Tag: surfing

Weak waves, running for miles and Labor Day weekend

This past week has been incredibly flat! But when you are trying to train, you have to go out anyway. Seriously, the only thing that improves surfing is more surfing.

All in all it was a good surfing week, little crowds, 2-3ft zippy waves and 2.5 hours per session 😁

Then, I decided to go for a run on Saturday. See, my husband has officially lost 75 pounds and to keep us motivated we do these little challenges. Whether its miles running, intensity minutes or number of workouts, these challenges are all in good fun.

Well, since I have been surfing so much my running has taken a back seat, so Saturday I decided to run. And I kept running for 5 miles.

Now, I havent run 5 miles in about a year, so afterwards I was sore, tight, and sleepy. The only thing that is making me feel better is yoga 😁

I’m not sure if running and surfing are a good combination. Followers, what other exercises to you do to accompany surfing?

When you step on a piece of glass…

Last week started like any other especially because I’m training for Women on Waves.

I got up early for my Monday morning paddle session with low expectations since no waves out there.

I caught a couple of fun little waves but mostly paddled to build up strength. When it was time to go in, I headed for the very high stairs.

I stopped at the seaweed bottom landing to tie up my leash and felt something sharp on the bottom of my foot. Stepping again, thinking it’s just a rock or shell, I tried to move the rock or shell off. When I stepped again, the feeling was sharp.

I immediately looked at the bottom of my foot and to my surprise it was a piece of glass! At the bottom of a long staircase on the beach!

My reaction was to remove the glass (obviously) but then my foot started to bleed. So, I bled up the stairs to my car and drove to work to take a better look.

At work, I could see that it was punctured, so unfortunately that means trip to the ER to get it cleaned thoroughly because the water is filled with bacteria.

Everything is fine with my foot, but most disturbing is that the glass was basically in the ocean.

How hard is it to keep a beach clean?

Last week we had a Southern Hemi…

So last week we had a freak Southern Hemi swell…making 8-10 foot waves. Now in Summer, that’s super weird for Santa Cruz!

I decided that last Thursday would be a great day to surf since I’m technically in training for WOW(Women on Waves). The Thursday swell was declining, waves more manageable, however still incredible waves.

If you follow my blog, you know I’m a dawn patrol surfer, which means to catch a swell like this, I need to be out in the water by 5:30 am. So I diligently got up early and made my way to the beach. By the time I got there, already 30 people in the water! I was shocked!

I walked to see the waves and I found a friend on the rock, who wasn’t suited up. Shes a good surfer, more summer surfer, and she looked frightened. She was nervous to paddle out since her surf buddy already left her.

Being the person I am, I told her to suit up and we will paddle out together. What stuck with me was that I am becoming a better surfer since these conditions didnt even phase me, but I also have become a surfer to help other surfers. Kinda cool 🤙

Btw…The waves were beautiful! About 5 feet, super clean, and the water was WARM! We never have warm water!

I had a blast of a day!

Countdown to Logjam!2018

So it’s been a crazy couple of months between new jobs and my surf association.

For those of you who dont know, I’m part of the Big Stick Surfing Association. Every year in April, we produce an “old boards, no cords” surfing contest called Logjam!. It’s been in the same place, Pleasure Point, Santa Cruz, for the last 35 years.

We are in the home stretch…two more weeks. The moment we have been working for for 10 months.

We have all the pieces now: the posters, shirts, vendors and surfers! I’m totally stoked for this years event!

Readers, if you are interested, follow @bigsticksurfing on IG and you will see awesome surf pics from our surf community and maybe even some surfing pics taken by me 🙂

Petroglyphs

Visiting the Big Island brought a lot of Hawaiian history to my attention. First piece of history we saw were the Kailoka Petroglyph Fields. Actually, we were staying in a condo right on the fields, so it was easy to walk to. These fields were all over the place, and there was even a 32 mile horse trail filled with petroglyphs.

I enjoyed figuring out what the pictures represented and walking in the volcanic ash. It was totally like walking on another planet!

Happy Saturday readers!

Surfer Girl and The Big Island

So this past week, my husband and I took a vacation to The Big Island in Hawaii. We were also there to celebrate my birthday, which happened to be a BIG birthday. I guess it made sense to go to the BIG island. We decided to stay in Kailua Kona, which is full of lava fields, and it pretty much felt like a different planet.

The Big Island isn’t known for it’s surfing, but you can surf there, I mean there is a coast. It’s just not lined with surf shops like Maui or Oahu. It’s mainly rocky which isn’t a difference for me being a Santa Cruz surfer. I did have something interesting happen to me on my birthday, which I wanted to share. The surf report wasn’t that big, so I wanted to go to our local beach break. It’s a beautiful inlet with somewhat of a beach and comes equipped with lifeguards, so I went to talk to the local surf shop. Now, this isn’t my first time surfing somewhere else, and it’s not my first time surfing in Hawaii. I know the rules, and I’m well aware I’m a guest, but usually I don’t have an issue. I just make casual conversation and mention I’m a Santa Cruz surfer, and that breaks the ice. For those who don’t know, Santa Cruz surfers have a reputation of being SUPER AGGRO. Well, that didn’t work this time.  They were pretty much turned off by me from the beginning.  They were worried about broken boards and the rocky terrain so they wouldn’t rent me out a board (they also denied others), and just to put icing on my birthday cake, told me to go to Kauai where the “surfer girls” go. Surfer girls in this context was said in a negative way.

In the past, I have written on how “surfer girl” could be a derogatory term if used in such a way, but in the past year, it’s also become a term I really enjoy.  The people I surf with use it as a term of endearment, and as multiple FEMALE surfers have said, we have all been called much worse in the water. Needless to say, I didn’t surf on The Big Island, and I wasn’t going to rent a board where I’m not welcome. Now, I didn’t let it ruin my day, and sadly this won’t be the last time I run into this, but it makes me appreciate ALL the surfers I know who believe men and women can surf.

But hey, I can still cross step and noseride on my board right? 🙂

Namaste

Scrappy Surfing Yogi

 

 

 

Going back to a studio yoga class

I have documented my struggles in finding a yoga studio that fits my needs. Either the yoga isn’t my style (Vinyasa), the class times aren’t consistent, or frankly, the yoga studio is too expensive for my frequency.

Well, I pushed myself to yoga class last night by a teacher who gives free classes out of her converted garage. It was a perfect night to practice yoga as well. It was super rainy and cold, and since we were in a converted garage, the rain sounded awesome.

I woke up this morning feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. My muscles have been hurting lately and a guided practice is exactly what I needed.

~Namaste

Scrappy Surfing Yogi

Surfing on a Sunday with Elephant Seals

It’s very rare that I surf the weekends anymore, mainly because the beaches are so crowded. This particular weekend I had to surf because the huge XXL swell was easing, and we have rain forecasted most of the week.

My group of surfer buddies went out a little earlier than low tide, just to get into position. After paddling and catching some mushy waves (or trying to), I was just frustrated in the area of the ocean my group was sitting in. I decided to paddle more towards the cliff, hanging out with another surfer.

We took turns on the shoulder of the wave, then all of a sudden this huge elephant seal came out of nowhere! If you aren’t sure what elephant seals look like, see the pic below. Picture courtesy of National Geographic

He/she was huge, and seemed to be following us. My new surfer friend and I decided to immediately exit the water to let the Elephant Seal pass. Strangely enough, he/she never really left. The Elephant Seal moved from the shore, to a rock, then back to shore. These are always good reminders as I am a guest in the sea.

Finally, when the waves started to break did the Elephant Seal go back out to sea. Readers, I would love to know what is your weirdest animal encounter?

Saturday Yoga

I’m getting ready for a pretty big surf session tomorrow, so I felt that today yoga would be a great way to relax and stretch out my aching muscles

Since I have been setting up more home practice than anything, I decided to dedicate a place in my living room for my mat. I thought this would be a nice place, especially with the sunlight.

Btw, I know my yoga mat is completely worn out, but I love it so much I really can’t part with it.

Today, I focused on more of a “warm vinyaas flow” to keep the heart rate up and stretch out my leg muscles. Today consisted of a lot of chaturangas, planks, and half moon poses. I also did some pop ups just to keep it fresh.

Happy Saturday!

~Namaste

Scrappy Surfing Yogi

Mystery Blogger Award

I was nominated for the Mystery Blogger Award by Crafty Surf. I always enjoy reading this blog and learning creative ways to enhance my surf life. As per the instructions, here are the rules and explanation of the award copy and pasted below. Thank you again to CraftySurf.com for nominating me!

What is a Mystery Blogger Award?

The creator of this award, Okoto Enigma, says “It’s an award for amazing bloggers with ingenious posts. Their blog not only captivates; it inspires and motivates. They are one of the best out there, and they deserve every recognition they get. This award is also for bloggers who find fun and inspiration in blogging, and they do it with so much love and passion.

The Rules.

  • Put the award logo/image on your blog.
  • List the rules.
  • Thank whoever nominated you and provide a link to their blog, as well as to the specific post in which you were nominated. That way, the blogger who nominated you will receive a Pingback and know that you posted your answers and will be able to read them!
  • Mention the creator of the award.
  • Tell your readers 3 things about yourself.
  • Nominate 5 people.
  • Notify your nominees by commenting on their blog.
  • Ask your nominees any 5 questions of your choice, with one weird or funny question (specify)
  • Share your link to your best post(s).

Three Things About Me:

  1. I have always been fascinated by water. When I was little, I was always swimming. Surfing was a natural progression for me. Maybe it has something to do with being an Aquarius?
  2.  I used to make websites for fun, especially using the site Neopets ( just aged myself). I always liked the community aspect of these online sites.
  3.  I started my yoga practice in North Carolina over 13 years ago as a way to pass the time

Here are my questions from Crafty Surf:

Coke or Pepsi?

Usually, Coke but on the one made with real sugar. I also prefer bottle as well. Unless, it’s a Slurpee from 7-11. Then cup is fine.

Miami or Orlando?

Miami seems more fun. I also can relive the Will Smith song “Miami” while driving. This is a plus!

Apple or Samsung?

Well, it’s Samsung now because I married an engineer who likes to program his own things. Used to be Apple. I am literate in both technologies, and pretty much a geek.

Chips or Chocolate?

Chocolate, not much of a chip person. Now if there are pretzels in a room, that’s my go to snack.

Sand or Snow?

Definitely sand! Surfer Chicks Unite!

The Nominees:

  1. Shana
  2.  Baby Crow Yoga
  3. The Om Project
  4. Mad Cap Dog
  5. The Running Rebel 

My Questions:

  1. What is your dream vacation?
  2. Why did you start blogging?
  3. What are you most passionate about?
  4. What’s your favorite T.V. show?
  5. If you could have one super power what would it be? (I guess funny question?)

This is my favorite post, not necessarily a good one 🙂 Wipeouts, Workouts and Warrior Poses