Thanks, Colby!

If I didn't have to go to the bank between 9 a.m. and noon today for Colby, I might never have had those two or three dry tubes this morning! Also, I would have missed those groomed peaks at the point. If I had gone on the bike ride with the Sundogs, as was the plan last night, I might have never known. I wanted to go on the ride, don't get me wrong. But what a sweet reward (for doing a good deed for my son) it was to have that very first ride at the pier this morning turn out to be one of the top five rides of the entire swell. You had to wait for them, for sure. The swell is fading, but out there this morning some gems could still be found.

I paddled way out past the end of the pier at first light, but I could quickly see the tide was rising and the waves were starting to back off. I paddled inside and thought it was over, that there was nothing left. Just at that moment, a really nice one came rolling through and I snapped to attention. It sucked out on that nice little bend on the sandbar, and felt its way along, with me racing to make it, and then stalling for the tube... WHAT? Yes, it barreled, and I looked out underneath the peeling lip, came out, and smiled.

There was another one just after that, same thing. I heard someone hooting as I set up for it.

Then, nothing.

It was like the waves suddenly died, and I started wondering if it truly was over. I rode a few more, but they were nothing like those tubes. More and more people came out, the typical Saturday stuff, no one I knew. Karen and Bruce had to go to work. Andy, where was he? Bob was probably at Matanzas. I went in after a couple hours to go to the bank for Colby.

On the way, Karen called to say Bob called to borrow a bike for the point. I had almost forgotten. Hmmm. Maybe I will go, too. I saw where he had called on my cell. Andy was probably already there. I left him a message, just in case.

After the bank, I raced to get the bike and head out there before the dreaded onshores arrived. The ride out there was an endurance run, through that high-tide soft sand. My legs were still sore from yesterday's 40 mile ride. But, I felt strong, and powered through under that blazing July sun.

Note: NEVER EVER EVER BUY Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry Touch SPF45 Sunblock, unless you want to know what it feels like to be a lab test animal that gets acid poured into its eyes. This crap is absolute torture if you sweat and it drips into your eyes like it did to me today. I finally broke down and spent the money on the expensive crap, and this is what I get? I'm going back to the cheap stuff.

When I finally got down there, it was well worth it. There was only one boat, and about eight people out. Bob and Walter were on the far north end. I had to get out there and fast, every minute counted because the wind seemed to be lightening up. I was so hot and tired. The water felt so good, once I was immersed in it. My first wave was funny. My legs were so tired, and I did some little wobble and gimp turn and fell. Then it was about 40 minutes of fun, fun, fun. The waves were bowling up nice and grey-green and glassy, lefts and rights! What fun for a brief moment in time...

Then it turned onshore, and that was that.

Back on the bike again! Bob told me that he told Walter he better leave 20 minutes before me so we would end up at Karen's at the same time, ha ha! He said Andy had been there with Mark and had just left. I knew it! He had already been there the whole time, the skillet licker!