As I packed my bag for work last Wednesday I received a promising text from my lovely and illustrious coworker Devon. Bring your wetsuit. Considering that summer flatness is fast approaching and the swell in Northern Cal has been a mess recently, I was rather intrigued. Then I remembered- it’s the bossman’s birthday!
He may be approaching the big 5-0, but there is NOTHING holding our inspiring G-man back. He is still a tremendous trail runner, rugby player/coach, singletrack rider, and skier- yet on his birthday he was ready to tackle another not-so-forgiving pastime, surfing. And not just surfing anywhere, surfing the unpredictable, current strewn, and adrenaline injecting waves of Ocean Beach.
Shortly after feasting on a slice of cake garnished with doughnuts and taking care of the urgent PRs, we loaded up our gear and made the short drive to the beach. Turning the corner above the cliff house I couldn’t believe my eyes. Perfect shoulder to head high waves were pealing as far as the eye could see. Pure birthday magic.
Hopping out of the car we let loose a frenzied batch of hoots and hollers and slipped into our stylish neoprene onezies. As I waxed my stick I saw a guy drop in, pump two times and disappear into the clean, green barrel machine. He popped out unfazed a few moments later and I couldn’t contain myself any longer. The three of us trotted down to the water and submerged into the brisk Pacific waters.
Another birthday miracle- we paddled out easily, only taking a few icy pounders on the head. A true blessing at Ocean Beach. Devon on a 9′ bomber, Gordon on a 7’6″ fun gun, and myself on a 6’6″ squash tail- we three musketeers took a moment to soak up the picturesque contrast of San Francisco with the Marin Headlands.
I caught an easy left to start, pumped a few times and popped out to find Devon taking off on a nice right bomb. She gracefully slid down the face, raced away from the curl, and with a little turn- set the perfect line to the beach.
I arrived back on the outside just in time to catch Gordon take off into a steep, green drainer of his own. I haven’t had this much fun in months, I thought to myself as I dropped and made a quick bottom turn into another steep right. We traded off turns and wipeouts for a solid hour and exited the water with pure elation our faces. There’s no place I’d rather be on a sunny, windless day than our very own urban surf paradise celebrating with the big G!
All That's Fit 