Boating to Find Waves
Car parks and pre coffee surf checks are overrated. The same conversations seem to permeate morning after morning. Mundane songs play through the speakers with doors half ajar as surfers begrudgingly change into wetsuits. What about the oncoming breeze echoing off the bow as you scream at your friend talking about what board to ride? You bounce up and down on the oncoming swells, checking white water from the opposite end of where you would normally determine whether the paddle was worth the effort. Uncertainty breeds excitement. Now that’s what I’m talking about!
There’s nothing quite like jumping off a boat to get in the water. I think it ties back to our 60s ancestral surf roots of being a pioneer. Or maybe it’s that simple feeling of jumping off the boat. Do you jump with your board? Throw the board?
And I’m not talking about far off destinations. I can count a handful of breaks within a three-hour drive of Orange County (North and South) where the waves are only accessible by boat. And these are world class waves mind you – it just requires some looking ☺
So, one question remains: What board(s) do you bring? I recommend two for any forecast - Some version of a mid-length (glass or R-Series) and something a tad shorter. My favorites for any trip are the Pleasant Pheasant and the Sea Kitten.
In the meantime, I hope your next pre surf check is from a boat and not a parking lot. And don’t forget your to go mug of coffee!
PS one of the waves referenced is a little island with crystal clear water, a light house, and 45 min by boat from its closest port. Happy hunting!
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