Sunday, June 25, 2006

Decisions Decisions

Well the surf has slacked off considerably here and it has been kinda flat and mushy. We have been partying alot and now its starting to get to me. Im in need of surf again. We surfed today in chest high waves but after about 30 min, the tide was steadily getting lower and the west winds picking up. In short it destroyed what was left of the session. Nothing like taking a waist to chest high wave and seeing jagged reef and rock underneath you. My friends left on friday for Guadalajara so they could catch their flight back to the USA on saturday. I went through a pretty bad depression sat night. Its very weird knowing that now you are in a country by yourself and all of your friends are gone. Im super cool with the locals, but Ill never be one or looked at as a friend. We drank some and checked out another town dance. These things are super fun and always get very rowdy. This time however the police carrying M16s were right there and nothing big got started. We left with some locals and went back to the pad and got some beer. Some of the guys bought cocaine from like a 13 year old kid and they traded lines and beers for a while. Not my cup of tea but whatever. Im starting to feel stuck. I love Mita and its people so much and I love the waves but I feel like I should head south and see more of Mexico and surf more waves. The surf is ALWAYS better in the south here. If I was with my friends, it would have been no problem to pack up and head out. Now that I am by myself, Im struggling to find the need to move on. Is it so bad to spend your entire trip in one area? On a lighter note, when my friends were still here we went to this super cool place called Mismaloya. They filmed the movie Preditor and Night of the Iguana there. We hiked up into the mountains and hitchhiked a little too. The jungle is AMAZING!!!!! Its so dense and thick while Mita, just 30 miles north on the tip of the bay is very arid and dry right now. I have never seen anything so beautiful in my life. Well anyways, I better end this before I get charged too much.

Monday, June 19, 2006

How can I suck so bad

Well I am just on a shitty streak here. I cant find an uncrowded right break and im just averaging maybe 3 to 8 waves A DAY! Fuck me silly. The waves todayare amazing. Everywhere is around solid head high to a foot or 2 overhead on bigger sets. Later Im hooking up with some cali expats and some locals for a boat ride back to The Cove. Its around head high over reef and I cant wait to get on it. Perfect a-frames! Yes my confidence for taking peaks instead of shoulders has increased immensly and the reef or rock bottom breaks dont scare me much anymore. Im actually looking forward to being on that reef in a couple of hours. One of the locals here absolutely rips. They told me earlier today they were at the cove and he was busting 180 airs......hold on 3 super hot girls just walked by the internet place. lol anyways. Im outa here. Time to get back on the bus and catch my boat ride and hopefully change my wave count considerably.

Friday, June 16, 2006

The Arrival of Waves

Well today I decided to head to another spot because Im dying for some good rights. I checked out this place called Burros and it was rocking. Average 6ft with occasional close to 9ft cleanups. I havent been in surf that big in a long time and it took some getting used to. I got caught inside for about 20 waves, all close to 10ft and it SUCKED! I did get one ride but it was very short and shitty. I have been in some kind of a slump for the past few days and I cannot seem to break it. I really need to get out of it and start riding some of these beasts and taking waves. I hate looking like i cant surf in front of other people. Maybe thats just something I need to work on forgetting. We traveled to Sayulita yesterday and it was super crowded. The wave was 5-6ft with around 20+ people on the peak. INSANE! We sat at a bar and watched all the hot ass girls and surfers. Some really good surfers there especially the locals. Anyways.... Ill post again soon, Im off to rest and then surf. CMON WAVES!

Wednesday, June 14, 2006

Scared???

Well... In case you dont surf or just didnt know, a HUGE swell from the SW is about to rock Mexico down to its core. Sunday is calling for 13 to 19ft at 20 seconds. Good thing we are not exactly on an exposed southern beach but a little inside of a bay. The swell wraps around and comes in off of Cabo Corrientes. Anyways, we all had a wonderful afternoon session when we were finally able to score a ride to the break instead of hiking 40 min down the beach and back. I was sucking horribly when the best right of the day was bearing down on me. I adjusted a little and setup, paddling way out in front of her. I was making sure I wouldnt blow another takeoff. I caught it steep and immediatly jumped to my feet and dropped right. She walled fast and for the first time, I let my legs just do the work and my pumping and S turns were very large and fluid. I exited the wave very fast and it has been my best ride so far of the trip and in my time surfing. My friends have been scoring some good waves as well and we are all surfing well in general. Yesterday the session was horrible for me as I couldnt get myself out of a slump and the dropping swell made it even harder. Punta de Mita rocks but im yearning to head south soon. We have renegotiated our little camp spot to $5 a night and there is a great lunch place right nearby that has $1.50 huge ham and cheese sandwiches on torta bread, all grilled. Then theres the .50cent, glass bottled, sugar caned cokes, and $1.80 1 liter pacifico beers. PARADISE! My feet are horrible looking due to the cuts and im actually getting a little worried about infection. O well. Today we are taking a break to heal and not stress out in the small waves and heading to Puerto Vallarta for some exploring and just messing around. Hell its only 30min away and the bus is like 2 or 3 bucks lol. GET READY FOR THE SWELL CALIFORNIA.
http://www.wetsand.com/swellwatch/swellwatch.asp?locationid=2&tabid=1441&subtabid=0&CatId=874&SubCatID=874
Take a look at that!!!! or wetsand.com locations northern mexico, and next sunday.

Sunday, June 11, 2006

Las Olas de Punta de Mita

Well that basically means, The waves of Punta de Mita. The bus ride was long and scary at parts in the mountains, but overall it was a blast and i will def do it again. Our first day chasing surf didnt work out so well but today we scored chest to head high LONGGGGGGG lines. Great for longboarding, but i dont play thta game hahahhaa. everywhere in this area is reef break with the reef averaging 3ft to 9ft below you. Take one too far in and its more like 1 to 3ft. My feet are torn from so much hiking and some of the reef. Its not too sharp and is well padded from moss but is quite sharp in parts. I took some great rights, one in particular i dropped hard on the face for a fast bottom turn and I actually finally hit the lip. Not as hard or as aggressive as I want, but hey its a step right.......i cant find the question mark on this keyboard lol and im runing out of time. anyways, Mexico is awsome but this area is a little fickle with the swell angles. We are currently camping at this guys hotel/cabanas and its costing around 7 a day. not too bad. Showers, pool, beach 30ft from my tent, paradise. well i gota end this. ill try and write a longer one later! ooooooo the bus ride from guadalajara to PV is INSANE through the mountains. I havent been that afraid in a long time until just now on the bus here to this town for bank and internet. The driver was intent on killing me for interrupting his lunch and watching mexico in world cup. I was SERIOUSLY praying, i was that scared. OK im out. see ya guys

Tuesday, June 06, 2006

The knots in my stomach

Well when I awoke this morning and I slowly realized that I leave tomorrow at 8:30pm, my stomach began to fill with knots. I think it has to do mostly with all the anticipation and adrenaline but I know a part of it is fear. Its the fear that adds that knotty, uneasy feeling. Your half excited, and half scared at the same time. Im jittery and feeling cold a lot, but I know Im ready. The time has come for me to set out and embark on my greatest surf adventure yet. For those of you just joining, I will be setting out on a month long surf adventure in mainland Mexico. Starting in Punta de Mita on the north end of the Bay of Banderas, near Puerto Vallarta, and hopefully ending somewhere in the south in Paraiso or Boca de Apisa near Manzanillo. I have long awaited this day and finally my time has come. Im prepared about as well as one can be prepared and yet I still have a great deal of my trip unplanned as thats the way I like them. People (the non surfing type) are balking at my lack of planning and making arrangements with hotels. This trip is not about 4star Marriots. This trip is not about rental cars. This trip is about surfing and being in touch with the land and ocean and people. On a Texas surfing forum, they told me, "It is a Texas surfer's right of passage". This is something that will set the stage for my future travels and vagabonding. This is my stepping stone, my kindergarten graduation of traveling if you will. I need this trip not only for the surf, but to see if I have what it takes to accomplish my dreams of long, hard, rough travel/surf travel.

My bus leaves tomorrow, Wednesday, at 8:30pm. This is great because we have 7-9 hours of just Texas to cross through until the border. Luckily Im on a Mexican bus line and we only stop in Laredo at the border and I think that is the last time until Guadalajara. From Guadalajara, we catch our next bus to Puerto Vallarta. Thats around 5-7 hours. The finally, the 30 to 45 min ride out to Punta Mita on the local bus. The travel will be hard and long but Im positive that Im up to the task. Im a little worried about my friends, especially once they head back to Guadalajara to catch their flight, but Im sure they will be fine. I will teach them enough spanish along the way to make sure their trip back will be fine. Well... I will do my best to post, maybe when and if its ever flat. ha ha ha. No really I will try as I will need the internet a few times to take care of some stuff back home etc. Well....until then. Adios