[By Marcia Milner-Brage, visiting Santa Barbara, California, USA]
“Best waves of the season!” many exclaimed. A dangerous surf advisory was reason for locals to play hooky from work and school, pull on their black wetsuits in the parking lot and, toting surfboards, trot along the Santa Barbara Harbor, left down the breakwater, and left again at the spit to where big waves were crashing beyond the protected harbor. Dazzling sunlight, a warmer than usual California, February day, the coastal mountains greened-up from recent rain, the weather had called a party. Non-surfers, young and old, braved being doused by the occasional wave that breached the breakwater to marvel at the feats of athleticism and wipe-outs.
When my husband had dropped me off at the harbor, I thought it was going to be an afternoon of drawing boats. The surfing action captivated me until the end when the Coast Guard boat “Blackfin” became pretty irresistible, too.