Point Mugu is often referred to as California's pipeline
because of it's powerful hollow thumping break on a shallow
sandbar makes it a great wave to practice getting tubes
and pushing your skills to it's limits.
Point Mugu Tube Quest
My first paddle-out at Mugu was also my first
introduction to the California coastline and frigid 54°
west coast pacific water. Fortunately Kevin had ordered
me a nice 4/2 taped full wetsuit that made the dip in the
ocean tolerable except for hands and feet (which loss feeling
after 20 minutes).
Surfing a couple of weeks in Mainland
Mexico just a few days before prepared me for the
wave size but the shear power of Mugu could be felt on the
beach as the lips of the waves thundered on the sandbar.
Images of Pasquales and remote forbidden Mexican beach breaks
that my father had warned my about filled my head. Upon
entering the water I was reminded of Dorothy's classic script
line "I'm not in Kansas anymore". My only
Wizard of OZ was Josh Wilson and he was
hypnotized by the giant tube eyeballs glaring out of each
wave's barrel and it's eyebrow of offshore winds frothing
backward toward the horizon. I certainly wasn't in
Cocoa Beach anymore where my surfing buddies were
experiencing the flattest summer in years. I felt
sorry for my friends and my father who's never surfed California
while his thirteen year old daughter was paddling out and
following a yellow brick road that he'd never been on before.
Where would this road take me? Would I find my treasure
at the end of it? We've all seen the pros in deep barrels
before... would I elevate myself to the standup barrel elite?
Entering the lineup and watching the waves
peel, barrel and spit at me, I knew overcoming the mental
challenge and fear of dropping in on fast pitching, hollow
waves would take courage that big wave riders like Greg
Noll or Laird Hamilton had taken
years to develop. I had to muster-up the same courage the
lion needed so badly in Dorothy's adventure. Would I be
up to the challenge or would I deny myself or be denied?
