Santa Cruz Sharks

I’ve spent the last two days, June first and second, cutting my teeth (as they say) surfing The Hook’s Second Point and Sharks Cove.  I’ve heard from some friends to watch for sharks as they usually hunt in this area that is full of “Frutti di Mare” as the Italians call it.  I didn’t see any sharks over the last two days, but I have met a lot of local sharks.  These local sharks will be far on my right, but when a wave comes, they some how are far on my left, catching a wave that I so whole heartedly tried to catch, but end up pulling back as they swoosh past me, spitting sea water in my eyes and making me feel more like a kook.  These sharks don’t even blink as they paddle past me and back into the lineup.  There were even times when I had the left on a right wave and I got cut off anyway.  I still caught a couple sweet rides (about two) that I rode off to the right for a long while.  It didn’t matter how good I was doing or how long I was out there, I was given no respect.  Maybe it was my 8’6 funboard that gave me away.  Or maybe it was the O’Neal mesh cap.  Either way, they knew I was a kook and there was no way they were giving me a nice clean long one that belonged to them.

On my second day, I woke up really early and saw that there was a negative tide with a medium sized south swell.  I heard Cowell’s beach is a great place to be on a negative tide when everything is sucked out.  So I headed to Cowell’s, which is the kookiest beach of them all in Santa Cruz.  Cowell’s has the friendliest wave in this area, with some of the longest rides.   Here, there are no rules, just catch a wave with the rest of the kooks and do your best not to run anyone over.
From my earlier experience at The Hook, I learned to battle for waves.  There is no way I was letting a foam boarder take a perfect peak from me.  I learned from watching the sharks how to aggressively but smoothly hunt for peaks (the best part a wave).  I was in the parking lot putting on my suit.  This lady parked next to me with a 10 footer started giving me unsolicited pointers.  I looked at her twice, giving her the look that said “Come on!  This is a major kook beach! Stop acting like your a shark!”  I really didn’t need any advice on this day for I was on a mission to make a clean right on every wave and tumble anyone that was in my way.

I headed to the top of the point.  First wave came, four people tried to catch it.  Second wave came even farther back, another 4 tried to catch it, so I backed off.  The third wave of the set crested even farther back, perfectly coming towards me.  The only ones left at the break was me and a blue foam boarder to my right.  I started off paddling to the peak.  Once I was where I thought the peak was going to crest, I angled my board 30 degrees to the right and started paddling, putting my entire shoulder into the water.  I saw the water in front of me getting sucked in, making it flat and peaceful looking.  I could feel the suck of the wave pulling me, accepting me as if I was being adopted by it.  I felt the tug and I saw my tip moving forward as the water sprayed off my front rails.  I heard the sound of of my board catching the crest and the whoosh sound when you know your about to catch a ride on the deep blue.  My board started to glide to the right.  I popped my arms into the “up dog” position and let my board skid off the top of the wave.   When I felt stability, I popped up perfectly and started riding the big blue down it’s perfectly clean wall.  The foam boarder tried to catch it in front of me but his tip dug to deep and he nose dived.  I went high to avoid him, giving me my first really great turn up a decent wall.  I then sank my front foot a little high on board to the left and it screamed down the face.  The rush, the speed, the unexplainable.  I gave a passive “YEEEE!” and a long boarder in front of me smiled.  I rode this wave all the way into the rocks, ending it by crouching low into a mini barrel.

I learned a lot from the sharks of Santa Cruz while cutting my teeth at The Hook.  Even though they were assholes at times, they taught me how to fight for position, find the right peak, and to no give into anybody’s shit.  But I also learned that I wasn’t going to be an asshole or a shark.  I’m getting pretty decent, catching more waves now rather then wiping out.  At Cowell’s, there were a lot of ultra kooks that were cutting me off.  Rather then saying “HEY BRO, WATCH WHERE YOUR GOING!”  I said gently “Hey great job, just look to your left and make sure your safe from others coming down the lane”.  I got a lot of thanks for being gentle.  I met a lot of good people this way, who are also chasing down their dream to surf.