It was a beautiful and busy day at Steamers Lane with about 30 surfers in the water. Taking refuge on a little patch of sand the low tide provided, the Bum Rush judges evaluated the surfers below the rocky cliff.
The 11th year of Bum Rushing brought us to the epicenter of the surf world, where our two judges, Tosh Tudor and Barron Mamiya, have spent the Hawaiian winter scoring endless days of swell at Pipeline.
What we wanted was blue-bird skies and fresh powder. What we got was whiteout conditions. But with a sudden showdown that ended with a truly epic ollie, nothing could dampen the stoke when Bum Rush Tour returned to Mammoth.
To help set the scene, there are probably more surfers in Encinitas than there are in the entire country of Jamaica. When you paddle out into the lineup, it’s like slipping into a time warp. Sort of what we imagine surfing in California was like back in the 50’s, when you knew everyone out there because they were the same few dedicated locals, day after day.
After a few croissants, a little too much espresso, and a surf check from our balcony (that just so happened to overlook this iconic surf spot), we rallied the troops and began our trek down the massive dune to the water’s edge.
