I rode waves today.
Felt great.
It’s a good sign when I wipe out in ways that are new.
I wrote about bodysurfing and data this past weekend during IndieWeb Camp. Science involves the collection of data. I suspect I won’t have much new to offer in terms of visualizations or new insights about my sessions until I–which is to say Dawn Patrol–and now Strava catches more data. One can’t rush that. Here’s the next share. Yesterday’s session failed to transmit to Strava.
Today’s session was ACTIVE. Lots of WHOMP.
OB
Ocean Beach, San Diego is specific. It’s known as a hippie enclave. It’s been known as that for decades. The “Fish” style of surfboard was invented there. The Black was the first “head shop” I ever went to. Fun fact, the beginning of Almost Famous is on the main drag of OB: Newport Avenue. The movie starts at Christmastime, on Newport Avenue, in 1973.
Here’s what’s at the end of Newport Avenue in 2024.
“It doesn’t feel like Christmas”
It was sunny at 1pm when I went to the beach. Air temperature was 58°F (14.4°C). Water the same. I wear a shortsleeved / short pants wetsuit. People sometimes ask me when I come out of the water–“How’s the water temperature?”. No answer satisfies them. I guess it’s not winter weather.
Some days when I first get in the water and immerse my head it’s an instant ice cream headache. But some days not. The mechanism adapts. And if it persisted I would not stay. I’m glad to be in the water. I think of the years I spent without a wetsuit and regret the waters not swum. It was 3 years ago I first wore a wetsuit during a session. One of the benefits of having this blog is I can read what I thought after the first time.
Wetsuit First Use. It’s different. More buoyant. Less flexible. More hydrodynamic. Less able to judge how long it takes to get from A to B. Warmer. I felt a bit like a cat the first time you put it on a leash.
I’ve grown comfortable since then. No longer like a cat on a leash.
Plein Air
After the session I met Kevin, who putting the finishing touches on a beautiful watercolor of the pier.
I was glad to meet him and see wonderful artwork.
It’s hard for me to think of snowmen and fireplaces as being better than an afternoon like this.
Good waves. Whimsical decorations. Artists making art. People enjoying the beach.
This is Christmastime in San Diego.
