Heartache turns to joy...

I could hardly sleep last night. I kept hoping the waves would hold. Please, let there be something.

I was up before dawn, checking reports. The buoys were holding at 3 feet at eleven seconds. That would make the point the place to be. Please, let there be something.

The early morning report said 1-2 feet with larger sets. That's nothing to get excited about, sure, unless you know where to go. Andy sure did yesterday.

I tried calling him. No answer. The guy was worn out from his all day session yesterday, no doubt. Let him sleep, I thought. I'm grabbing my bike and riding in.

I called Karen and woke her up. Sorry! Sorry! Sorry! But, she wanted me to call early. Wish granted, now let's go. She sounded sleepy, wanted to wait awhile, look at the pier. I was like a crack addict, no, no, no, go, go, go. I drove over to her house, tried to talk her into it, but she was afraid her knee would blow out on the long bike ride in.

I took off.

When I was on the beach, my heart started pumping. The long glassy lines were rolling in, groomed by the light offshores. Not a cloud in the sky. I could hardly contain myself. Even though it was only mid-tide, I rode like it was in fifteen minutes. Oh my God, it's gonna be fun! That loop played in my hamster cage, over and over again. I could see someone on the beach up there, way ahead. Someone was more enthused than me? What?

My cell phone rang.

It was Andy. He had overslept. Get down here, I said. It looks like a good day. Maybe not the size of yesterday, but good. He was out the door.

There were two guys out when I got there. You could see it was much bigger here. When one of them dropped in, I knew! It was almost head high on him. Oh, my God. I forgot my wax!

Who cares, I have boots that stick like gum. I did a little stretching, trying to be patient for the tide. I searched the beach for a bit of washed up wax. No luck. I paddled out. The water felt actually like it might be a little warmer. Stoked! I caught one, then another. Oh, man, this is going to be a good day!

Andy pulled up on the wave runner, and we waved. This is what I dream about, glassy and green, only a few guys out, light offshores, and waves breaking the way waves should. This sandbar is the best around. The waves were coming in and forming perfect a-frame peaks, lefts and rights, that lined up inside. Andy got the best tube of his life today. I got the best left I have had since ... I can't remember when.

Andy's went like this. We were both sitting there talking, when this big wedgy wall just reared up and I said, "GO!" He looked to be positioned a little too deep, but wait. I watched him drop in and disappear. I could see the wave from behind, and knew it was perfect. The shoulder just tapered off, and it was one of the biggest sets of the day. It had to be head high, at least. I couldn't see him at all. The next thing I knew, he was laughing like a maniac, maniac, and everyone (all four of them) were looking over to see what had happened. That was when he said it was the best tube of his life. That was when he said that yesterday was excellent, but that today was even better. I love you, man!

I stayed out until I could no longer even get to my feet. I had leg cramps in both my calves and just could not do it anymore. I wanted more. I did not want it to end.

The left that I will remember most was one of the bigger sets that wedged up, and I was positioned outside. It just walled up, a left, razor edged, with just a slight taper. I took it and pulled in, it threw over, and I held the line all the way inside where it opened up and I got a few turns on top of it all! Just at that moment, Andy had decided to paddle to the wave-runner and eat a power bar. So, I will never know if it was as deep as it felt. Who cares? This day was the glory hole of days. The first day of spring ... and, I didn't have to work! Woo-hoo!