12 Hours and 15 Minutes of Vitamin D at Bolsa Chica on 9-8-12 by Eric Cedeno

Saturday 9-8-12:  Bolsa Chica 2-3’

I finally went to sleep just after midnight Friday night and almost forgot about meeting up with my friends to surf Bola Chica the next morning. I woke up a little sore and very thirsty Saturday morning at 7:45 am after getting a call from my friend Cliff who was also running late. I quickly loaded 3 boards in my Honda Element (9’ longboard, 7'10” noserider and my 6'10" mini log) so I'd have some basic board options in the smaller waves conditions that I was expecting. I grabbed a banana and two bottles of water and was on the road at 8:05 am. I headed south on the 405 freeway and arrived at Bolsa Chica tower 23 just after 8:30 am. I didn’t see my friends in the parking lot so I called Cliff and he said that they had moved down to Tower 22. I hopped back in my car and moved over to Tower 22 and found the all the familiar cars that I usually cars that I see in the Manhattan Beach 26^th Street parking lot an any given weekend. Cliff and I did a quick surf check and I decided to take out my 9’ longboard because the surf looked pretty small from shore.

Bolsa Chica 9-8-12 Photo by Eric Cedeno

Bolsa Chica 9-8-12 Photo by Eric Cedeno

It was nice to see the 26^th street Ohana crew that I used to surf with back in 2005 and 2006. I paddled around and said hi to everyone while catching some fun clean waves. It was a great sunny day with just a little bit of wind and the side current was hardly there at all. There were waves peaking up everywhere, lefts rights, speedy waves and soft shoulders. The sets were good and punchy (fast breaking waves with speedy sections) so I decided to trade in my 9’ longboard with my 6'10" mini log to make it easier to make the late takeoffs on the bigger sets. I was in the groove and having a good time surfing next to Cliff. Cliff was riding his 5’10” fish and after a while I asked him if I could try out his board again since I know he likes my 6’10” he happily agreed. We swapped boards in the line-up and I quickly slapped on his leash and paddled into the first wave that came by. I made the drop, turned right and flew down the line while carving long smooth top to bottoms turns. I really enjoyed the speed and buoyancy of that board and also liked that I got to test drive it in bigger surf than the last time I rode it. After about an hour I got out so I could eat something. 

Bolsa Chica 9-8-12 Photo by Eric Cedeno

I drank one of my bottles of water and had a banana. Mahalo made some stir fry and hooked me up with a hot bowl of veggies and sausage fresh off the grill. We busted out the ukuleles in the parking lot and had a jam session in Orlando Man’s van for a while. I did another surf check and was surprised to see that none was out in the water, no surfers anywhere and so I decided to take advantage of that and go out again. I grabbed my 7'10” noserider and headed out just south of Tower 22. The surf was bumpier than earlier now that wind was kicking up more, but that didn’t bother me. 

The surf really reminded me of surfing Florida and making the best of what you have to work with. I would catch a left (back side for me because I’m regular foot / left foot forward) and do a cutback and as I’d turned back into the wave I’d do a switch foot in mid-turn. I imagined the people on the beach didn’t see that very often and I got a kick out of it. I surfed by myself for about two hours without anyone paddling out anywhere. It was weird, and a little lonely. It’s hard to believe that with as crowded as the surf can get these days that I can still get a surf session by myself. I was getting hungry again and decided to re-hydrate so I got out and headed back to the car. A few of the others also have Honda Elements and I was stoked to see how Haku Gene rigged up a board rack inside his car.

Haku Gene's Honda Element Surfboard Rack

Bolsa Chica 9-8-12 Photo by Eric Cedeno

I changed out of my spring suit and into some board shorts and drank another bottle of water. Mahalo was cooking up some carne asada and offered me another round of food. I took a quick power nap under Haku Gene’s umbrella on the beach. I woke up when gen handed me one of his ukuleles and we had a little jam session. He showed me how to play “Moondance by Van Morrison” on the ukulele. There was still none out in the water surfing or even swimming. I guess the riptides were getting worse and the fear of stingrays was keeping most of the people out of the water. I talked Haku Gene into paddling out with me for another surf session.  

I always like surfing with him and Cliff, they both can make the best out of surfing anything and we always laugh and have good times. My arms were already tired so I grabbed my 6’10” min log because it’s light and easy to paddle and it is also great in fast or slow waves. The surf was choppy and felt just like any other wind swell day at Topaz. The sets were better than expected and Haku Gene was cracking me up with his no paddle take-offs, a real style master! The sets were easily shoulder high with a quick drop then a flat section followed by a speedy inside section. I was busting some good floaters and those backside cutbacks into switch foots in mid-turn like earlier. We took turns on the best waves and surfed for another two hours. My arms were beat by the time we got out, but totally worth it. 

Bolsa Chica 9-8-12 Photo by Eric Cedeno

My arms were nearly useless after surfing all day and I used the last of my strength to pack up my boards and load up my car before it got dark. It was getting colder out and the guys started a fire in the fire pit. I was glad that I had some jeans and sweat shirt in my car, but now I want to go buy a sleeping bag to keep in my car for long surf days and nights like this one. 

Bolsa Chica 9-8-12 Photo by Eric Cedeno

There was another round of food for everyone and before long the ukuleles were out and we were jamming again. Diane and a few of the others did a hula, they must’ve had lessons because they were real professionals. It was great to lounge by the fire while we played ukuleles and the kids made smores. I was getting dangerously tired and knew I needed to make my way back home before it got too late so I left the beach at 8:45 pm. I got home in a half hour and fell asleep on the couch moments later.