We are in a middle of a pandemic and things are not going so well for the good old USA and the rest of the world. On the plus side, the virus may actually help slow down global warming as we drive less, fly less and work from home. Things hopefully will change and we will get a new person at the top who will take responsibility, have integrity, believe in justice and have compassion. We need someone that we can trust.
I am thinking about handboarding but not doing it enough. Maybe I should say surfing because everyone knows what surfing is. There are certainly lots of ways to surf and there seem to be more all the time. I'm going to handboard (surfing), SUP (surfing), body (surfing), tow in (surfing), boogie (surfing, and dancing), shortboard, longboard, kite, etc. I started handboarding in 1984. I had always been a bodysurfer and my friend John Williams had kickboards that he had put a hole in near the top for a handle. I got a used Wonder Water kickboard from Cabrillo College, thanks to the swim coach Ted Bockman. The kickboard became a handboard and is still the best one that I have ever used. I became a handboarder, though if someone calls me a bodysurfer I am cool with that.
I did go out to 26 Ave in Santa Cruz the other day. The waves were up and I got a great parking spot! I took a quick look, after putting on my bandanna over my face. The waves looked good. There were about 20 surfers and one boogey boarder out. Had a great first ride. Just caught it, rode it and came out of it before it closed and and crashed near the shore. The waves definitely had some power as a couple of times I rode them in and got a little worked, losing my squid lid and board. No problem they washed in to shore and I grabbed them and went back out. The boogie boarder got one that I didn't (I would of but he was in better position). But I caught one of the the next ones (bigger!) and I yelled he gave me a yell back. The surfers were getting most of the waves but they were cool and I got my share. It was beautiful with some intensity and I was happy to have a little bit of fun and freedom. Even though there were others out there, sometimes it was just me and the wave.
What is better about handboards from handboard.net? They just ride better! They are made out of EVA closed cell foam, they are tested, they are bigger, they float higher, and they are guaranteed.
Have a great day/season/year/etc. May all your waves be good!
Patrick aka Pat the Rat