To add a little more context to what I’ll be covering in the
blurb, the Pacific had started to wake up and the Cali coast was looking to
finally get back to back sizeable swells for this first time this season. The
first swell was to hit Tuesday and Wednesday, and the second one was to hit
Friday into Saturday. My original plan was to leave Wednesday back home to
Oahu, but there was no way I was going to miss out on this opportunity. Since my
little brother was in town, and he was more than willing to document all the
action, I switched my flight to Sunday afternoon to cover my bases.
I didn’t spend New Year’s eve dancing or staying up late
into the wee hours of the morning. I didn’t even hoot and holler when the hand
of the clock chimed 12am. On the contrary, the cross over to the new year was
about as quiet as a crickets. I actually went to bed a decent hour and woke up
early the next morning to go to church. That evening I met up with a few
friends – Natalie, Emily, Robin, and some others – in Santa Monica. That was
cool.
The next day, Monday, we spent lounging around. I went and
lifted weights a little bit and got some Mexican food for an early dinner. Man,
Mexican food is the best food that exists. While I like Tongan food and what
not, like Lupulu, nothing compares. Then we left to stay up and Blake’s house
so that we would be on scene for the next couple days.
The next morning, some of the boys called and gave me the
early report that the swell had not quite filled in but that the buoys were up.
That meant I could sleep in an hour more before jumping out in the water. When
we all arrived at the spot, it was apparent that the swell was up. It was the
biggest surf I’d seen in Cali the whole trip. Thomas Pagano was already in the
water.
The scene (p) Roger Fa
Thomas lining one up (p) Roger Fa
Yours truly with a little ramp (p) Roger Fa
The place is pretty heavy (p) Roger Fa
Air dropping (p) Roger Fa
Cory dipping into one (p) Roger Fa
Second evidence (p) Roger Fa
Jason sliding into one (p) Roger Fa
My first one (p) Roger Fa
I suited up in a flash and jumped in. Man, I’m glad I had
gotten a 4/3 since my last little stint in the water. While it was still cold,
it was now much more bearable. Thomas and I shared waves for a while before one
of the groms from Carpinteria – Cory – showed up. The place was kind of tricky.
Kind of a vertical angled wedge, but when you connected one you could launch
it. Heavy, too.
Jacob Reeve throwing some rail into this reverse (p) Roger Fa
About an hour into the session, Jacob Reeve – legend and one
of Cali’s best bodyboarders of all-time – paddled out and demonstrated his
local knowledge of the spot. It was cool to finally meet him. Really humble and
just good people. Ryan Heimple also paddled out.
With the dropping tide and sand, the spot became more of a
backwash. Actually, kind of similar to our spot on the east side except for the
fact that you couldn’t really ride the wave out on this tide here. I was able
to link up a few ramps, which was fun. After a dozen or so, though, I had to
throw in the towel because the water was getting to me.
If you know, then you'll see the similarities (p) Roger Fa
The winds never really turned on, but this ended up being
the day for me. I was definitely burnt out. Meanwhile, Josh and Cory went up
north to shoot at this one shorebreak. We took Blake, Megan, and Adeline out
for fish tacos on Seaward. This one spot has some incredible fish tacos. It
makes me wonder why no one on Oahu can figure out how to do it, especially
since there is such could fish there. Baffled.
The next morning it the surf was much smaller than the
previous days. We ventured up to Emma Wood, which was deceptively bad. What I
mean by that is it looked really fun and rippable, but ended up being weak and
not so rippable. Thomas, Josh the grom, and myself only lasted so long as
Joshua and Roger shot photos from the beach.
We then headed back down to the spot we surfed yesterday
only to be disappointed. It was not only on the small side but wasn’t linking
up right. Ryan had gotten a little reverse 360 attempt and Thomas threw a nice
snap on one, so I paddled out to check it out anyways. Got one kind of fun one,
but that was it. Everyone headed in.
The one and only decent one I caught this morning (p) Roger Fa
We rapped in the parking lot for a little bit, and Josh said
that Ryan was on his way back home to Zuma and would give us an update on
whether it was worth it to go down there. By this point, Rodge and I were
pooped. We went back to Blake’s house and lounged for a bit. About an hour
later, Josh had gotten word from Ryan that it was pretty epic down there at
Zuma. So we said our good byes to Blake, Megan, and Adeline, and were off.
As we arrived in Zuma, there was no doubting Ryan’s report.
There wasn’t a cloud in the sky, the winds were non-existent, and the surf was
head high on the sets and roping down the coast. It was kind of abnormal of
this time of year, people said. It was so hot outside I wished I had shorts to
wear in the water instead of the 4/3. Of course, the water temps were still
frigid.
The scene at Zuma (p) Roger Fa
Third is a charm (p) Roger Fa
Ryan, Jason, and myself jumped out at Zuma to some slabbing,
crystal green shorebreak. Joshua was shooting. We traded waves so everyone had
a chance to link up with Josh. It was so beautiful out in the water. It was so
awesome to see the waves breaking down the coast to where you were. I wish I
had either had a housing with a long lens to shoot up the coast or my new GoPro.
Ryan and Joshua making a connection (p) Roger Fa
One of the magical ones that lined up (p) Roger Fa
After that session we all talked story by the cars as the
sun escaped on the horizon. It was a wonderful two days of adventuring this
stretch of coastline. Especially since it was with family and friends. It’s
times like these that you wish you could freeze, sit and experience over and
over again. Unfortunately, time doesn’t work that way.
For more photos by Roger Fa, head to rajahdatphoto.com!
END PHASE 2.
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