Zach Plopper – Checking in.

Haven´t gone left yet in 2012. Its not because I haven’t been surfing. I haven’t had the opportunity to go left yet. If I went left on any of the waves I caught so far this year the results would have been a face and board smashed by rocks, a blown perfect right and a confused surfer on the shoulder.

My year kicked off with a few days down under on the sweeping right points of New South Wales. I haven´t celebrated a southern hemisphere Christmas in a longtime and we were cordially invited by some friends to a family Chrissy gathering in Crescent Head. The best part about it is that it is just about the longest day of the year so instead of presents, food, a football game and bed, an Australian Christmas entails presents, surf, breakfast, surf, a big family lunch, surf, dinner, a few slabs of beer and some ridiculous aussie games. Not to mention the air and water are a heavenly 78.

A nagging knee injury kept me out of the water prior to the trip and so I was very appreciative of the cyclone that developed in the Coral Sea during our stay and delivered what a kept hearing as the best Christmas swell in a decade. Crescent and surrounding points produced waves akin to those I love in central Baja but with the comforts of a meat pie and Coopers ale waiting on shore.

We flew home soon after the new year and for me it was a very quick turn around to the dusty points of central Baja for my birthday swell (thanks Mother Ocean). I had a few properties to survey for WILDCOAST that we hope to protect but a nasty sounding truck engine kept us from delving too deep into the wilderness. Nonetheless I got a bit of work done and scored one of the more benign yet rip-able points on the coast.

The truck made it home and I caught up with the remainder of the swell. I indulged on a few sessions at OB Jetty and San Miguel until the run came to an end.

I’ve probably travelled a couple hundred miles on a surf board given the amazing point break surf I have been blessed with the past few weeks. I very much fear my first attempt at going left in 2012. Perhaps another swell will show its face in the north Pacific soon and I can delay my backside a bit longer.

Happy new year!

-Zach