A long summer of mediocre waves, strong winds and lots of slop all but removed surfing from my routine. Riding waves was relegated to a vacation activity. Limited to a few trips to Santa Cruz for south swells, a road trip to So-Cal and a camping weekend up north. Far from the daily habit it once was.

As a result, two and a half months from the end of the year, I am basically back where I started. No where close to being ready to surf Mavericks. I can hold my breath for just over two minutes, I’m not in great cardio shape and my arms don’t have the strength they need to get me in and out of giant waves.

This isn’t where I wanted to be at this point in the year. This is where I am.

Thankfully the fall, a glassy head high jolt of electricity, has reignited my fire for surfing. It started with a day towards the end of September that looked like this.

The reports were coming in that we had gotten our first north swell. The forecast was calling for OH+.

I was at the beach before sunrise, though you wouldn’t have known it. There was about 50ft of visibility which meant I couldn’t see the water from the parking lot. Nor could I see the waves from the water line.

I paddled out into a dense fog, unsure if anyone else was surfing. As I duck dove the first few walls of white water, each increasing in size, I knew the reports were true. I came up from one and looked to the end of my visibility where I saw a surfing dropping in. The wave was well OH for the few seconds before it closed out on him.

There were only two of us out there and the waves were a mess. The sand bars haven’t yet prepared themselves for the winter surf. I can sympathize with that.

Without catching even a single wave I turned around, happy, knowing that I was at least on pace with the sand below. Success that day was a kick in the butt.

Arm Strength: Weak – need to do some paddling

Breath Holding: 4:06 record – 2:12 current

Days to Go: 76

Times surfed on Hail Mary: 1

Resting Heart Rate: 64