So, what is core and who really cares enough to notice?
The kid in the leaking 3 mil, a 1970's era pintail under his arm as he wades in to the shorebreak, water 49, air 50?
That's core.
The guy on sways asking about staying warm in his station wagon he is living in while surfing France?
Core.
Surfers that work just enough to support a healthy surf habit?
Core.
Me, not so core.
It's an addiction, surfing.
Not core.
A junkie is not core.
Going for a surf.
It's a 4 mile drive to the local spots for me, at 2 miles in I get butterflies.
When I come up over the last little hill and get a sneak peak and see clean lines and offshores, I get a huge smile, even if I don't surf.
Last Summer, I sat out a day that was near perfect, I ended up watching, mindsurfing, laughing at my friends as they took a pounding or burned a nice set wave.
It was enough that day to just be where I was, surfing or no.
For many of us, surfing means different things.
I don't know any one who surfs because its cool.
I don't know any one who used to surf either.
Well, maybe.
I see a few old timers roll up for a check, see 4' crumblers that are rideable but sloppy, they hang for a chat and then go on about their lives.
I have had a bit of fun at their expense but it was just a poke.
I think they are like me, happy to just be there, like the day I sat out perfection.
So 'core' might be related to stoke.
Stoke is the butterflies, I may or may not be leaving for SC this afternoon (Mr. Greenman has a dentist appointment, so it's not his girlfriend this time, it's his teeth) and I have already looked at the tides, winds, swell direction for SC and I have stoke. It's going to be good.
And while I may or may not go, the thought of having a reeling facey wave in front me gives me stoke.
I can already taste the herb smoke as I sit on the little bench under the Cypress tree at the Dirt Farm, watching sets roll through wetsuit half on...
But like all addictions...there is the crash.
If we don't go, I am looking at building conditions, a southwind of 20 knots and a very small chance that any spot will be good through the weekend.
Sure, might be an hour here or there on the right tide but over all, slop.
We simply don't hold size with any reasonable chance of getting to it.
And you can bet dollars to donuts I will be dropping in on Mr. Greenman...a lot.
On one of these fucking things....
In other news...
The Alaskans leave for home today...
TJ made it to SF.
My sup blank is getting glued up.
I get a new Hotline wetsuit today. (new to me anyway)
And the Sun is due out any minute.
There is a thread about wetsuit weight going on at sways...
And the money post is some ding dong who thinks a 1/4" in width is HUGE and more than enough to compensate for wetsuit weight gain.
The guy rides an 18 1/4" board at 5'11" in length.
That's his "grovel" board.
"Why am I missing so many waves?"
Because you are trying to ride a high performance board in 8 second, 3' east coast slop?
Surfers...not always in tune with what they need...if it ain't in the magazine.
I weigh 165 sans suit, 174 in a wet 6/4 with booties.
But wetsuits are buoyant...yes, they are, if you are in the water.
I tend to get to my feet when surfing...
9 lbs., not much in the bigger picture, kind of like a 1/4" in width.
Well, time to go stare at the surfcams in SC....
See ya.
