Best Surfs of 2003?

Now that we have ASKOTY by the wayside it's that time of year when we reflect back on what's been good in the surfing world to us... leading to the question,

'What were your best (3 or 5 or ?) surfs of 2003?'

I have two for you.

1. Point Judith, Rhode Island. Hurricane Fabian swell. Narrowly missed jw, for the third or fourth time in a row. Also just missed a chance to surf with MikeG; we were in the water at the same time and he did find my car but I had already paddled out and I didn't come in 5 mins. after he left. Fun waves, best one was the last one.

2. Torrey Pines Beach, San Diego, CA. Bodysurfing between instrument frames. After the fires had gone but there was still ash along the shoreline. Would walk across it back and forth every few minutes while working to clear kelp off sensors and measure elevations of the sand and think about Scripps Ranch, and whose dreams or memories I was stepping on.

Lucky for my broke self, the wacky weather off of Florida this year provided too many opportunities to surf world class waves in 2003. But three memorable swells/sessions come to mind 1. April 2003, Indialantic, Fl, extremely rare SubTropical Storm Ana, A week of unreal surf. On my trusty 7'2' Brewer 2. June 2003, Patrick Air Force Base, Fl, extremely rare, brisk even for winter around here, 59 degree water, and even rarer, a never ending south swell from a stationary atlantic high pressure system. Wife nearly left me after close to thirty days of nice waves. On my 10'6' G&S 3. September 2003, South Canova Reefs, Hurricane H(I think it was a hurricane, but in any case it was the H one). The last few storms of the year were plagued by persistant and nagging on shores. This storm in particular was not too memorable because it was smack dab between Fabian and Isabel. Fabian brought sizeable surf to the coast with favorable winds on the peak of the swell, but closing out bad. Isabel, the monster that she was bought strong onshores with her. But H came in and barely registered, but did provide a very memorable one day session on the reefs. Very Very long rights walling up from outside to the beach(can you say drawn out cutbacks). On my 6'10' Rainbow Epoxy Truly a great year to be broke and living in central Fl. Oh yeah and the Natural Ice flowed like if they were Coronas.....

The best surfs of 2003 was every time I went out surfing with my daughter, Morgan, and seeing her improve her skills, not to mention her totally stoked attitude.

That is the best thing Ive read here in a long while.

One wave stands out above all others this past year. It was at the Pipeline contest in 6-8' surf, Hawaiian. I'd taken my disposable camera out for the first heat of the day and got my butt kicked just getting outside, so for my heat I wanted to make sure I had an easy entry. I was the first one in the water, and by chance, it was a ridiculously easy paddle out. The other four guys came out, but I made sure I was closest to the peak. The warning horn sounded, telling the heat before ours they had 5 minutes left. They all caught their final wave and I started easing out to the lineup. The horn to sound the end of the heat sounded and I moved into position. The rest of the guys were following. We were all just waiting for the next horn blast. Then a set appeared. I went over the first wave. Then the next. The third wave was beautiful. Clean, glassy, just what you'd expect at the Pipe. And there I was, in priority. Nobody outside of me, nobody deeper. It jacked and I just turned and took off. I took the drop and started flying. It was easy. There is nothing like that view of the North Shore from the face of a wave. It was over all too quickly, but what a feeling. As it closed out, I bailed. And as I popped up to the surface, I heard the horn to start our heat. The wave didn't count on the scoresheet, but I sure didn't care.

Turby the Turbosurfer

Awesome Turby the Turbosurfer... tell me, could you feel that turbo surge when you cleared the lip? Huntington Cliffs has been good all winter on my egg.

I had about 600 awesome surfs last yr.

WHADDABOUT A LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD?

I BETTI COULD GEETTIT?