Encinitas

At the Trestles

I spent the last week hanging out around the Encinitas area waiting for a package to arrive in the mail. Southern California is not a bad place to spend the time, the people who live here will confirm that with gusto. In fact, you may want to think twice before starting a conversation with someone in the parking lot, more often than not you end up hearing a complete life story while you are trying to put your wetsuit on, problems with the wife, spoiled kids, bowel movements, nothing is sacred.

Heres Joey at Pipes

 The ocean temp is comparatively warm and the air temperature on a winter day down here is as hot as it ever gets in Tofino.  I was lucky enough to run into a few friends in the area.

Going North Going South

Sooke Bros Reunion

 Joey was spending his reading break at his folks place in Oceanside. We were fortunate to be able to spend some time catching up in the water, and even shared a few bromantic sunset walks on the beach.

JF and Grizz

 Everyones favourite French-Canadian Jean Francois was also in the area, driving north after his Baja journey, accompanied by the seasoned surf enthusiast, known only as Grizz. These fellows had clearly been hardened by the road, as shown by their keen sense of alertness to free grocery store samples and Juanita's late night Carnitas, the most affordable mexican food joint in the area. 

We spent our days surfing Cardiff reef, Swami's and a variety of waves in between. We watched Joel Tudor surf a number of times and were all wowed by his performance. He didn't have fifteen photographers out photoging him like some of the other pros mentioned earlier in this blog. On Friday evening I went to the Paloma Theatre to see the premier of a surf video called "secret sound underground." The video was awful, but I did meet some cool Americans along the way. All in all great times with the gang, whoever they may be at the time. 

Cardiff Moon