It was just like old times, filming and surfing for a week in San Francisco with Keith and Benny B. The 3 of us spent quite a few years grovelling in crappy surf on the WQS and then we spent a year where we were all on the WCT. I was so excited that both of them told me that they were in town and free to film! The Union Express, starts off in San Francisco and ends in San Diego. I will be riding the train, hooking up with good friends in each town, catching some waves, playing music and learning a little bit more about my friends and what they do on their down time. I got a feeling that I am going to get the inside scoop at all the best places to eat and hang out at in each town. I may even be taken to a couple new spots that I have not surfed in the towns as well, but we will keep that on the down low…

Our week started off with Benny and I riding the train up north and meeting up with Keith once we were there. Arriving in SF that afternoon it looked very familiar with the wind, waves and temperature. Strong gails were making the waves not look so inviting and it must of been about 50 degrees. We decided to wait it out and give it a try in the morning, hoping it would calm down and warm up.

The next morning was basically the same conditions as we all jumped around in the parking lot trying to keep warm. After about 3 hours of looking and driving around we rallied to paddle out for a few waves. It took us about 15 min to paddle out and we were getting major icecream head aches, I was getting one even with a hood on. We were laughing looking at each other as we were duck diving about a 100 waves. At one point I thought this will be embarrassing if we cant get out in head high plus surf! Once we made it out it was actually kind of fun, as it always is once you get out there in the lineup. I find it so interesting how it can be 40-50 degrees and victory at sea, but if you have a great wetsuit you are actually quite warm, all of the sudden you are pumped you paddled out, and sometimes even over heating..

Its been a few years since Benny, Keith and I have surfed together and it was great to have the band back together! Benny just came off his 2nd place finish to Freddy P down at the Nike 6 star down at lowers and was looking in form in the blown to smithereens surf..If thats how you spell it. Keith and his amazing beard was laying down some serious Meithka hacks in the San Francisco storm surf. It’s crazy how fast time fly’s and how quickly a few years can go by without surfing with your friends! Back to good times…

After that session the wind was really gailing so we grabbed some lunch at a sweet little taco place in OB and then took a drive looking for some surf that was a little more protected. After driving for a while we came across a beach off PCH that really looked calm compared to everywhere else we looked at that day, and the water was crystal clear. We parked, packed our bags and headed down the trail to the beach. Once we got down there it was like a summer day somewhere in OZ, 80 degrees, white sand, and some fairly clean little peaks inbetween to headlands. As we looked to the right at the headland we saw a nude dude bronzing and we all thought, ok this guy is doing a full frontal bronze..no worries. As we started walking towards the headland we notice another dude bronzing in a little nook. I was thinking ok this is not what I am use to living in Oxnard or Ventura but alright. Then we climbed over a few rocks and to our surprise saw about 30 dudes getting there serious nude dude bronze on. That is when we all got it…it was officially a nude dude bronzing beach. Welcome to SF!

We cruised back to where we had our own little zone, sutied up and paddled out. The water must of been 10 degrees colder than Ocean Beach and I knew after that session I was wearing a hood, booties, 5/4/3 and gloves. It was so odd because the waves were only a little bit over head but it was really hard to get out ,so we were running to the headland suited up head to toe in neopreme and then there were dudes in their birthday suits bronzing…Odd combo.

Keith, Benny and I spent a week filming there because it was by far the best spot up there due to the winds and swell direction. Looking at some of the photos it looked like we were definantly in OZ, and not in SF. It is always great stumbling up new spots that you have never surfed in towns that you have been numerous times. I am looking forward to my next venture on the train and will keep everyone posted about my journey and findings…You never know what’s around the corner!