ESA Central NJ District had their 1st contest of the year today at Loch Arbour, NJ, my homebreak. Waves were generally poor in quality, but good enough for a contest (especially for the groms). Mostly thigh to waist with a rare stomach high wave. It remained rideable through the high tide, and as frustrating it was at first to have a contest in these conditions, I applaud the call, as this is not Indo and if you keep putting off a contest in hopes for better surf you would eventually pull your hair out or something. Last week would have been epic, but their was ice all over the place.

My fourth place trophy from the 1st and only time I competed back in 2000 will now have two friends for company down in my basement; a 4th place for Masters Shortboard, and a 2nd place for Open Longboard from today.

Generally today was one of those days that you would have looked at the surf and said forget it. But looking back, there was the isolated section/pocket to be had, and the freaking groms were killing it on some of the sh#$ty ones. It was a good experience to compete again. Next competition down here: Ocean Grove, NJ.


Ryan

They are also some of the nicest people out of the water and we enjoy spending our time with them at the Northeast Regional and the Finals.

Where do we go to see the results?


The Wyldewood Surf Club went to Central New Jersey twice in the sixties. We got ankle bitter surf both times and then went back home to Lake Erie and scored waist high. Nobody that surfs regularly now on Lakes Erie and Ontario was either born then or were too young to surf.

Congratulations on your placements. You have earned competition points. All right! The trophies are good memories as you get older. The memories are the best. The firendships endure all time.

3/4 of the fun now for me at ESA East Coast competitions is the good company, stoke, and to see the determination to do better despite the odds or the conditions.

Practice does not make perfect but perfect practice makes perfect. The waves are a whole different matter out of ones control. There is nothing better than to be there at the right moment and right time when that good wave rolls in.

Man my jaw is still sore from the drop it took looking at those surfline pics of the Right Coast from last weekend. Those were some amazing and beautiful overhead wave shots.

Good on you brother!