January 1, 1980, first day of a new decade, turned out to be a pretty good day for me. The waves were good and there was hardly anyone out. New Years Day after all. Warm Water Jetty is better known as a right handed wave off the jetty, but today, there was enough west in the swell to produce a screaming left that broke in front of the rock jetties.
I took off on one of the lefts. As I dropped in, my friend and fellow photographer, Jerry Calkins, took the shot above. The wave turned out to be steeper than I thought. Undergunned with my homemade 6'2" single fin, I was hanging on for dear life as the wave broke in front of the rock jetties.
Randy Jourdan, fellow Breakout Magazine staffer, shot this photo and one at the end of the wave on the far end of the jetties. He told me he didn't take more photos because he thought I was going to eat shit right into the jetty and he had to look. No ripping, no styling, but I did make the wave.
I was pretty stoked to ride a wave like this on a surfboard I shaped myself. Getting a great photo was a huge bonus. Not many surfers that morning. I recall Tony Mata and Pipe Master Joey Buran out there. I got out after my five seconds of fame. Nothing I would do was going to top that wave.