*** Official 2020 Community Surf Journal ***

Chee-to

Michael Peterson status
Jan 11, 2002
2,426
969
113
1/1: drove home from a house party in LA, checked the cams a few times to see nothing interesting. Suited up, walked over, and paddled out at the pier anyway around 4 just to get wet. Two minutes after I paddle out... bam!! Swell hits. Snagged a handful of head high, clean rights. A lot of donkeys in the way though.

1/2: original plan was to journey to Blacks or Ventura, but the delayed hangover got me and I went to a new to me spot in northern OC. Fortunately, it was pumping and I got several ledging rights in a very small crowd. I felt jittery and my turns felt jerky but you can't win em all.
 

b.r.

Phil Edwards status
Dec 19, 2003
5,922
3,034
113
Leucadia
www.youtube.com
day 3 of 2020, best session of the year! lol tried same spot as yesterday but looked too crowded went to another zone that had minor crowd, eventually paddled down to the spot we wanted and a group of guys were doing coffee talk on big boards sitting too far outside. literally got 15 to 1 wave ratio compared to those guys, super glassy and clean, rights and a few lefts, same board as yesterday but worked much better in the glassy conditions. did 2 1/2 hours and I am feeling it now, turning on the jacuzzi and getting ready for a soak with all the nieces and nephews as we challenge each other for polar bear plunges, pool 56, jacuzzi 101. good start to 2020 for this old man..
 

bluengreen

Michael Peterson status
Oct 22, 2018
1,763
4,641
113
SF x Encinitas
Last days of my holiday vacation and today really delivered. Checked it early and middle beach was huge and scary so I went home to chill and wait for the swell to drop. Headed back to the beach at 2:00 and found that the north end was actually firing with only a 5 or six guys spread out at three different peaks. Big (2x overhead +), perfect peaks groomed by offshore winds. Made it out pretty easily and after narrowly missing an early set wave, sat for 30 minutes before another reappeared. No barrels but some big drops, bottom turns and long, fast pocket rides. 7'6 felt right for getting to and into waves, but a little big once up. Got cleaned up by a set leftover from the peak of the swell and called it a session. Luckily it broke about 15 yards outside of me. Yew!

Ah... Surfline featured it in their Good-Epic. That it was! https://www.surfline.com/surf-news/good-epic-northern-california-beachbreak-january-3rd/74401
 
Last edited:

Chee-to

Michael Peterson status
Jan 11, 2002
2,426
969
113
I saw footage from the Beach today and really, really missed NorCal.

Fortunately, Huntington was sheet glass and fun sized. Went to the same spot as yesterday. A bit more crowd, but also hitting the peak and reeling off better.

Unfortunately, I saw the Surfline webcam rewind footage of my first wave. Ooof. Like most mediocre surfers, I need to compress more and bend at the knees rather than the waist through turns.
 

Ifallalot

Duke status
Dec 17, 2008
88,305
17,592
113
I did a new one yesterday, I pulled into a closeout and somehow rolled my ankle on the bottom. It was my front foot so it made the rest of the session interesting. Pretty stiff today
 
  • Like
Reactions: teeroi

b.r.

Phil Edwards status
Dec 19, 2003
5,922
3,034
113
Leucadia
www.youtube.com
day 4 for 2020, went to same spot as yesterday but didn't time it well and the wind got on it a little bit after about a half hour. felt kind of sore after 3 days of snowboarding and now 4 days of surfing, especially after yesterdays 3 hour session, got a couple of long rights and my last wave was my best so I went in happy. new oneill psycho feels good and no more cold feet because I am plenty warm in this 4/3. at my age popups etc work better when too warm then too cold so I will take it. got a new stick from Chris Puha that I am planning to use once i lose 10 lbs and get my paddling stronger.
 

Kento

Duke status
Jan 11, 2002
68,691
20,903
113
The Bar
Did the annual Big Sur campout for New Years, and for the first time in 8 years, we were completely skunked.....because it was too....effing....HUGE! Didn't stop us from having a good time though. And on the way back into town this morning, managed a fun session at a rare right-hander. Fun carvable waves in the chest-headhigh range. Got crowded but had already picked off some fun ones so was satisfied.
No sh*t?! I was just to south of you last couple days. Massive on Thursday but more manageable on Friday. Will write recap in a little bit.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Aruka

Oceanslide

Kelly Slater status
Mar 5, 2008
9,698
2,321
113
Oceanside, CA
By the time I got in the water with the kids, it was too small/walled/mushy for anything other than a lb or mid,
but pushing the girl grom into some and then watching both catch waves gleefully inside from the lineup on a beautiful, sunny day in Januarary...doesn’t get much better in life!
 

Kento

Duke status
Jan 11, 2002
68,691
20,903
113
The Bar
Family and I went up to Central Coast for a couple days. Timed with some really chunky swell. Knew it would be pretty out of control Thursday so made the deal to do the family stuff that day and surf on Friday. Elephant seal females were ornery at each other while bulls were trying to sleep in peace. Tough deal. Gotta keep the harem close but also try to tune out the squawking. I don't know how the fundamentalist mormons do it.

Beachbreaks were very solid DOH+ with a couple of gems interspersed with a 1:20 ratio of brutal closeouts. Reefs were bigger than I cared to deal with. Big, clean, but raw and shifty. Absolutely zero takers anywhere. No regrets about skipping Thursday - checked Friday morning early and beachbreak near where I was staying was several feet overhead lefts, chunky, and fun. Felt good to surf waves like that again even though most of my session was dodging closeout bombs and fighting the subtle current. Surfed my 6'6", ate crap spectacularly on first wave when I threw myself over way too steep of a ledge trying to backdoor something I shouldn't have but no biggie. Got several other lefts that more or less held up a bit before closing out on inside. Fun and beautiful day out. One other person paddled out as I was going in but that was it. Uncannily empty everywhere. Water was warm too - high 50s I'm guessing. Was more than fine in a 3/2 and booties. That was trippy actually since it had been the first time I'd worn booties in several years.

Good way to start 2020. Already way ahead of the game from last year.
 
Last edited:

Brsnstein

OTF status
Jul 28, 2018
250
479
63
SoCal
Both sessions were pretty fun this weekend. Kind of crowded, but most were doing their best buoy impressions. Today was a bit smaller than yesterday, but a lot better than expected once the tide started to come down. I finally started getting into rhythm after being out of the water due to injury, illness, and work for about a month and a half.

The Dion captain fin fins felt pretty good and will probably try them with a bigger trailing fin next time.

With the exception of Christmas morning and the weekend after, the Feral 3/2 was been plenty warm - even after forgetting my booties this morning
 
  • Like
Reactions: teeroi

20W-50 and blood

Duke status
Feb 4, 2004
24,949
4,032
113
SOCAL
Visit site
i woke up with a cold. decided to lay low. waves weren't arguing for anythign else. got a few thigns done aroudn the pad, got a call, now im drunk. the end of vacation is lame!!!! its gotta keep going!!!!!


p.s.
anyone feel like calling out for a surf session in the next two weeks? the thought of reliving vacation is good. hope giving. something liek that.
 

MathDebater

Michael Peterson status
Apr 13, 2016
2,584
6,128
113
SD
Missed most of the swell due to work, but went to a secret spot saturday for some leftovers, unfortunately so did quite a few others. Luckily the swell was pretty consistent 3-5' so there was a good rotation. Got some fun ones on the Banjo, loose and fun
 

Maz

Michael Peterson status
May 18, 2004
3,041
4,551
113
Innzid
Woohoooo!

After a couple of very average surfs on what I thought would be good days, this morning really delivered. Didn't look like it at first, with a lazy 2ft at first light, but I paddled out at 8.30am hoping for the best.

15min later it was pumping - like proper pumping. 12ft faces and quite heavy, with double up roll-ins making for a sort of poor man's tow surfing; the easiest takeoffs into throaty waves. Got 10 waves, three of which were Best Ever material (for this spot).

The newly renovated Ghost went like a dream, but I was well undergunned towards the end of the session.

Coffee in the warm sun now, then off to work. Feel fcuken bullet proof!
 

Havoc

Phil Edwards status
May 23, 2016
7,682
12,216
113
in da hood next to paradise
Good size at the regular. Headhigh+ on the sets. Wish I brought a stap as the insiders were folly and then dumpy on the inside. New 5’11 stamps gb is so fkn money even with the pos futurds fins it was fast and loose. Got a couple carves and nice end section reo some of the broz saw. So stoked given I haven’t surged in almost 3 wks. Overhead press and chinups so money for paddling. Gonna get some more later this week.