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	Wisdumb
	Surf Session Recap (2-25-02) I live in Santa Barbara (Goleta). We don't get surf very often. But when we do, it can be really good. Normally, I wouldn't waste your time with a boring surf report, but this one was pretty good and, it has a small incident, which qualifies it for this series of stupid stories. A few weeks ago, I was toiling away at work, trying to write some proposal, blah blah blah. The problem was, it was a Sunday, the day of sloth. So yeah, I'm bitter. The day before was crazy since Oxnard had offshores so hard that an EAST swell was going the wrong way up the channel and hitting our local point on the side, from 1-5 feet face. By the time it got here, the light west wind gave it a straight offshore of our own. Silly, but fun. My friend was trying to surf a beach break down there and his board blew back in his face and went through his cheek and took out a molar, no Novocain. So there I am in my windowless 'office' grinding on my computer while the world frolics in a drunken BBQ stupor. Turns out, in the morning there was no surf. We finally get to a stopping point and buzz out to the point and our jaws drop. Waves are rolling from outside all the way to the park on the inside of the point for about ¼ mile. The tide is bottoming out and making our point look like low tide Rincon on a good day. Due to the swell angle, the waves are lining up all the way into the bay, grinding down the sand point, stooped-style. It's about 5-8' faces and insane. I had previous plans of going to the Ranch, but now it was looking unnecessary. Unfortunately, the parking lot was a madhouse. I just about gave up when some girls went to their car. No one but me saw them do it so BOOM, I was in. The top of the point is mobbed with stus but I notice that the inside break normally reserved for longboarders is firing, with lots of set waves going unridden. The more I look, the better it gets. The lined up west swell is crossing up with this crazy east swell causing some wedging take-offs. I am amping right as I get to the line-up. The first set rolls in and I start to jockey for position. As the first wave comes in, I look and here is this girl of about 12 treading water next to her surfboard. I tell her that she will go faster (out of the way) if she gets on her board and paddles. She looks at me in total terror and says, "I didn't mean to go out this far. I'm stuck!" Oh crap. Here comes the third wave and it is MINE. She's not going to die. She's not in the impact zone. I tell her to hold on and pray someone takes up the slack for my total selfishness. I take off dropknee, bottom turn and pull in to this great tube down the point. A guy on the shoulder hoots. I get about a 100-meter ride, get out and run back up the point. Here's this girl with her board. Alive. I tell her I'm sorry I bailed and explain some fluid dynamics of riptides and go back out. Energized that I wasn't a hero when none was needed, I get the best tube ride I have EVER had in surfing this place for 11 years. My friend was on the shoulder watching. (Ask him; markram@rain.org). I got a wave from every set but one. That half a burrito I woofed down earlier is knocking at the door...Later, a guy said he heard me trying to get out of 'saving' this scared little girl and was cracking up. Thanks, buddy, I didn't see you on any waves in that set. The next day I took an extended lunch break... And SCORED AGAIN. I have never seen it so perfect. I saw a guy get the best tube ride I have ever seen anyone get at this spot. Absolute sickness. Today it was sunny, glassy and 6 inches. Ps. To the bodyboarder who recognized me from this web site, send me an email and we will surf. I only know one other bodyboarder here. more stories >>