It’s a long weekend

The first pulse of rideable swell pushed through from the north west . It was too small for most areas but Elporto with its exposed outlook had potential. I hit it , with 5000 others . This is a sight to behold , 2 and half miles long from Manhatten pier to the Chevron break wall , teeming with board riders . A Friday morning will do that , add summer and a long barren spell and this is a movie scene . Barely a 3 meter space between each rider . I went out , just wish I had a GoPro or had taken my phone down to take a photo . It’s like this on the Goldcoast but at least the waves are good , Friday they were barely rideable . Hey we live in LA , how many people live here ? The scene was bizarre enough but to spice it up we had professional surf photographers and guys slicing through the traffic . And then it happened …… a guy took off on a 1 and half footer just 20 m from shore , followed by a 4 foot shadow that charged underneath unsuspecting guys climbing over the top of the wave . This thing closed rapidly and then hooked straight under the the guy as he snapped off the lip . Did I just see that , I looked over at the other 3 guys waiting to walk back out . We were in 3 feet of water . One guy looked at me and said ” I’m not sure that was a dolphin ” ” Im not either mate ” , I replied . We shrugged our shoulders and went back out , we all did . What are the odds , 5000 guys surely it’s not my turn . Paranoia set in 10 minutes later when I sliced my foot scrambling to get out of a guys way . I did everything in my power to jam my board outta the way , grasping the tail with my feet to push it down under the water as a guy trimmed within inches of my back end . In the process I sliced my foot on the fin , I could feel the flap of skin opening and closing in the current . I called it quits , beaten up emotionally with only 1 decent wave .There are days here that can get you rattled , generally surfers aren’t as aggressive here , but the shock of the sheer numbers in the water leaves you shaking your head . I got home and later that night watched a documentary on dolphins from California . I think this was a juvenile dolphin that got excited and joined the masses . Even the dolphins in LA love a crowd …… me. , I still can’t get used to it .