We had transacted our business and were about to pull out for home when Tom stopped us and asked, "How would you like to see my favorite bodyboarding spot?" How could we turn down such an invitation from the inventor of the bodyboard?

Tom hopped into his truck and we took off, following him to a hillside somewhere between Dana Point and Laguna. With considerable difficulty, we found a place to park on a side street and locked up the van. Across the way Tom led us down an immense flight of stairs to the beach.

The sand along this stretch of beach has a feeling all its own, very gritty and grainy. We followed Tom south quite a ways to a curious spot where there was quite a gathering of bodyboarders.

"This place works best at high tide" Tom said. Picture a steeply sloping beach, just slightly concave in its contour. At the far end of the beach is a rock shelf that juts out into the water at about a 45-degree angle, and also slopes upward quite steeply.

As waves rise and break parallel to the beach, they also wash up onto the rock shelf. There they pile up and then roll off, changing direction in the process. A reflected wave from the shelf winds up moving northward, perpendicular to the beach. When the timing is right, the reflected wave meets the next incoming wave and forms a steep, beautiful peak.

If you start in the corner pocket, near where the rock shelf meets the beach, you can catch the reflection and ride it left and outward toward the incoming wave. With skill and good fortune, you can catch a peak, shoot a barrel, or get some airtime. If you misjudge, however, you’d better duck under the incoming wave or risk being slammed headlong into the sand!

I followed Tom out and cautiously observed for a while. What a fantastic sight! This, I thought, is Disneyland for wave riders! After watching everyone else having terminal amounts of fun, I could resist no longer and very carefully maneuvered into the corner pocket. Things are pretty competitive there. Finally, when the time was right, I managed to take off and run the gauntlet. Hallelujah!

Cal has decided that this looks just a bit risky and so he is watching from shore. After a couple of good rides, I decide to walk away happy while I can still walk; but you can bet I’ll be back someday, God willing!