I hadn't been in the ocean since October 1. So the first time I fell off the board, wobbling like a newbie on flat water, the smell of salt water and sunblock going up my nose…it made me happy. Peconic Jeff and I launched just west of Ponquogue (where the new good break is) to play with long friendly waves, 5-7 feet generously spaced. No dues to pay unless you kooked (which of course…) About five surfers, two guys in kayaks, Jeff, me, and an unknown SUPper had it all to ourselves. I caught a 6-foot color-by-number wave that gave me a long playful right that I handled much better than I had any right to expect or deserve. Note to the wave gods: I ask for nothing bigger or better. More of those will do fine, please.
A Thanksgiving wave!
As confidence built I began late dropping into the biggest waves. A glorious left (Jeff later queried "what the heck were you thinking") led me to try it again. I was promptly dropped seven feet into crunchville, and then trolled like a cheap fishing lure underwater for awhile, spinning and spinning until I managed to get up for air, a teense shaken. I needed that lesson twice before I stopped kooking.
Jeff had a fine day too, so fine that half an hour after we agreed to take the next wave in, he was still charging it.
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