It was a quick trip from Seattle to San Diego to catch some fun surf pushing southwest off of Hurricane Marie. I was little apprehensive to fly on a plane for the first time since COVID-19, but a recent tour of SeaTac made me feel better about it. Kudos to Alaska Airlines for only charging $30 one-way for a surfboard.

I met two friends who I grew up with in Charleston, one who lived 3 doors down from me on the same block. The special fact that three southerners were converging from our homes in Los Angeles, Encinitas and Seattle for 5 days of consistent California surf was not lost on any of us. We had a blast.

As I’ve moved into my 40s, the 6’8 Crowd Killer by Lost has become my go-to travel surfboard for variable conditions whether paddling into deeper or steeper waves or battling offshore winds. Plenty of foam while still maneuverable and dynamic. I also highly recommend these travel bags by Wave Tribe for being durable, protective and sustainably made.

Packed light for the plane so no professional photos this time. Oh well, more time for surfing…