CRONKITE SURF DAYS: Part One

Filed in archive on May 12, 2005

Sitting there and staring out at the ocean from the sea wall at VFWs, we decided, for some crazy reason that we would break the cardinal rule of surfing: drive away from "surfable" waves for the promise of better waves. By turning away from the kind of session that would include sure-fire hammerings, big drops, and relatively clean conditions, we were testing fate. "Cronkite will have barrels!" proclaimed B-Rad, grimacing at the six to eight foot mushburgers working their way towards shore. Even though we made the call to bail OB and head to Cron, we knew that whenever you substitute Cron for OB you better prepare yourself for a downsize. Unfortunately it was not one of those days when Potato patch is thumping and Cron is throwing wedges way outside the point. No not quite.




More like fifteen-minute lulls, six close out waves in a set that could barely be labeled head high, each wave breaking inconsistently to the laws of the sucked low sand bars. Yet, somehow, someway I actually managed to get a few closeouts. One-second rides are great! Well, not really. But I do have some friends that live over on that side of the bridge who might get offended by those kinds of inflammatory comments. The infamous and sometimes epic but sometimes knapped up surf break we dub "Cron". The Cronic habit! It's dropping in on close-out after close-out, thinking that one of these days it will all come together: wind, tide, swell, and the pipes will actually allow you free passage. But don't get too greedy, or else this could happen to you (see pics below). Good friends Craig the ER doctor and Simon the Sailor, on separate incidents on separate days, had a little skin patchwork to go through after meeting skegs in a close personal fashion. Luckily, Craig took care of his foot in true ER doctor mode (i.e. ignore the problem if you are not under immediate peril).




Meanwhile, Simon found a fireman/surfer in the parking lot and was able to get a makeshift butterfly for his gaping neck wound. It's cool guys; scars make you look tough. Besides, what are the chances that you get skeged more than once at the same break? Don't answer that, I'm sure Craig has already notched another mark on his skin, literally. The producer of Slide Ride Glide - a journal of the charger - wants people to know that surfing is a dangerous sport. When we hear people say they don't want to try surfing because they are afraid of sharks we smirk, because that is not what you should be frightened of. When you enter the ocean expecting to harness her wind flow power you are entering a domain that is not meant for land beings. Every surfer has had close calls and scary experiences throughout a tenure logged from numerous ocean hours. Such a story emanates even from a fickle spot such as our beloved Cronkite point.




ER Harris