and I was launching the kids (cautiously) into the waves. The whitewash was exploding around them and shooting them up onto 10 feet up onto the shore at phenomenal speeds.
Unfortunately a thunderstorm rolled in within about 30 minutes of us getting there. As lighting stuck nearby and the crack of thunder startled everyone and cleared the remaining people from the water I told the kids we had to go. "But Daddy!" said my six year old daughter, "this beach is FUN!!!".
In consolation for their ruined fun I told the kids we'd drive south and catch another beach. We passed Guana River, and the Gate station as storm was still too close and ended up at a little beach just north of Vilano (the one where the wooden foot bridge crosses over the road). The waves were a little less punchy, and probably safer, but they spat the kids out up onto the sand just the same. Awesome day at the beach.
Stay Stoked,
DH
Unfortunately a thunderstorm rolled in within about 30 minutes of us getting there. As lighting stuck nearby and the crack of thunder startled everyone and cleared the remaining people from the water I told the kids we had to go. "But Daddy!" said my six year old daughter, "this beach is FUN!!!".
In consolation for their ruined fun I told the kids we'd drive south and catch another beach. We passed Guana River, and the Gate station as storm was still too close and ended up at a little beach just north of Vilano (the one where the wooden foot bridge crosses over the road). The waves were a little less punchy, and probably safer, but they spat the kids out up onto the sand just the same. Awesome day at the beach.
Stay Stoked,
DH
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