Had some head high surf today, with sunny skies and 60 degree air temp (still a chilly 42 water temp). It’s been a tough week of remote work, so retreating to the waves were perfect. Came home and found this article. Surfers are now not quite odd for being anti-social (asocial for me).
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Still some surfable thigh-waist waves coming in this morning. So, why not? Headed back out for another session. However, the Infinity longboard waveski repair was not complete as I noticed another leak. Got out the Island mini-log waveski that had been sitting behind the shed for the past year:
Appropriate to COVID, go solo:
Or maintain appropriate physical distancing:
Looks like a series of ocean storms this week. Have to sneak out from working remotely at home for some sessions. I’ll take these opportunities as needed mental heath breaks from the current craziness.
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Good to see at least one paddler having fun on the water!
Working from home does have its advantages. 
Wow… NE ocean storm expected to retrograde this weekend. Forecast in the 13-14’ level with 13-14 second intervals. Bit much for this aging surfer. Will have to wait until Monday when it’s supposed to be manageable head high (6’) but still at groovy,zippy 12-13 second intervals (and maybe sunshine).
The long board waveski has been repaired. Butterflies in the stomach just thinking about the session.
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All of the parking areas are closed here and beaches are marked as closed to the public. There are still some surfers out, and usually in fairly large groups at the primo breaks close together, probably not smart. These guys are earning a lot of hostility and negative comments on local social media about “endangering all of us”. Not sure that is true, and locking down the beaches now means I have a steady stream of people walking for exercise in front of my house who don’t live on my street and I have never seen before, and they are huffing and puffing and a few probably shedding virus as they go. As for me and my house, I’m going to sit in my backyard this afternoon on a waveski and have my wife shoot me in the face every 8 seconds with a pressure washer, while I fend off the shots with my trusty Onno paddle. SYOTW someday again. When this is all over I want to organize a paddling trip to Norway next year, if I am still around.
Ok. That was a chuckle. At least west coast surfing enforcement is not as stringent as what was reported in Surfer.com:
The good thing about New England surfing is that the water is still at its coldest right now. Not many surfers out at all, even on a sunny day, However, can’t say that about the beach walkers. For the most part, the older folks seem to observe the physical distancing. Some of the kids and younger folks… Not so much. As the COVID numbers get worse, I suspect even our surfing will start to be constrained.
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Four San Diego Lifeguards have tested positive for the virus and are ill apparently. There is a headline on my feed saying Los Angeles lifeguards have begun fining surfers $1000. There is a professor at UCSD who studies how viruses are spread by ocean winds and she suggests staying away from the ocean and walkers near you on dry land if there is any kind of breeze.
I read that article. Indeed a surfer in Manhattan Beach CA was fined $1000 for ignoring life guard and police orders not to surf. But he ignored a direct order from a law enforcement officer. You can reasonably expect to be fined for that regardless of where you are. (or worse, particularly if you’re not white)
Also, that professor sounded on the alarmist or at least ‘very cautious’ side of things. Yes, sea mist is real and its typically blown inland. If sea mist is a spreader of Covid, then all of costal SoCal has it already and we’re screwed. I cant see the ocean being a significant transmission vector though. Have you ever heard of someone gettnig a virus from walking near the ocean? why not close it dueing a flu pandemic then?
I need to see some better research than ‘I think its possible’, even if its from a reputable professor and the basic science says its possible. Just cause its possible doesnt mean its happening. Or maybe it is, but I want to see a reputable study prove it.
On that note, I will be surfskiing alone this weekend. I’ll let you know how I feel in 14 days…lol.
Is the Island waveski from Philip Island, Australia?
Some always will be.
I moved to Huntington Beach, CA in 1972 from the East Coast in a VW bus because the waves were better
