Well all you dolphins and orange roughies ( great eating fish ) it’s a beautiful Sunday afternoon in Hermosa Beach . We are now at day 14 of our lockdown . There’s still a sense of detachment . It’s like I’m watching a movie about everyone else . We’re excluded , but we’re not .
The surf has been poor . There’s been barely a season since Christmas . Of course there’s been an odd day , but you can’t always be there when you want . It’s been slim pickings . That’s ok , there’s more to worry about . We’ve been locked down , most of us aren’t working or at least are working from home . When there has been a hint of swell we’ve all been out there . There’s nothing else to do . Its an activity almost exclusively practiced with 6 feet of separation between individuals, usually more than that . It really is a solo activity , even if your with friends , you’re really doing this alone . Out in the water there’s been a noticeable presence above . Helicopters are buzzing overhead constantly, more so than normal . This stretch always has a lot of air traffic ,especially considering we are just south of LAX . There’s definitely a feeling of being watched . We are . A couple of times the choppers get close enough to the water that you can see faces and tv cameras . Yep the swells not rising , but the pressure is .
Here in Disneyland ,ahh I mean the South Bay we’re treating this like a holiday or a reboot in exercise and indulgence . Maybe that’s the truth , until we get a shock or a kick up the arse from authorities we’re gonna get out there and enjoy the sunshine . I’m guilty of that . Nearly daily I would take Leroy for a skate down the Strand , in the process getting a walk and my chance to people watch and move . You’re aware of the limitations , you keep your distance and the 6 feet policy , but every time you stop to say hello to someone you meet you’re a chance to inadvertently come into contact with a surface you lean on , a fence you touch or a dog you stroke . You are not really isolating . So the Strand has been busy , too busy . There’s people on the beach too . It’s not a good look . The helicopters…….they’re shooting footage . Sure enough it’s on the nightly news . You know where this is going ….I did the minute this came out ….things are gonna close up .
Thursday and Friday come by with a little bit of swell but with onshore winds . There’s something there but it’s shit . What’s noticeable is the guys that are out there . The older guys , some of them that you’d never see out there in this slop are in the water . Everyone’s getting what they can in fear that’ll be taken away from them . I speak to a fellow dad out there who happens to be a life guard . I ask him how they’re gonna stop surfers from going out in the water , especially if it gets good . He tells me that police will patrol the sand and then wait for a surfer to come back to shore . On Friday morning a Facebook feed confirms it . Hermosa Beach will close it’s beach . Later that afternoon LA county announces that the whole LA coastline is off limits .
For now the wetsuits are put away, the boards are about to go in the garage . Basketball courts are shut , playgrounds too .
Looks like it’s back to eating , drinking ,running , drinking and eating and drinking and …..ahhh …..Stay safe people ,see you soon
aussiehowieinla 