We had a little swell this past week here in Ventura, lasted about a day and a half.  It filled in during the day Wednesday.

When I surfed Wednesday there were some 5 and 6 wave sets, with frequent long lulls. The crowd wasn't terrible but the inconsistent sets made for a low wave count session... especially considering I was in the water for 2 hours. 

So, I look at the point Friday morning, the tide is high with some small peaks hitting the top of the point. Nothing left of that swell really.  Maybe 2 or 3 small waves every 3 - 4 minutes with a dozens surfers in the water.

Seeing the number of waves coming through and the number of guys in the water, then thinking of the Wednesday session and low wave count...  a light went on. That's why you'll see 2 or 3 guys on one wave.  If you don't just stroke into a wave even if someone else is too you won't get any wave at all.

In the early days of surfing people would ride waves together.  2 or 3 people on one wave was no big deal. There wasn't much maneuvering on the wave face back then so everyone could pile on a wave, angle down the line, trim and smile at each other.

Now? we like to move up and down and around on the wave face which makes it tricky to share the wave with another rider.  When you know another person and the 2 of you plan to ride a wave together it's ok and can be fun. But it's usually not fun otherwise.

As many as there are people in the water these days around Ventura, and the amount of waves there are to catch at any given time on any given day, I'm thinking it should be no surprise when there are 2 or 3 people on one wave... there just isn't enough surf to go 'round. Either ride with someone on the wave or maybe end up paddling into the lineup waiting and hoping for a wave of your own, and then paddling back to the beach with no wave count at all.  

It's hard to call that surfing.

D.R.

The fall season around the Ventura / Santa Barbara coast for the surfer is usually a time of anticipation, expecting swells from the north pacific to start arriving.

This year is no different.... of course, but, so far there has been maybe one swell that was a little over head. The weather has been really nice and the water temps have remained in the mid to upper 60's. Very rare for this time of year.  Actually I don't remember a time when the water was this nice so late in the year. But the surf has been small for the most part.

Usually this time of year I start looking back at what has gone on through the year and start thinking about what I might like to see go on next year.

Since it was 50 years ago that I made my first surfboard my wife suggested I do a 50 year surfboard.... I thought it was a good idea, especially because it would be fun and making surfboards should be fun. So this week I picked up a custom blank to make a surfboard that will be my 'Model 50.

I can see it in my head so now I've just have to take what's in my head and make it a reality.

D.R.