SURF OBSERVATIONS
Collision Course -- 8/11/02


It got a bit busy, but still remained fun

From the lookout, Lighthouse looked pretty decent. Best of all, the lineup was empty. Stoked!

Rode my regular, performance bodyboard rather than the bullyboard I used the past two sessions. The transition was like going from a longboard to a shortboard. Takes a few rides to get used to and adjust.

A tiny south was augmenting the prevailing windswell, making for some decent head-high surf. The swell didn’t look all that appealing, but if you caught the right one, you could get a really long wall or even a rare pitching lip. Although the outside peak wasn’t really connecting to the inside, if you were lucky (or good), you could make the coveted connection all the way through.

I had a great session, getting some really good rides. Had a failed attempt at a backflip, and even got a long coverup. Most rides were just carves and cutbacks, trying to make the connection through the flat spot.

Buddy and Rich got their fair share also, with some big carves in little waves.


Buddy, about to kick out

The funniest thing that happened was I tried doing a couple of “party waves” with Buddy. Buddy and Rich have this thing going where they share the same wave and weave top to bottom, front to back. They’ve been doing it for years and have it wired to the point that they look like X-Games Skateboard Half-Pipe partners.

Well, Buddy and I shared a couple of waves, and decided to try it together. First wave, I take off behind and everything looks fine. However, Buddy does a cutback just as I try to get ahead of him. Bang! We collide, with his leashless board tumbling in to shore. We laugh about the glancing blow and paddle in together to retrieve his board.


Taken while riding, just before the second crash

Second try. This time, I take off in front. Had my camera in hand, so I take a picture of him off the bottom while I’m floundering on the shoulder. He comes up for the lip just as I stall and drop down. Buddy carved just in time to avoid a head-on collision, but we go rail to rail hard and tumble anyway. More than just a glancing blow, but no damage to boards or bodies.

So I told Buddy that I have a long way to go before becoming his partner in pairs surfing. Still, it was fun trying. Sessions are always fun with friends.


Kneeboarder, no hands.


Rich, backside snap


Frontlit Buddy


Rich, backside carve in my face

Aloha from Paradise,
stickman
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