With summer comes a more than usual lack of swell, everywhere. Usually. The season Ialso brings road construction, No, I don’t really have to surf-splain that to you. We all check the same forecasts, dream the same dreams of wave after wave after… yes, and then something like traffic, and traffic accidents, and road closures for construction and mowing and cleaning road signs.

SO, we alter our plans.

Not that we want to. I check the forecasts, Trish checks road conditions. It isn’t like she tries everything she can to dissuade me from surfing, always mentioning how the next swell isn’t the last one, that it just seems like it. The argument has never, for me, held water.

SO, while I’m altering and readjusting and trying not to buy in to the ‘next time’ dealio, particularly because I made promises to myself that ‘next time,’ I’m going, let me clue you in to what some of my surf friends are up to:

TRAVELING, Yes. Mexico, New Zealand, Oregon (even California), the far West End, surfers are hitting the road and the air to get into the water. I did manage to get invited on a road/hike/camp trip with some local Peninsula rippers; the invitation contingent on my not actually going (it’s the hiking/camping part, mostly, but sharing more waves with hungry, competitive, and aggressive surfers did play into the decision- plus, as always, work).

It’s not as if they wanted to wait for me on the trail or worry about whether a helicopter might be needed for getting me out… so, yeah, save yourselves, Rippers. But thanks for the sort of invite.

However, I can report that TOM BURNS, contemporary of mine, is on surfari in South Africa. Yeah, Jordy Smith territory, Cape Saint Francis land, Jeffry’s Bay. He did text that he was hoping to surf Cape Town. I did ask him to send photos.

While Tom texted that the elephants raised his adrenalin level, he wrote that the lion(ess, I have watched some ‘Wild Kingdom’) “came a little too close.” Now, I am trying to imagine Tom in the requisite safari gear; hat, jacket with way too many pockets, reeling back from the window on the bus.

Part of the imagery comes from having recently seen a video of the Florences in the bush, or outback, or game park/reserve, whichever is appropriate. John was, if I remember correctly, Ivan was barfing, Nathan was laughing. I just stuck Tom in there with them. Still, I’m imagining him soul arching away from the window.

I’M KIND OF THINKING I might see way too many friends the next time I find some waves. MAYBE you are frothed out. ME? Definitely.

THANKS for checking out “Swamis” on Wednesdays. I am going to try to set up a second page just for the manuscript. If I’m not mistaken, I think Chulo gets killed in the next installment.