Lost my virginity on Brighton Beach

This is pretty late. My first thought was "nahhh...", but then it occurred to me that other newbs might benefit and it might serve as entertainment for those of you who actually know what you're doing

Got to New Brighton Saturday of the last weekend of Nov. It was mid afternoon, sunny and the water was pretty flat. Set up camp and looked forward to the next day. The wife had plans for me for the AM so I went in the early afternoon.

Definitely not as flat as the day before. Launched w/o any drama,  but I was just too nervous to turn my back to the horizon once out -- 'definitely a good situation for the buddy system' was my thought. Actually, in the chop, I'm not entirely sure I could have rigged my rods. So I just enjoyed the paddle, played around with the new FF and went back. Landed fine and wondered about the warnings [more to come  ]

On the beech another kayaker walks up to chat, and, very gently, tells me most people go out in the early AM "when it's calm". Okey, dokey.

8:00 the next day I'm on the beach ready to launch. It's better than the afternoon before... but not that much better. Things went ok. I found my way to about 30' of water, but I'm not finding any structure... so I just jig away anyway. About 20 minutes go by and I'm pretty relaxed, distracted by the scenery, and a bit woozey, when my pole goes BANG BANG. I mean violent. I swing away, but no joy (it *did* cured the woozies though). An hour latter nothing, and I'm getting hungry. So I prop the pole on the Scotty mount with the jig near the bottom,  flick the bite 'n run thing to free spool and pull out a sandwich. I'm half way through it when the tip of my pole bounces and the line starts bzzzzzzzzzzzzz... sandwich overboard, clumsy grab the pole, swing, nothing.

By this time the sun has gone behind the clouds and there is the most gentle of breezes. And I discover is that a wet suit just doesn't cut it. Within in hour I'm a paddling pop-cycle. Maybe it's just old age kicking in, but man, it just didn't take long to get cold and the weather was pretty nice, and the water is getting nice and flat. So I paddle back, land impeccably on the beach, and just as I'm wondering what you guys are talking about, the bigger wave behind me sloshes me sideways and tips me out of the yak. No harm to anything but my ego. But now I'm FROZEN. Get back to camp, knock on the door, "Honey, I need a hot shower. Get me some clothes and a towel please". Head off to the camp showers and $2.00 worth of quarter showers later I'm toasty warm, and pulling on my pants... except she had handed me a pair of hers ....

Day 3 I took the wife to breakfast, and was looking out at the window at the ocean. And it kept getting flatter and flatter. I was on the beach by 11:00 with a coat in the milk crate. "Boy, the water seems to be breaking a little taller today", frantic launch goes ok. 

What a gorgeous, gorgeous day. The water was glassy with gentle swells. Caught a couple little 10" rockfish but nothing more exciting. When I see I'm running out of time I reluctantly paddle back, and I kid you not, there was a rainbow over the campground. Not wanting to get sloshed again, I figure I'll wait for a big wave and paddle in behind it.

My surfer son says, "ummm, Dad, I think you were a bit too close". I'm counting the waves as I feel them under me, and just as I think, "This should be it" 'IT' picks me up, turns me sideways, and throws me ass over tea kettle onto the beach. Thanks to the advice of you guys I had all my gear stowed securely -- except my net, damnit.

Just want to say the info on this board allowed this to be a very enjoyable trip (read: new addiction) instead of a very big disappointment. Looking forward to next season.

Ben

Awesome report,
Sounds like you had a great time and made a long weekend of it
Sometimes we learn more from the slow trips than the more productive ones.
Glad you stuck with it and mastered the launch while still respecting the landing.
Next year when you're going out try to post for a hookup, it's safer and we don't want to hear a horror story about one of our own

Thanks for an awesome read this morning FishFarmer. It is funny reading
your report and I am actually seeing myself as I read on. Thanks for
reminding me of me. I am definitely learning new things each time I go on
the water. But please, hook up with these fine folks here. A whole bunch
of cool guys and gals.

Jedmo

Thanks for sharing FishFarmer. This goes a long ways for the rest of us newbies. I keep taking in all the advice and tips everyone has offered on this site and it has really helped. I am planning on making my first ocean excursion next year and I am hopeful it will be a positive one given the knowledge I am gathering from this site.

Great report and again thanks for adding to the knowledge bank.

Ray

Way to go on your solo adventure, and thanks for sharing it too.   

way to get wet

Often New Brighton beach is a lake but the last weekend in Nov had some swell to it, and though New Brighton is very protected, the shore dump was decent sized that weekend.  So dont feel bad about dumping it that weekend.

Eugene

The more experience you get in the surf the more comfortable you'll be in it when it really counts.  Very much enjoyed the read, thanks for posting.

  A wet suit holds moisture on the surface which evaporates and radiates heat very efficiently.  Try wearing rain pants on top. Just make sure that they will stay up upon landing, suspenders  or tight waist. On second thought, remove before landing.

i thought i heard a cherry pop that weekend!!     
thanks for the story&learning you can share it without reluctance.
...for it WILL help others&myself
"for every launch, will get you wiser"...someone needs to print that somewhere

Great read, did the same thing last year, just getting ready to follow in the next wave, only it picked me up and shot me forward like a rocket, a second or 2 later I was face down in 6" of water with my yak sailing over my head, and no gear stowed, stuff strewn every where,     the surf looked much smaller from behind than it actually was,,,,, sounds like you were still smiling afterwards, that's a good sign

Next year when you're going out try to post for a hookup, it's safer...

Definitely. Looking forward to it.

I am planning on making my first ocean excursion next year and I am hopeful it will be a positive one

It's certainly different than lakes and rivers.... but I *really* enjoyed it, save the upside-down-in-the-surf thing... that and waddling back to the fifth wheel in my wife's pants 

dont feel bad about dumping it that weekend.

Thanks for the encouragement. I figured ya gotta pay your dues...

sounds like you were still smiling afterwards...

It had been such a beautiful day I could afford a little humility at the end 

I had wanted to get a grip on how much I didn't know... and learned I have a long ways to go just to understand that much... but it looks like it will be a lot of fun!

Thanks all,

Ben

Great report, Ben! Thanks for sharing your experience.

And I second the motion to get some dry pants to wear over your wetsuit. I got some regular NRS paddling pants and I wear them over my suit.....it's a revelation. You can even just get some cheapo Kirkland waterproof pants from Costco.