Barreled!

I ended up in my first barrel ever today. It happened at Chun’s before work at around 8 AM. Here’s excerpts from an IM I wrote to a friend just a couple hours later:

I didn’t really know what happened till I came out of it...I just kind of saw water sort of splashing over my head. I was crouched low high on the wall with one hand touching the face.....I came out, cut hard right landed over the top on my feet and two regulars were looking at me with big eyes... I was like stoked, but I didn't know what they were looking at.... (they) were like, whoah man, you just got barrelled!... then the other guy was like ga-ga-yeah

Down with the Sickness

I got something from the kids. It was tough getting through yesterday. As bad luck would have it I was scheduled to do a full day developers lecture for coding in a particular (name omitted) simulation application. Try that with a sore nose/ears/throat. I got done by 3:30 and headed straight home.

I crashed out at 4 PM, and didn't wake up until 7 AM today. Thats probably the most consecutive sleep I've had in over 2 years. Today was still rough, but nothing like yesterday. I'm trying hard today to get caught up on the software development work I should have been doing instead of lecturing. Its not like I had a choice though.

Puffer Fish

I got a new shortboard cut around the time of my birthday. I kind of use it when I can, but it hasn't quite been fun yet. After getting around on a 9'4 using a 6'1 puffer feels like walking on a giant bar of soap with stilts on. We've had some crazy Kona weather lately. Wind is blowing from the wrong side of the island and brining rain and storm with it. White Plains wasn't clean but it was pretty big (supposedly 4-6 faces... I'd say maybe 4). I took just the short baord for an hour before Suz work. It was a lot of work, and some pretty short rides but I did have a good time. I caught about 6 or 8. Three of them were personal best on the board to date. I think the trick is popping up quick, but not too far on the back of the board. Also unlike the long board, you almost have to be IN the break in order to catch.

(Art on the left is a custom laminate design I asked Elusive Surfboards to glass in to my short board when they made it)