First time in the water along the Gaviota Coast (could I be more specific? no.) in eight long months and it felt good to be back into a somewhat rural surf scene. Nobody out but us, and that made all the difference; I wouldn't even bother with Rincon in conditions like this as the crowd would kill it completely.

Short windswell peaks comboing and fading out on the shoulder, making for strange sections that would loom and beg for a floater then fall flat as you went up to hit it, leaving you hanging and feeling foolish. There were plenty waves for both of us though, enough that it didn't feel too bad to blow it now and then. Which I did a few times, once in spectacular fashion as I set up a bottom turn and went after a big off-the-top, only to blow it halfway up the face, slip off my wax and nearly emasculate myself with the nose of my board. Arrgh!

I think Toby got the best and biggest wave of the day, he was freaking as he paddled outside and then spun to go for it. It looked nearly overhead on the drop. I finished off the session with a big one that nearly closed out on me, barely held on, getting battered by the sections and trying to keep the speed going. Payoff came about halfway down the line as it opened up and I took it all the way in to shore.