Author Topic: Moonlight Surf  (Read 2251 times)

surfcowboy

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Moonlight Surf
« on: August 30, 2015, 01:02:40 AM »
Bedeviled by the wind, my buddy and I cruised up and down the coast in Malibu for a couple of hours checking spots, (and gourmet grocers) til we finally gave up and just decided to head home. On the way we stopped at a local world class wave and the wind was sort of blocked and it was 80° still so,we paddled out. He on a longboard, me on my Simmons.

As the sun went down the moon came up and the surf just got better and better and so we stayed out and scored a normally crowded wave with less than 10 others in the dark. I've never night surfed but with the moon we could see enough to catch but once riding, the wave face was shadowed so you were surfing a black shadowed line. Really cool but slightly disorienting.

We came in 30 min after darkness had taken over. tI was a bucket list moment for me.

Also happy to report that the Simmons flies around sections on a fast point break like my production board never did.

Think I'll hit glass off, and beyond, tomorrow and see if the Dea Presidents and Johnny Utah show up.

The Kernel

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Re: Moonlight Surf
« Reply #1 on: August 30, 2015, 02:07:54 AM »
Night surfing is a fun Bodie "feel what the wave is doing, then accept its energy" zen session--especially with a group of friends who can watch out for each other.  Did a surf check about an hour ago and with the giant night light in the sky I was giving it some serious thought.

Very bright moon last night as well here in Dana Point...After nibbling at scraps at Doheny during early evening, the crowd cleared out at dark; A sneaker set came in and I caught an overhead bomb that closed out, with the white water more than head high chasing me inside.  Several more behind. 

Would have kept at it for hours, but the high tide was killing everything except the biggest sets and they weren't coming in frequently enough to warrant fighting the backwash "alone and unafraid", even on a moonlit night.
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J-Bird

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Re: Moonlight Surf
« Reply #2 on: August 30, 2015, 06:11:48 AM »
Surfed two nights ago under a nearly full moon and beautiful glassy waves, you don't need any lights on your paddle or board, just go into Bodie mode like you guys say, it's phenomenal.

surfcowboy

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Re: Moonlight Surf
« Reply #3 on: August 31, 2015, 12:09:50 AM »
Went back tonight and did a longboard/SUP/longboard session. I put on glow bracelets so my buddies wouldn't run me down. Really cool and yes, a great way to let go a little.

I'm still really ugly on this Simmons so I'm hoping to pick up a little flow. ;)

stoneaxe

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Re: Moonlight Surf
« Reply #4 on: August 31, 2015, 06:07:26 PM »
I've managed to catch it once. Small waves at my local but such fun. Not sure I could manage on bigger stuff, made me dizzy just on the little ones.
Bob

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SUPcheat

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Re: Moonlight Surf
« Reply #5 on: August 31, 2015, 07:14:59 PM »
On clear, full moon nights, you could definitely surf in Santa Cruz given low wind.  It's tempting, but I don't know if I could do it with the added paranoia that the toothy critters like it, too.
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surfcowboy

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Re: Moonlight Surf
« Reply #6 on: September 01, 2015, 08:23:19 PM »
It was sort of a rite of passage for me to paddle put on a longboard dipping my hands in the water with glow bracelets on them like fishing lures. 5 years ago I was paranoid in 8' of water in broad daylight.

Long process for a farm boy to become comfortable in big water. The long timers here really helped me learn the skills.. Swim laps, watch the water,  swim in the surf on big days with fins, read and study and paddle and surf as much as you can.

 


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