In the past month I think my surfing skills are finally starting to dial into the point where I am catching waves, getting down the line and actually getting turns in on my rides. I have been working hard at bringing up my skills since July of 2008 when I first started seriously surfing almost every day. Since then I have only had about 3 weeks total out of the past year where I didn’t paddle out and ride (or attempt to ride) waves in California.

I have hit a few milestones that I think as a surfer are important, these are:

• Catching a wave – July 08
• Standing up on a wave – August 08
• Riding whitewater (longer than just planting your feet and falling) – Late August 08
• Riding on the face of the wave – February 09 – This is the point where I think you go from someone learning to surf, to being a surfer
• Riding chest high+ waves – March 09
• Landing drops on an head high wave – August 09
• Riding a wave more than 2000ft – November 09
• Getting Barreled for the First Time – December 1st 2009
• Paddling out, catching and riding well overhead waves -December 09

As you can see many of what I view in my mind as 3 milestones of my surfing experience have happened in the past 2 weeks. Since the clocks fell back for the switch back to standard time, I have been going for a Dawn Patrol almost everyday and then going further afield on the weekends.

I think one of the reasons I feel that I have progressed so much in the past weeks is that I was able to get a ton of board time in over thanksgiving weekend. There was huge swell in the water and most of my usual spots I felt were either too big for me or were closed out and onshore, so to Capitola I went. While there, something just clicked and I started to find myself in the right spot to catch a wave more often and to know where to position the board to extend the ride. With the nice easy breaking shoulders of Capitola I really started feeling in control of my direction and speed. I surfed there Thursday and Friday of the holiday.

The Sunday of thanksgiving weekend was a special day that I will remember for a very long time. My friends Sheila and Tracey met up with me in San Mateo and we headed to a spot that is well know and is usually the playground of surf schools and kooks, Cowells. I had watched the tide and swell, and figured that Cowells would be amazing in the afternoon. I was not disappointed. When we paddled out there was maybe 50-60 people in the water, but in spot as busy and as big as Cowells this is light crowd. After getting setup and doing a long paddle out I proceeded to catch long ride after long ride. I even caught one where I had paddled almost to the end of the pier, picked it up in the right section and was able to take it all the way to the beach as the longest right I have ever had. I was on the wave for well over 2000ft, I was so stoked about it that I did not even feel tired riding it as it felt like it was almost 10 minutes!

I think that this large amount of on the face wave time has improved my skills and has made me want to push to the next level of surfing. I have since done a Dawn patrol almost every morning since then at the Jetty, even braving almost freezing temps. I started going after the peak more, taking off later and just going for it rather than waiting for the next smaller one. With this new found stoke, I was able to get down and into the pocket and take waves at the jetty further than I had before. The conditions have help a ton but going for the wave at the right place at the right time has finally clicked for me. My greatest example was actually getting a small low barrel on December 1st. I walked around with a Stoke smile for about 3 days after

I dawn patrolled almost every morning last week and so far with the exception of Wednesday everyday this week. What made my sessions since Friday even better though was my new suit. With the near freezing temperatures, I for the first time started wearing a hood and even put on gloves! I guess if it is 34°F out then only having a small part of your wet face exposed is a good idea. I have caught at least 3 waves every session I have gone, and most more.

I have started to really understand and see how the Jetty reacts to different swell and tides, while I don’t really pick my times to surf (dusk or dawn is pretty much it) consistently surfing one spot many many days lets you learn it and predict it as best you can. Since I have learned where most of the peaks are or where they might be, I have gotten much higher wave count sessions and the confidence to go after the big waves on bigger days. See my previous post about my experience in that matter.

If the swell keeps coming like it is predicted to all weekend I doubt I will be stopping anytime soon. I am hoping to get more waves, more barrels, more strength and loose more weight with this hobby (ok, I am calling it a hobby, if you are a surfer you know what it really is) of mine.

I also want to give a thanks to my surfing buddies who have pushed and pulled me to get up and get out and kept and eye on me in the line up. Also special thanks to my good friend and neighbor who has taught me more about the culture and respect of surfing and the ocean its self than anyone else.

Hope to see you in the water soon.