I call it the Snorkel Jork. 4' × 23" × 3"

I know this is not the sexiest surf topic but man the post-surf leg cramp is a real villain. After longer sessions I always come home feeling cooked. Not just tired. More like legs tight as hell, headache creeping in and then waking up at 2am with my calf trying to leave my body. I used to just grab whatever electrolyte pack was around, but so many of them taste way too sweet or way too salty. After swallowing half the Pacific I’m not always dying for more salt lol. I’ve been seeing more people talk about magnesium for cramps and recovery instead of just pounding sodium. That makes more sense to me for surf days and Magna came up in that lane since it’s magnesium based, low sodium and no sugar. What does everyone here do after long sessions. Coconut water? Pickle juice? Beer and denial?

About 2 weeks ago, neighborhood friends dropped off my wife, daughter and I at SAN with our 17 bags of luggage including a 70lb coffin bag with a precious Skip Frye and heavily glassed Steve Mast Mid Simmons tucked inside. Also jammed in were the usual crap one usually stuffs into a travel bag for long trips- wetsuits, wax, fins, leashes, fin keys, a changing towel, and my daughter’s softball gear, because in addition to surfing, I hear they play a lot of youth softball in the U.K.

My last session was on the morning of August 16th- our departure day. I paddled out at one of my favorite spots at sunset cliffs after a walk. I was riding a whippy 10’6” eagle single fin glider. I don’t remember anyone else being out. The last few days were good with Saturday maybe being the peak of the swell, but Sunday’s chest-shoulder high + sets on my favorite reef, almost alone in the water in the nation’s 6th largest metropolitan area was a proper send off nonetheless.

Afterwards I dropped off the eagle in the storage unit with the rest of the quiver, the fishing rods, tools, and stuff we think we need for short trips back over the next few years. The 4Runner is then dropped off at its hiding place with the keys entrusted to a friend for periodic starts and changes of location.

Off to the airport we went with it all. A few recurring jokes over the next 48 hours between my wife and I:

“SOOO happy I brought some boards with me to London, the surf capital of Europe. SOO grateful for this sturdy coffin bag!” - moving from Point Loma to SAN, through Heathrow, customs, desperately trying to fit luggage into a Mercedes v class after a brutal red eye, on the street outside of a locked out air bnb, etc etc
“Hey babe, do you think I need a new 4/3 or you think this one will last another season?” - a playfully mocking refrain these last two weeks as we recall the crashing out, losing of focus during the pack out and total loss of situational awareness and prioritization (I did get a new 4/3 in case you were wondering)
“Can’t wait for the glider to get here!” Referencing the 10 foot board my movers had to build a custom crate for, that has complicated our housing search in central London.

We cashed out all of our credit card points and stayed at hotel cafe royal on Regent st. the first five days to out sleep the jet lag. We ate breakfast in bed at 10 am every day and spent the afternoons wandering around Soho or floating in the spa pool. The rapper Playboi Carti was at the cafe royal too, causing scenes of chaos periodically outside the main entrance. Serendipitously, we encountered him while we were exiting our elevator and he was attempting to sneak out with family. My golden skinned, sun bleached blonde 6 year old California daughter, oblivious and seeking the thrill of a steezy ride across the smooth hotel lobby floor, pumped her scooter recklessly, ducked under a table, and emerged again, almost running over Carti and his family on her way to the exit. I saw Carti look up at his security with big eyes when my girl shot by. I received more than one exasperated look from large men as we were quietly waved along.

It’s been quite the surf divorce. I checked Surfline one time a week ago to get a sense of what I would be working with. I shouldn’t have, but I’m not feeling the pull like I usually do. I feel more quiet inside, more at peace giving in and not waking up and immediately trying to find a way to slot in my daily surf around familial responsibilities, the demands of a serious profession, weather, and other commitments. We’re walking all over the city and I’m running alot. We don’t have a car yet anyways and I’m not sure how I’m going to make a session happen until then. ChatGPT tells me that I can’t take my board bag on the national rail down to torquay.

My goal is to surf at least once a month but things are so chaotic right now as we look for a home, get settled in our new jobs, and get our daughter started off on the right foot at a new school. Francois at Bird’s Surf Shed, the last time I saw him, told me there was a good wave pool outside Edinburgh. The wife this week said she wanted to go explore Scotland soon. Maybe this month the board bag will get put back into proper use.

Hey guys,

Heading to Sumbawa soon and trying to figure out how to get from the west side over to Lakey Peak.

Anyone done this route before? A few things I'm wondering: What's the actual best way to get there? Is it an easy drive or is it rough/long?
Could I just rent a scooter in West Sumbawa and ride it all the way to Lakey myself, with my board? Or is that a bad idea?
If I do rent one there, is it possible to drop it off at the airport in Sumbawa afterward instead of bringing it back to where I got it?

Would appreciate any tips or experiences, trying to plan this before booking flights. Thanks!

Hello everyone, I am headed on a Baja surf off-road trip next week, and we are headed south of Ensenada from Ensenada south to as far as San Quintin. We are checking out a few surf spots around Erendira to camp. Checking out Puntas Cabras, San Antonio Del Mar, then heading south to Camalu. Been down there a few times but never for surfing. Anyone know of great spots to check out.

What elements of surfing do you think are common to all surfers? Crystal voyagers, WT competitors, kooks. A little philosophical question for you to light your pipe to. What would you call it?

Not an AI I swear. but maybe I am?