the beach @ night
... the beach at night is a special place.
around 9:00 at night the family get together got stale and i just met a cousin that i never knew before. raul lives in lakewood over by the mall. its mid summer '89 and the weather is perfect for a night surf session.
"i dont know man i've never done that before."
"so? just c'mon. you'll love it. we'll be by the pier and we can use the lights from the pier to see the wave. its a blast."
"ok bro, im in"
we jumped in the 81 prelude i was driving and grabed the boards (body at the time) and took off for the shore. it was a short drive in those days. everything seemed closer then. when we hit the shore the low rumble of head high pier bowls could be heard from the parking lot. i looked over at raul and he didnt look good.
"are you sure bro?"
"heeelll yeah" i was on a mission.
we suited up and jumped in. the water was warm and comfortable. we were the only ones out on an empty beach with just a few people lookin down on us from the boardwalk above. as we rose and fell with the sizable waves, the fun began. i wont tell you about my first wave in the dark, but i sure can tell you about his. it fell together like magic. i told him to set up by the pier, almost under it, and go when i say GO. at the time in seal beach the waves did a lil bounce off the pier and would bowl up to make a sewer pipe like tube. after acouple of 'almosts' i set him off on a mutha of a wave. he kicked a bit and slid in. the black water lurched up and out about two extra feet and peeled over him. i could see down the tube at him and all that was visible was his huge grin he had while he rode my version of a wet space mountain and the best wave of his life. when he hit the beach he got up smiled at me and shot back out to the line up.
since then raul has survived a malignant brain tumor and the surgery to correct it. he doesnt surf any more and i dont see him much these days, but i do know that the beach at night is a very special place. to me and raul at least.
posted by deryke @ 9:13 PM
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