Sometimes in casual conversation you can be given some
pretty good advise albeit all by accident or just circumstance.
I'm thinking it was sometime in the early '80's I got to
talking with one of the local pros in the water on a cold winter day. I'd
notice the guy, Davey, was wearing booties. I commented how I never wore booties
because I figured it would be hard to feel my surfboard under my feet and
consequently not be able to surf to well... though I really didn't like numb
feet. "Numb feet? hard to surf with numb feet. So you may as well wear
booties." he says.
With that comment I decided to get some booties. It did take a few go outs to get my footing
but when I did I could surf the cold
winter days without numb feet. Numb feet.... yeah, aside from not feeling your surfboard it feels like you've got stumps
on the end of your legs when you walk out of the water. And, you have a tendency
to cut your feet up on the way in because you can't feel anything, like the
rocks you usually walk over with caution, doing your best not to stumble, stub a
toe or cut your feet on a sharp rock.
After booties there were no more numb feet. Sure I'd go
through the adjustment from fall into winter and spring into summer but, what a
difference that one comment made.
Something similar happened last weekend. While at the Ventura Surf Club Luau I got to
talking with Spencer Kellogg and he mentioned he had surfed Rincon that
Friday. I said 'Rincon? really. What's
that like? Crowed enough for you? ... geez I haven't surfed Rincon in maybe 25
years.'
His answer.. "actually I had a good time, it wasn't
that crowed and I got some waves." Then says " I looked a Pipe and
the crowd there then decided if I'm going to fuss with a crowd why not go up to
Rincon, at least the waves I'd get at Rincon will be better than Pipe. The
crowd wasn't to bad, I got some waves and the waves I did get were great... way
better than any waves I would've gotten at Pipe in or in town Vta."
I said ' wow I'm surprised'. Spencer says "It's worth
it, and you know the waves you're going to get at Rincon will be the best, even
if you only get a couple. You should try going up there again sometime."
I haven't acted on this one yet but what Spence said made
sense. Actually, I told him the next time he was going to do Rincon to give me
a call and I'd go with him.
D.R.
