Friday the coast of California was hit by a mid summer swell sent our way from the other side of the globe. Huge surf closed the parking lot at Aliso Creek, filling it with sand from waves crashing way over the high tide line. Aliso Creek the looked “just like Waimea shorebreak.”

But our destination was further up the California Riviera. The sleeping giant we wanted to experience (as well as check off Lisa’s bucket list of things to see) was Newport Beach’s the Wedge.

The Wedge is a monster of what most consider a body surfing wave. Brought about by the building of a breakwater, the Wedge is a killer, as we found out when we got to the beach that day. We parked a mile away and started walking in, the spray from the surf could be felt on the breeze.

I knew we were in for a show.

These are the free & easy surfers. They don’t look much different than other people. But they live differently. To them the most important thing in life is the sun and the surf. This is what they enjoy, this is what they live for. Surfers live the life they love. And love the life they live. Free & Easy.

From the breakwater past the second lifeguard stand people had come from far and wide to see the ocean do her thing.

Here are one of the sets that came thru while we were there, only 6 guys in the 70*+ water and waves with 20″+ faces. If anyone asked if they could go in you can hear the lifeguards response:

“If you have to ask, you can’t go.”