September 2, 2018 - Nauset Light, Eastham, MA

Our only day on the cape this year and it worked out well that we stayed in Mattapoisett the night before and after as home base, and there was waist high clean surf.  We got there by 10 AM so be grabbed a parking spot and low tide was at 11:30, which was perfect.  The media seems to have planted the shark bug in our heads, while a real threat, the likelyhood of an attack is rare. I counldn't help but keep my extremities out of the water as much as possible.   Just stay away from seals, which is almost impossible since they swim beneath you in the waves and pop up 40 feet from you.  Waves were just big enough to be fun and occasionally you could get a nice long right.  Water warm and beautiful view.

June 30, 2018 - The Wall, Hampton, NH

First surf of the season and we planned a morning at the Wall.  Surf was surprisingly bigger than I thought it would be.  Probably waist -chest.  Lots of people.  A little too many, but really fun.  Got a lot of nice rides.  I tried to tech Mel, but these were not good teaching conditions.  Unfortunately, got scolded by some total loser who thought I cut him off.  Really unclassy.  We left before noon and hit our usual Los Olas for burritos.  I'm thinking of trading my WRV for another long board.

August 20, 2017 - Jeness Beach, NH

Another good weekend of clean surf in NH.  It's rare that we get there 2 weekends in a row, but might as well take advantage of the summer!  Hanging out with George and Shannon the day before, they mentioned they were going to Jeness, so we made plans to meet up with them in the early morning.  They got there at 8 AM, which is late for them, and we got there around 8:30 AM.  The place was already packed with surfers and beach goers!  I brought both boards to George could try his hand at surfing.  Is used my 7 ft WRV, which I've come to realize, is not very useful, except in chest high surf.  It takes a lot of effort in knee-waist high waves on that board.  George managed to squeak into one of my wetsuits and used my long board and he pretty much just floated around without catching any waves.  After he was done, I grabbed by longboard and had a blast.  Conditions were similar to last weekend, catching rights and lefts, but more people to avoid at Jeness.  Talked to a women in the water that also had a McTavish and loves it.  A fantastic morning of surfing with many fun rides and dismounts into the waves.  Surf flattened out by noon and we left by 2 PM.  Not one of us even took a photo of the ocean.

August 13, 2017 - The Wall Hampton, NH

What a great day of surfing!  Parking was a challenge, so we ended up on the south side of the beach where high tide came in quicker.  Got there an hour and a half after low and the tide was already pretty high.  There was a pretty decent ground swell with no shortage of waves consistently rolling in.  A 10 mph west wind made for some clean conditions.  Water temp was average for this time of year, cold so I wore the full suit. Used my long board, which is my go-to board now.  It was often hard to gauge which direction to go, left or right, so I got a lot of rides in both directions.  These were really fun waves in the knee to waist high range with an occasional chest high set.  I got a couple of rights right on the face that were like 15 second rides.  After I got one of those rides, a surfer on the beach said "you nailed that one"!  Surfed until the tide became too high and then Evan and I browsed the surf shop while the girls went to Hampton Beach.

July 9, 2017 - The Wall, Hampton, NH

We planned to go to the Wall today and get there at or after high tide, but plans got skewed.  The Chaskelsons had plans to go to Salisbury which they had free parking for, and I was to go to the Wall by myself.  Well, things could have worked out much better if people would just take my advise.  I actually felt bad for myself and the kids, Evan especially.  The state park turned out to be full and they had to park in the town lot and go to the "Coney Island" beach.  The kids said they were very annoyed at all the people and wish they had gone to the Wall.  I wish we all had too.  The change in plans ended up costing them $15 for parking and me 45 min in traffic.  Anyways, its the Wall next time!!!!!

On to the surf.  Tide was just starting to retreat from the Wall when I arrived and the waves were much better than I had anticipated.  Good long board waves in the knee to thigh high range groundswell sets and clean with a SW wind. Easy to catch and I got many lefts, and while it was typical summer crowds, I could always get a wave. Water was super super cold!! I'm still kind up bummed that I didn't get to spend the day with the kids.  Next chance, August.

August 27, 2016 - Jeness Beach, NH

Another family day at the beach.  I wanted to go to the wall for easy access and low tide early afternoon, but everyone else had their mind set on Jeness.  So we left to get there around 10, and that was smart because nearly all the parking spots were taken along the road.  Gotta get there early in the summer.  Parked along the northern side and went down Cable Road.  Not too bad of a walk with the long board.  At first the surf looked non existent, but it picked up a bit.  This was just before a hurricane was moving up the coast.  I walked back and got my board and went in at a spot that was actually a reef bottom, so it was producing some slightly longer waves, but only about knee to waist at best.  Turned out to be really fun and I got about 15 rides, some as long as 10 seconds, but most on knee high waves.  The Mckeons and Chaskelsons met us there.  Evan actually stood up on the board.  I'd love to get out to the beach one more time with the family, but time is tight.

July 16, 2016 - The Wall, Hampton Beach, NH

Surfing days have become few and far between.  Maybe I've lost the bug, maybe busy schedules prevent trips to the ocean, or maybe by back issues have limited me.  The window for family trips to the beach seems to be only 2 months now.  I'm writing this months later, so my memories are vague, but I do remember the surf was maybe knee high and very hard to catch.  I think I only got one short ride.