Around The World In 80 Waves

I am a up early and straight over the road to check out the surf at Playa Zicatela, but am a bit gutted because the beach break supposedly as good as Pipeline is breaking just off the beach and is 4 feet high along the whole length of the wave, all of which is closing out and crashing simultaneously on to the shore. Boogie Boarders are getting 1 second barrels but nobody else is.

I am feeling a bit poorly today so dont rush in, instead taking a stroll down the length of the beach to ‘The Point’ which is the break off the rocks at the south end of the bay, enjoying all the bikinis on display. While there was a tiny peeling section there, my board was about 2 miles away in the hotel and I couldnt face another walk back, because it is roasting hot and the walk has already wiped me out, so I go to my room for a nap.

Later in the day I decide I must get in the water regardless of the quality because of the location. I have already procrastinated longer than I should but then am delayed further by bumping into Lisa and Steve (pictured here the following day at The Point) two surfers from the San Francisco Bay area of California who I had met and had a couple of drinks with in The Mirador Hotel in Acapulco. Steve had spotted me strolling down to the beach, hollering “They will let you Brits in anywhere” to get my attention. I stop for a brief chat but the sun is almost at the horizon already so have to dash off and then paddle out into the waves which haven’t really improved.

On this I can’t be specific though because it was effectively night surfing using only the light of the full moon by the time I got in the water. I did catch a few quick drops, then make the bottom turn before getting hammered by the waves. Such stealth surfing is not easy at the best of times, but it was almost impossible here. However I did catch a few waves before realising I was effectively sharkbait, and clearly visible to them under the full moon during feeding time. Looking around I cant even tell if anybody else is out so take the sensible option of paddling in.

Not the best surf I have ever had, but thrilled to have bagged this internationally reknowned break on my trip.

Mexico has at times been very hard work and there hadn’t been any real waves for me here so far. As a consequence I can’t tell you how pleased I was when I pulled off the road at Nexpa to find just about the most perfect lefthand point break I have ever seen.

I was in my boart shorts in about 10 seconds, had the board off the roof about a minute later and started paddling out.

In the background of this picture to my right you can see the beachfront cabanas I later stayed in, and the wildlife over my shoulder to the left was pretty spectacular too.

There was a real cosmopolitan crowd in the warm water with male and female surfers from Canada, Holland, Italy, Australia, Mexico, Austria and the USA surfing the perfect overhead waves. I later discovered that every single one of them assumed I was a local when I paddled out due to the look I have been nurturing. (As Hannibal Smith used to say, ‘I love it when a plan comes together!’)

The surf had really picked up and I scored so many really long rides surfing on my backhand, snaking up and down the wave which curves into the bay, with this being the picture of the day. However but I kept thinking about my surf stricken goofy footed buddy Pete Griff who would have chewed his own arm off to have enjoyed this never-ending left hand wave.

The break was so predictable it was worth trying my hand with the GoPro’s video capability. This short wave was for you Pete. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1msaiGfrtg&feature=youtu.be) Hope your legs are getting better. I will show you the better footage when I get back. (It has taken 4 hours to upload this short clip!)

I had gone to sleep listening to waves crashing on to the shore a few metres away, and wake to this image which should give you some idea of how rustic the place is. As soon as I leave to check the waves I am savaged by sand flies which bite me so many times I look like I have chicken pox!

The noise through the night must have been deceptive because it is practically flat. However I am desperate to break my Mexican duck and Pompis lends me his 9′ board and tells me to head alongside the second breakwater you can sea in the distance here.

I wont tell you it was great because it wasnt but I did get two rides right along the breakwater which I am stoked about. Finally I can claim to have surfed in Mexico, and in just board shorts and a rash vest too. Whilst in the water I was being watched by about 100 pelicans on the breakwater who were passing judgement on my technique, and I saw my by now usual dolphins in the water, loads of fish (no angry ones), but also a foot long green lizard which I am later told was probably an iguana.

Back to the shack (mine is the small one with the blue drum in front of it) to get changed and will head south again.

There is no point sticking around if there is no waves.

Ensenada is where you can get a boat ride out to surf the monster waves which break off these islands a short distance from the shore. The most famous break is called Killers and regularly features in the annual biggest wave ridden contests. This shot I found online was taken there, and I think it is so named either just because it is so dangerous or because killer whales pass regularly through the break. Perhaps somebody can enlighten me?

However because of the distances I need to travel in a short time period whilst in Mexico I pass on this option and push on southwards where I will go for my first Mexican surf session in some of the lovely waves I have already seen breaking alongside the highway. It was a grim day yesterday with strong onshore winds coming from the West and rain falling all day and night, so I’m hopeful for a bit of sunshine later to tempt me in.

The Beach Boys sang the following in 1963, which were definite targets for me:

If everybody had an ocean
Across the U.S.A.
Then everybody’d be surfing
Like Californ-I-A – check
You’d see ’em wearin’ their baggies
Huarachi sandals, too
A bushy bushy blonde hairdo
Surfing U.S.A.

You’d catch ’em surfin at Del Mar (Inside, outside, U.S.A.) – check
Ventura County line – check
Santa Cruz and Trestles,  – check and check
Australia’s Narrabeen, – has proved difficult whilst in the US
All over Manhattan, – check
And down Doheny way – checked but it was flat

Everybody’s gone surfing
Surfing U.S.A.

We’ll all be plannin’ out a route
We’re gonna take real soon
We’re waxin’ down our surfboards
We can’t wait for June
We’ll all be gone for the summer
Were on safari to stay
Tell the teacher we’re surfing
Surfing U.S.A.

At Haggerty’s and Swami’s – The only one I passed on and check
Pacific Palisades – Sunset Boulevard check
San Onofre and Sunset – check and check
Redondo Beach, L.A. – checked but was flat
All over La Jolla – check
At Waimea Bay – check

Everybody’s gone surfing
Surfing U.S.A.

Everybody’s gone surfing
Surfing U.S.A.

Yeah, everybody’s gone surfing
Surfing U.S.A.

I have also bagged Malibu, Huntington and Rincon from ‘Surfing Safari’ for good measure on my own trip from Hawaii to the shores of Peru.

😀

I’m keen to get another wave in today because I think it will be my last day surfing in the USA. I drive past Torry Pines, and Blacks beaches but am not tempted by the surf on offer there, so push on for La Jolla. The cove there is one of California’s big wave spots but it hasnt even broken sufficiently for people to surf if for nearly 6 years according to a local diver I get chatting to. There is no chance today but I watch the local swimmers working their way through the water and the sea-lion colony, most of whom are sunning themselves on the rocks you can see in the background here. I might have to go for a swim here with the Go Pro if time allows to get some close up footage of the Sea-lions.

I drive around the bay to the beach alongside the pier and paddle out there with all the others in the water. It is a frustrating session due to a cross shore rip which is dragging me down the beach and preventing the waves from breaking properly. I only have an hour here but catch a couple, but this was the best picture of the session

Quitting while I was ahead after one wave I caught in, I am in the shallows and notice something moving behind me. I have been followed in on my wave by the two inquisitive sea-lion pups you can see here. Apologies for the picture quality but it is the best I could do quickly using my board as a camera stand. I couldnt hang around for long because I am meeting somebody this evening so do a quick change and head back to my room.

The only other thing to report here is the breathtaking Mormon Temple which is alongside the road on the way back to the motel. The hard edges of the white stone look fantastic against the night sky.

Del Mar is probably most famous for it’s racetrack, where the turf meets the surf. However I have come here looking for a different kind of action. The swell has dropped since yesterday so I head to reef break at the bottom of 15th Street, which is supposed to be the most consistent break of the waves available here.

As you can see there was only one guy out in the water and I didn’t think twice before getting suited up and jumping in. However I haven’t been in the water more than ten minutes and then about 50 school kids start paddling out simultaneously. What had been and exclusive break is all of a sudden mobbed.

I chat to the surfer next to me called Steve, who it turns out is a parent to one of the grommets. It is actually their P.E. lesson. The school doesnt provide tuition but the parents take it in turn to car pool the kids to the beach and keep an eye on them in the water. Given today’s waves Steve wasn’t too upset he had to ‘supervise’ them and it is only right that he paddles out on his own board so he can do that better, whilst perhaps catching a wave or two himself.

I catch loads of rights which is surprising because this is supposed to be a left. That is until my final wave of the day, which went on for ages on my backhand side. I rode the head high wave from all the way out past the breaking waves into ankle deep water on the shore. It was awesome, check it out. 

Given a two second interval on the camera I reckon that was a 30 seond plus ride. Outstanding and definitely the best left of the trip so far.

😎

In my haste to get to this beach I had driven past the break without realising so, but how I managed to miss the Self Realization Fellowship Hermitage & Meditation Gardens which identifies where to pull in is beyond me. After driving past Cardiff-by-the-sea I eventually doubled back because this is another classic right hand point break I had to surf.

Bill had earlier told me this break is known locally as Swarm-ies because it gets so busy, and there is a big crowd in the water when I arrive because the surf has really picked up since yesterday. I dont have a great deal of daylight left after putting the fins back into my repaired board so don’t rig up the GoPro camera, but can tell you the surf was head high and bigger on some of the sets. A lot of the waves are dumping quite heavily and I have to work hard to get out back.

There could be many reasons for it (e.g. surfing a smaller board again, superbowl hangover, the grey sky, not enough wax on my board, etc) but I am feeling really uncomfortable in the water here. I also catch a fleeting glimpse of a fin breaking the surface in the half light and I wasn’t entirely sure it was curved, so spend a few nervy minutes trying to decide if I should paddle in. However sure enough the dolphins appear again right next to me and I havent got my camera with me. Doh!

It is getting quite dark and I haven’t really caught anything, and am only pleased when the rogue huge set of waves rolls through the break absolutely wiping everybody out apart from myself who has stratched just fast enough to the horizon to get over it. Most surfer will tell you there is a massive dose of Schadenfreude whenever this happens and you look back at the carnage and all the boards tombstone-ing behind you, and I am chuckling to myself even if I havent caught anything yet.

About to give up having blanked, I spot a huge wave coming in and go for it. I nail my take off and have a twenty second ride carving the wave, which is walled up and peeling beautifully, all the way in to the beach. Outstanding! I haven’t got as many rides as I would have liked but wanted to end on a high there so walked up the steps going up the cliffs and took this shot of the break from the top.

The only other highlight would be taking a shower to wash off the salt water after my surf session at the same time as Amy, a beautiful surfer girl who lives down the road in Del Mar, and wishes me well on my trip. Grrrrr!

I get a call early from Ding Dr X who tells me my board is ready. After catching up on a little bit of admin I scoot back northwards to San Clemente where I check out his handywork.

I have to say he has done a brilliant job and he gives me a pile of stickers to soften the blow of the bill, all of which I almost lose straight away, by driving off after leaving them on the roof whilst attaching the board.

I am in San Clemente so check out the break by he pier there. It is the weekend and straight away I notice that there are loads of young ladies looking very fine in bikinis.

I dont take any pictures though (Sorry boys!) because I am pretty sure that they are all jail bait, and my fears are confirmed when I get to the beach and find that there is a high school surf contest going on. The contest is taking place on both sides of the pier monopolising the best of the waves, and the rest of us have to put up with the scraps outside of that.

The surf still isn’t much to write home about, and unless you are in the contest each wave consists of a drop, a quick turn and then the wave closing out, dumping on the shore in the proces.

I still have the hire board so choose to take that out so I can get into the waves as early as possible and also because it will prevent any further damge to the L’Oreal board for at least this session. The paddle out is very easy but as soon as I get out back I am met by a sea-lion popping out of the water next to me just to remind me I am not the only thing in the water.

Unperturbed I catch three great waves (albeit brief ones) and three monster wipeouts soon after, but spend most of the session being heckled by the grommets (or young surfers) who are getting peeved that I am able to catch the waves far easier than they are on the bigger board I am armed with. Surfer don’t get older they just get bigger boards and the groms will learn that soon enough. I dont hang about in the water for long today because I hear there is a big game on, so I get changed quickly and then head southwards again to my hotel and the match.

Whilst still at San Onofre I am joined by a local surfer called Wyatt who I had met previously in a bar a Newport Beach. Wyatt runs a very successful house cleaning business, but is more than a bit jealous of my own exploits and is keen to join me for a few waves along the way. We are not tempted back into the water at San Onofre but decide to head south to see if we can find some more exposed breaks where better waves will be showing. We hit the freeway and as soon as we do I realise that I have got no fuel in the car. By no fuel, I don’t mean in the red. I mean below the zero. Nothing is close by in the USA and Oceanside where we are heading is 20 miles away. I am frankly staggered that the car makes it to the petrol station where I fill up quickly because it is getting late and we are both itching to get another session in.

We go down to the harbour area and choose this salubrious place to park up. At first glance the surf looks naff but the sun is already going down and we both have longboards so we do quick changes into our wetsuits and go in anyway. The wind is actually blowing offshore here and although the waves are three feet high at best we both catch a hat-full of clean rides until we are effectively stealth surfing in the dark, trying to pick out slight changes in the horizon to see if a wave is coming. Surfing so much on my own it is great to have some company in the water and it is just a shame we couldn’t have got in the water earlier. We are both trying to get that last good ride in when it dawns (or I should say dusks) on me that it is fish feeding time, and I paddle in with a degree of haste not often seen on this trip.

Another quick change and we go for some victory beers and some grub at a bar next to this lighthouse on the other side of the harbour. You can see how dark it was when we got out though. Wyatt has to drive 30 miles back home to his wife so it isn’t a monster drinking session. Although I now have a powerful thirst on and realise it is Saturday night. It turns out the motel I am booked into for the next couple of nights is just around the corner so I race round there have a quick shower and stroll into town. I take a seat at the bar in Breakwater Brewing Co and am kept amused by the enchanting Christina who is serving me drinks. I’m having lots of banter with her and the other customers, but after scoring two breaks and having so much fun I don’t really want this day to end. I am warned that this is a US Marine party town and that they can get a little boisterous, but it doesn’t stop me briefly checking out a nightclub. It isn’t my scene, but I enjoy people watching for a bit and have one gin and tonic before strolling home.