No matter how hard I try, my parents are always doing something weirder than I am.
Some people would never surf in Alaskan waters. Those people have never surfed. It finally happened that I got invited on a surf trip I could actually go on. The M/V Milo headed out to the Gulf of Alaska last Friday with the mission to find a couple new surf breaks and surf a couple known ones.
Some friends bought this old purse seiner out of Washington a couple years ago and have outfitted it as a surf charter boat. What used to be the fish hold is now the "Board Room" with plenty of room to stack surf boards and even a stove to hang and dry wetsuits in front of. A hot tub was added to the back deck next to the skiff, and between the wheel house, a couple staterooms, and the focsle bunkroom, the Milo can sleep 10 surfers and crew. But this weekend, only 4 of us made the dock before she set out. It's tough to find surf in the summer in Alaska, as the winter swells die down, and this was a happy window before work gets busy where I could sneak out to nowhere for a couple days.
We skiffed around looking for waves, exploring tidal harbors and watching a Sasquatch goatherd (rumors of Bigfoot abound on the outer coastline of the Kenai Peninsula, and the mountain goats we saw were way too big to be normal). We found a new break in the middle of a garden of large rocks, but even I managed not to smash my head or my board as we played for hours in the sunshine. With only four people on the break, we all cheered for each other to catch waves-- no crowds or strife on the line here.
Thick wetsuits are enough for 45 degree water, but on Sunday, when it started to blow snow and sleet in the small face-holes of suits, we got discouraged a little earlier. Snow in May is discouraging anywhere north of the equator. It being Mother's Day, we dried off and started the 5 hour run home to see if we could get cell phone coverage before our moms went to sleep.
I haven't put in that many consecutive hours surfing since I wintered in Mexico, and my shoulders are just starting to loosen.
I did manage to get both my parents on the phone when I got in sight of Homer. My dad was incredulous, and scolded me for getting in the water in Alaska. Am I crazy? He issued this lecture in the clothes he wore to Cancun for a consult on illegal cancer surgery. Am I crazy? At least I know that the reason to go to Mexico is for warm water surfing and delicious food-- not for desperado healthcare that's not even approved in the US. And, he went all the way down there without even eating any Mexican food! They're talking about taking the Milo to Mexico for maintenance next winter, surfers welcome to come along. I'll have to check my schedule and see if they're running any gringo healthcare bargains in the fall.
Some friends bought this old purse seiner out of Washington a couple years ago and have outfitted it as a surf charter boat. What used to be the fish hold is now the "Board Room" with plenty of room to stack surf boards and even a stove to hang and dry wetsuits in front of. A hot tub was added to the back deck next to the skiff, and between the wheel house, a couple staterooms, and the focsle bunkroom, the Milo can sleep 10 surfers and crew. But this weekend, only 4 of us made the dock before she set out. It's tough to find surf in the summer in Alaska, as the winter swells die down, and this was a happy window before work gets busy where I could sneak out to nowhere for a couple days.
We skiffed around looking for waves, exploring tidal harbors and watching a Sasquatch goatherd (rumors of Bigfoot abound on the outer coastline of the Kenai Peninsula, and the mountain goats we saw were way too big to be normal). We found a new break in the middle of a garden of large rocks, but even I managed not to smash my head or my board as we played for hours in the sunshine. With only four people on the break, we all cheered for each other to catch waves-- no crowds or strife on the line here.Thick wetsuits are enough for 45 degree water, but on Sunday, when it started to blow snow and sleet in the small face-holes of suits, we got discouraged a little earlier. Snow in May is discouraging anywhere north of the equator. It being Mother's Day, we dried off and started the 5 hour run home to see if we could get cell phone coverage before our moms went to sleep.
I haven't put in that many consecutive hours surfing since I wintered in Mexico, and my shoulders are just starting to loosen.
I did manage to get both my parents on the phone when I got in sight of Homer. My dad was incredulous, and scolded me for getting in the water in Alaska. Am I crazy? He issued this lecture in the clothes he wore to Cancun for a consult on illegal cancer surgery. Am I crazy? At least I know that the reason to go to Mexico is for warm water surfing and delicious food-- not for desperado healthcare that's not even approved in the US. And, he went all the way down there without even eating any Mexican food! They're talking about taking the Milo to Mexico for maintenance next winter, surfers welcome to come along. I'll have to check my schedule and see if they're running any gringo healthcare bargains in the fall. 