Hot Summer Nights

Tuesday I had the best waves of my life.  Hurricane Danielle seemed a bit anemic at first and didn’t send us the swell that we though she would.  However, on her way out something conspired to send us some bonus waves, and the conditions were as perfect as they have ever been in Montauk.

When I arrived in the lot I was expecting the usual shoulder high Ditch waves.  However, everyone was absolutely buzzing, and Corey said that he had just caught the best wave of his life at Trailer Parks.  Corey is not one to claim that kind of stuff lightly.  Other folks were saying that it was amazing.  People were tripping out.  I saw a set roll through Trailer Parks and it looked about as perfect as can be, but it was fast and looked like it was a little sectiony.  So I decided to walk down to another cove and paddle out.  The first wave I took off on was this incredible left hand wall that seemed to telescope forever.  I saw the lip feathering over my head as I raced down the line.  Dave was surfing ahead of me on his SUP, but I didn’t mind – there was so much room on the wave.  I was screaming at him “Holy crap this is insane!!!” as I sped along the face.  The crowd was light at first since nobody had expected the swell to pick up like it had.  All the forecasts had called for the waves to be knee to waist high.  I surfed for three hours and had some of the best, most perfect, and longest waves of my life.  There was not a drop of water out of place, like something out of a dream.  They were the kind of waves that artists paint in their dreamscape images of perfect days.

The best part was the absolute stoke that radiated through the lineup.  Everyone was gushing.  Someone would catch a wave and race 100 yards down the cove, and as they were paddling back out you’d just hear them yelling “Oh my GOD!” in joy.    Dalton caught one of the longest waves I’ve ever seen.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so jubilant.  Claire and Andrea were getting amazing rides.  I saw Andrea drop in and just grab her rail and rocket down the line.  People were stoked that I was surfing so well — Claire informed me that Woody told her “Hayley’s kicking everyone’s ass out there, dropping out of the sky,” as she was heading over to surf.  Dave was telling me I was ripping.  Some guy told me he saw me drop in late on this one wave and just saw it barreling behind me.  Everyone was talking about this “late drop” that I had, which I kind of remember as a turn and burn style drop on a wave that snuck up on us.  All the drops were just so smooth since the waves were so perfect.  I’m not one to try to bring praise or attention on myself, but I have to admit it stoked me out to hear everyone’s comments.  Just three short years ago I would have been afraid for my life in waves like that, but I did not experience an ounce of fear that day.  California has taught me well.  Everyone was telling each other they had the most epic waves.  The stoke was overflowing.  I know I sound like a crazy surfer, but it’s true!!!

I’m still waiting for some more pictures to surface from that day, but here are a few that showcase the perfection of the waves over the whole weekend.  These are of Ditch at Trailer Park, not of the cove I surfed.  Unfortunately none of these photos show the size of the best sets, which were easily at least 2 feet overhead.  I saw Dave take off on one set wave that may have been 3 feet over his head.

These photos were not shot by me.  I think Drew took them, and Tommy took the first one.

I did it!  My goal this summer was to get 5 toes over the nose of my longboard, and I accomplished that this morning.  The waves were about waist high, mushy, with a stiff offshore wind.  However, they were good for setting up and getting to the nose.  I was able to do some cross stepping and I was able to get to the nose of the board with control.  I found myself with my toes almost to the nose and the board was still in trim, so I told myself “Just get them on the end!” so I just shifted forward a little and put my toes right up there.  The wave petered out on me but I was able to back up and kick out of the wave.  So I didn’t fall right off.

I’m hoping to get better at this.  It’s tough, but it’s not that hard.  I already have a good sense of balance and wave judgment thanks to all the shortboarding I’ve been doing.  I’m stoked because I’ve only been seriously trying to do this for about 4 or 5 surf sessions.  I really just don’t longboard that much.

Meghan got this great pic of me with the waterproof camera of me cross stepping a few days ago.  This is probably one of the smallest waves in the history of surfing haha.  Maybe I can photoshop the wave a little bigger….hmmm…

Longboarding is fun.  I primarily ride short boards, sub 6′, but it’s definitely fun to break out the heavy log now and then.

I did just that with Claire on Tuesday, and had an absolute blast.  I like to rag on my longboard, saying it’s too heavy to turn and it’s too big for me and yadda yadda.  Well, I can’t turn it because I’m just not used to it.  I mean, the thing weighs about 30 pounds, and it’s a heavy single fin.  Not the most maueverable longboard.  There are other styles of longboards out there that will turn much easier.  But my longboard….well, let’s just say I like to call it the floating sidewalk.  It’s relatively easy for a kook like me to bounce up to the nose, especially since I’m light in comparison to the board.

Anyway, I’m going to dedicate myself to one goal for the rest of my time in NY: wrapping my toes over the nose.  I can get to within inches of the nose, but I haven’t gone all the way.  I don’t think I’ll get all 10 toes over, but a cheater 5 will suffice.  Now we just need some waves around here!

Ditch Plains, Montauk NY