Drive Up the California Coast: Part Two - Camping with The Band

Before leaving Ventura, I decided to check the waves again. The spot that Jason and I had surfed the previous day still looked good. This trip was supposed to be about exploration and surfing new spots. I pictured myself with a scraggly beard, camping out on a lone hill overlooking an empty lineup in Central California - living off the land and surviving on only my wits. Possibly with a Native American as a friend. But who was I to deny good waves breaking right in front of me? 

Three hours later, I was on the road again with a soggy wetsuit. A friend of mine told me about a camping spot north of Point Conception that’s beside a beachbreak. It was 15 miles down a windy road off Highway 1. Normally that kind of dedication would have me looking elsewhere. But without any agenda, I decided to make the trek. 

I sang along to The Band while taking every curve. I really identify with The Band lately. In the 1967, full-blown psychedelia and two-hour long jam sessions were the norm. In response, The Band retreated to a house and played scaled back rock n’ roll. This back to basics sound later inspired the Beatles and Eric Clapton. For me, after 80 days of galavanting around Europe at a hectic pace, I’m trying to live a simpler, more focused life. The parallel may be a bit of a stretch; however, I’m still going with it. 

I arrived at the spot around 4 p.m. Besides the campsite, there was little sign of civilization. 50 feet from my camp spot (minus the tent since I was sleeping in my car), fast, low-tide waves lapped onto shore. Grass covered sandstone cliffs towered over the beach.

Having surfed nearly six hours in the last 24 hours, I decided to wait to surf until morning when the tide would be more ideal. I still kept an eye on the conditions as I ate a hamburger. The wind was calm. The shape of the waves slowly improved as the tide rose. A few legitimately fun waves broke farther and farther outside. But by that point, half of the sun was hidden by the horizon. 

I retreated to my car and prepared to spend a night inside. Oddly enough, I enjoyed a great night of sleep in the narrow quarters. 10 hours later I awoke feeling refreshed and checked the surf.