Pre-dawn Thoughts during a December Swell

Sitting at my desk, watching the horizon transition from deep blue to hues of light blue and tan - a stubborn planet defies the dawn, shining with all its glory. The silhouettes of the canary palms against the cloudless pre-dawn sky sway gently in the dry Santa Anna winds. Offshore for another day! The buoys have dropped a bit, La Jolla buoy is showing a decreasing period (17 seconds yesterday morning, 14 seconds by evening, 13 seconds this morning) and now decreasing size.

Yesterday was a classic day at Sunset Cliffs. Except for the crowds, which are to be expected in a county of 3 million people, conditions and attitudes were as clean as it gets in San Diego. Sets were 2-3 foot overhead and a light offshore Santa Anna wind kept things warm with a high of nearly 80 degrees. Not bad for the middle of December. I think most people in San Diego have come to accept that things are crowded here, including the surf breaks, so there is less out-and-out fighting in the water and more elementary competition with an emphasis on positioning and paddling ability. Survival (or in this case, recreational bliss) of the fittest!

My 6'7" rounded pintail proved to be the right choice for both sessions because it handles speed well and holds on the face. I'm thinking I want slightly more rocker in my next rounded pin but I'm still debating what size to get. 6'4" thumbnail tail? 6'5" rounded pin? 6'3" squash? I'm sure Larry will shape another great board, no matter what I ask for. That guy is a wizard of surfboard shaping.

The dawn sky is now prepped for the sun's entrance. The light blue contrasts with the ever patient canary palms still waving in the breeze. My coffee is now luke-warm and my body on overdrive. Time to fuel up the belly, load up the truck, and head to the cliffs for another morning of watching the sunrise from the ocean.