12/22/03 Report: "the Cove"
It's been a long time since the last entry, and indeed a long time since my 
last surf session.  I was on a tour with the Involvement along the West Coast.  
Details of that trip can be found at www.timbluhm.com  Today I surfed at Palos Verdes Cove 
in LA county, a spot as different from Ocean Beach as imaginable.  
Nestled in the north-facing cliffs of the PV Peninsula it features a few different 
peaks, mostly longboard-ish.  You can check it out from high above and then walk down 
a dirt road about a half mile to the rocky beach at the back of the cove. The paddle 
out is always really peaceful and beautiful, passing over rich tidal sea life and through 
sargasso and seaweed that floats in the perpetually glassy water. For some reason the 
place feels like an earlier time.  
   This afternoon had a big negative tide and a 3-5 foot west swell coming in pretty 
consistently.  Nothing too exciting but some fun waves. There were about 16 people 
on it when I paddled out, not too many for that spot. I ended up sitting kind of 
out on the shoulder on the right off the main (south) peak and picked off a handful 
of the bigger set waves that were closing out any deeper than I was.  The waves were 
mushy in spots and really long, and I was able to ride them all the way to the 
"boneyard," kicking out as they closed out near the rocks. Water temp was surprisingly 
cold for SoCal but the air was balmy, almost a Santa Ana pattern.  A pod pf dolphins 
languished near the line-up the whole time I was out.  One sounded like he may have had 
a cold.  Every time he cleared his blow-hole it sounded like a man blowing his nose.  
I caught a wave in and took my time paddling over the starfish, anenomes and seaweed.