Friday, August 29, 2008

That Fall Itch

It's the "Fall Itch". Summer's coming to an end, time to start thinking about those clean Fall swells lighting up the outside sand bars. They're coming; late season, warm water south swells and early north west ground swells swept clean by offshore Santa Ana winds. The Fall and Winter wave season prime the pump for some serious mind-rambling:

Photo: Fall and winter bring the promise of more and better surf. The kind of stuff that'll let you rev up your carve-master and lay down some sweet tracks.

1. New boards: Nothing keeps me going like the idea of a new board. A new ride keeps you fresh. Late summer is the time to get those orders in. If you're lucky you might hit the seam between the heavy board demand of summer and the coming Holiday season orders.

While you're pressing your luck you might as well cross your fingers and hope that you'll have the new one in time for first of the solid Fall swells. And remember, there is an inverse relationship between the number of, "Just checking to see how my board's doing..." phone calls and the duration of time it takes for you to get your freshy. Lay off the cell phone and let your shaper do his job- or bribe him with a 12-pack.


Photo: Unfortunately, Fall also means goodbye to the warm waters of summer... and all that comes with it.

2. Winter surf trips: Most of us around here think about heading south. Christmas break means we'll be surfing the long points of Baja's mid-section or the warm water grinders at the tip. The East Cape is out, except if it blows Norte down the Sea of Cortez and makes the weird left points tucked down in gulf start doing their thing. And then there's the flat water paradise of Bahia Concepcion- blue water cruising the little volcanic islands pincushioned with linear green cardons. Fall's a good time to start dreaming about a winter down south.

3. Highway Cruising the California Coast: Fall's the best. Crisp mornings, slate blue skies and a light offshore breeze carrying the cool, sage-scented, canyon air down across Pacific Coast Highway. The same offshores throwing plumes of cool spray off the backs of clean autumn waves. The crunch of sagebrush as you walk a chaparral guarded trail to a hidden central California point-reef set up. Start breaking out the mysto-maps, Fall's the season to get your walking shoes fired up.

It's the Fall itch, a little tickle that I'm always willing to scratch!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

the sun is setting at a different angle crisp mornings warm days offshore breeze west swell at 285 cold tecate teqiula filled margarita.low tide going high that takes 8hours.perfect right hander.yes i may be dreaming but there is such a place.the view from the porch of casa san miguel.captneg9 viva fall.i here todos its at its best no death rides.