Wishful Thinking Wednesday Surf & Culture Report
Lost Boys & Co...
Okay! It's the first of July and we have now left the June gloom behind us. Yes, we are now in the "July Gloom." The fact that it doesn't even rhyme makes it that more odious. Of course, we always say that summer doesn't begin until after the Fourth, so we've got a few days yet...
Under the obviously light overcast skies we have 10 miles visibility. Winds are already onshore by 3.8kts and the sea surface has a light tack to it. The air temperature is 60.4° and the water is a chilly 62.4°. The post in Hermosa said 68°, but we're thinking they are just a bit optimistic. High tide is at 6:40am +3.1' and low tide will be at 11:08am +2.1'. The 46221 buoy is reading a 2.6' swell out of 203°. We're calling the resulting waves 1' and poor.
The Fourth of July always evokes the strangest memories, some amusing and some slightly disturbing. The Professor shared this one with us this morning.
"The Spirit of Independence"
James Roy Buffalo Spook Campbell was part nutty professor, brilliant mathematician and fearless surfer. Back when the Beach Cities still allowed fireworks he showed up at our house with a 3' long, homemade, 3-stage rocket. It was made out of an aluminum pipe and looked like a Howitzer shell. He had perfected his own brand of solid fuel using charcoal briquettes for carbon, salt peter and various other ingredients that basically spelled gunpowder. With great fanfare he announced that liftoff would be at 4pm. Since it wasn't a sky rocket with a brilliant display, but more like a scientific probe designed to tickle the edge of the troposphere it had to be witnessed during the day. At 3:56pm he set the rocket on the drive-way and all the women and children ran into the house and gathered at the windows. The men, displaying various levels of bravery / foolhardiness stood in a loose circle surrounding the projectile. Wearing welder's goggles Campbell lit the fuse which was about 2' long at the stroke of 4. It began to sizzle and inch toward the rocket. When it got about 5" away from the fuel, Campbell, who had been standing next to the launching pad turned around and ran. When he got to the circle of guys he kept running, which inspired a mass retreat which ended up behind the cars parked in the street. There was a huge roar when the fuel ignited and for several seconds the rocket sat on the pad belching fire, smoke and melted aluminum. It then began to rise on an impressive pillar of flame and suddenly took off like a... well a... rocket! It zipped skyward about 50' and then the second stage lit. Instead of continuing straight up it made an erratic turn and headed east just above roof level, trailing a white zig-zag of smoke since the fins had melted off on the pad. Everyone was watching slack-jawed when there was a huge explosion. It looked like a special effect from Star Wars and it sounded like the refinery had blown up. Campbell had a hand shading his eyes and started shaking his head. He turned and looked at us and said with proper gravity, "That poor mouse..."
"When the surf breaks, we'll fix it..."
The Professor!!
Okay! It's the first of July and we have now left the June gloom behind us. Yes, we are now in the "July Gloom." The fact that it doesn't even rhyme makes it that more odious. Of course, we always say that summer doesn't begin until after the Fourth, so we've got a few days yet...
Under the obviously light overcast skies we have 10 miles visibility. Winds are already onshore by 3.8kts and the sea surface has a light tack to it. The air temperature is 60.4° and the water is a chilly 62.4°. The post in Hermosa said 68°, but we're thinking they are just a bit optimistic. High tide is at 6:40am +3.1' and low tide will be at 11:08am +2.1'. The 46221 buoy is reading a 2.6' swell out of 203°. We're calling the resulting waves 1' and poor.
The Fourth of July always evokes the strangest memories, some amusing and some slightly disturbing. The Professor shared this one with us this morning.
"The Spirit of Independence"
James Roy Buffalo Spook Campbell was part nutty professor, brilliant mathematician and fearless surfer. Back when the Beach Cities still allowed fireworks he showed up at our house with a 3' long, homemade, 3-stage rocket. It was made out of an aluminum pipe and looked like a Howitzer shell. He had perfected his own brand of solid fuel using charcoal briquettes for carbon, salt peter and various other ingredients that basically spelled gunpowder. With great fanfare he announced that liftoff would be at 4pm. Since it wasn't a sky rocket with a brilliant display, but more like a scientific probe designed to tickle the edge of the troposphere it had to be witnessed during the day. At 3:56pm he set the rocket on the drive-way and all the women and children ran into the house and gathered at the windows. The men, displaying various levels of bravery / foolhardiness stood in a loose circle surrounding the projectile. Wearing welder's goggles Campbell lit the fuse which was about 2' long at the stroke of 4. It began to sizzle and inch toward the rocket. When it got about 5" away from the fuel, Campbell, who had been standing next to the launching pad turned around and ran. When he got to the circle of guys he kept running, which inspired a mass retreat which ended up behind the cars parked in the street. There was a huge roar when the fuel ignited and for several seconds the rocket sat on the pad belching fire, smoke and melted aluminum. It then began to rise on an impressive pillar of flame and suddenly took off like a... well a... rocket! It zipped skyward about 50' and then the second stage lit. Instead of continuing straight up it made an erratic turn and headed east just above roof level, trailing a white zig-zag of smoke since the fins had melted off on the pad. Everyone was watching slack-jawed when there was a huge explosion. It looked like a special effect from Star Wars and it sounded like the refinery had blown up. Campbell had a hand shading his eyes and started shaking his head. He turned and looked at us and said with proper gravity, "That poor mouse..."
"When the surf breaks, we'll fix it..."
The Professor!!
