*** Official 2020 Community Surf Journal ***

teeroi

Miki Dora status
Oct 21, 2007
5,107
9,269
113
eastside oahu
There’s a contest running at Sunset. Off today because it’s closing out but yesterday looked epic. Jackson Bunch from Maui scored a 9.5. Super nice kid. He’s been coming out to Bowls for States for the last few years. Rips, sits inside, very respectful. Jeannie Chesser was so impressed with his attitude and how nice he was she’s been spraying his boards for free for a couple of years. He won his age division of nationals too. Another ripper from Maui to keep an eye on.

http://instagr.am/p/B7rEahYHjQE/
 

Oceanslide

Kelly Slater status
Mar 5, 2008
9,698
2,321
113
Oceanside, CA
Low expectations, high reward today. Lagged and got to the beach slightly later than I should have, saw there were sets, and ran out with the DK Keel fish and paddled to an empty spot while others were going to the more obvious zone. Nothing for 5 or so minutes, then got a nug of a hh left and just flew down the line with high-line Burch finesse before a 15’ dismount out the back.
Straight back out and into another similar wave but with a carving fs turn. Paddling back out nabbed an overhead right with a wall then carving bs turn. All within like 5 min.
8 people immediately paddle out right where I am, lol. Knew 1/2 of them and all were like, “WTF!?” Some days are shockers in the worst way, some in the best way. I’ll take it!
 

b.r.

Phil Edwards status
Dec 19, 2003
5,922
3,034
113
Leucadia
www.youtube.com
drove around after work and did the indecisive too crowded here, too windy there, ended up back at the first spot i looked and it looked better and uncrowded with the tide turning, paddled out at one reef nook and got a couple but it wasn't very good, paddled down to the next section of reef and for the last 45 minutes before dark, traded waves with another guy, got one wave that just lined up and was juicy all the way through, kenson twinzer had the speed pegged and got a couple more as it got dark, was the only one out for the last 25 mins and picked the best ones i could find, nice sunset.
 

Mr Doof

Duke status
Jan 23, 2002
24,860
7,759
113
San Francisco, CA
In bed, alarm, check, 7 at 21 seconds. Time for the 7'1". Drive to shore.

Where is Friend #1?

Well, gotta go, there is light on the eastern horizon which means work isn't far away.

Suit up-lock up-walk-walk-walk-leash up-wade-wade-wade-wade, crap this isn't a channel-wade-wade-wade-maybe it is a channel-hop-wade-hop-hop-paddle-duck-paddle-duck-duck-smash!-wade-wade-dive-wade-dive-dive-smash!-wade-dive-smash-paddle-paddle-paddle-duck-paddle-paddle-paddle-paddle-paddle-paddle-rest-rest-paddle-duck-paddle-paddle-paddle-duck-paddle-paddle-rest-sprint paddle-duck-paddle-rest-look around-outside.

First was utilitarian left, been a few weeks since I rode this one, so I take the easy overhead wave that serves itself up without much effort. Forgot how quick the cork Stretch board picks up waves. Quick paddle back.

Second is much bigger, but still sort of warbly. Probably because of the rising tide mixed with some dying swell, and some leftover chaos from winds overnight. Turns out to be drop and not able to get around the corner even with the old college try, so I jump off to avoid getting shoved in further, and the whitewater tumble isn't too bad. 2nd and 4th wave of the set that land just in front of me make up for momentary optimism.

Two other people are near me now, one guy going on a lot, but not seemingly getting long rides, and the other gets a few long rides but the wave quality? Size seems smaller, but hard to tell from the backside says the fox with sour grapes in his mouth.

Third wave is great take off, if I do say so myself. There is a smooth face and my feet feel solid as I absorb the pressure of the bottom turn yet before I can carve through the bottom turn all the way, the section I thought was going to stay open, folds over and a quick double pump bottom turn isn't enough (too slow on the double pump I think), and well, last wave for me, the clock on the wrist said 7:31 a moment ago.

Inside dumper is navigated, and then scramble up the newly placed sand.

Getting dressed, someone loudly says to his friend, "Probably be great in an hour or two."

Guy next to me, under his breath, "Probably not."

Smiling, I just wish I had more time to find out either way.

PS

Buoys now 8 ft at 20. Further out to sea, 11 ft.
 
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teeroi

Miki Dora status
Oct 21, 2007
5,107
9,269
113
eastside oahu
Was thinking of driving out to NS. Swell suppose to be more manageable today. But took a chance and dawned Bowls since I’m working in town.

The west wrap was way bigger than yesterday. Some head high waves. If it was a little bigger it would be tubes at Big Bowl. But at this size there’s a lot of walled up waves so you can sit on the end corner or just try to pick the right one.

Crowd and conditions were great. Couple long boarders were borderline irritating but when I wanted one they backed off. Got a couple of long ones that stayed open. It’s weird when it’s that west it doesn’t bowl just a long straight wall with an extreme angle. Got a couple of double ups that tried to knife in but the angle made it hard. Watched a couple of tubes break in front of me. Some of the walled up waves would give me a pump section and a nice lip to tag. Head high waves in town in January, can’t complain. Super fun.
 

silentbutdeadly

Duke status
Sep 26, 2005
33,499
23,098
113
Tower 13
fun burgers in the fog on the gx. Lot's of skating (good for your sarfing) with some standup inside sections.

One left set up mushy on the outside and teepee'd into an aframe turn double up on the inside bar right into one of the best turns I've had on the gx. Surfed my own peak for awhile until fucko 1, 2, and 3 showed up deciding I'm on the right bar. Fvcking sucks. Oh well, I was a pain in the ass. Surprisingly fun morning.

And JKB, I was on a 5'11" truster okay?
 

sushipop

Michael Peterson status
Feb 7, 2008
3,320
5,795
113
The Dagobah System
This was my first week “stepping down” from the log to a mid length. It’s a 6’6” Larmo Honey Badger I traded for last month. Monday was fun size and was surprised by both my paddle strength and how effen well the board went right off the bat. Way more loose and free turning than I expected. FWIW, I’m running a 7.5” Greenough 4A in it, fairly forward in the box. It did feel at times like it could use a little more drive and I considered pushing it back a touch but haven’t yet. Got a few really fun waves and hit an end section on one to test the Achilles out, with no issue.
Wednesday was the biggest surf I’ve been in since getting back on my feet last month. I’ve been sticking to smaller log days until now. First wave was a healthy drop into a 1’ overhead left that allowed me to get a few pumps in and then closed out. Felt sooo good! Was really surprised at how well the HB did in some critical(ish) surf. Again, prob should’ve pushed the fin back a touch, but I hadn’t yet.
Today was smaller and softer, but sh!t, I had so much fun. Was getting some really fun turns in off the top and the board loved coming back around in a tight turning radius. Hit a few end sections and was whappahhing the fuck out of everything I could. Well, at least, I’m my mind I was.
Was great to get on a shorter board. Now I just gotta nail down the hind leg rippage. Off to Mammoth for the weekend....life is good.
 

Havoc

Phil Edwards status
May 23, 2016
7,682
12,216
113
in da hood next to paradise
Sum fun ones in north oc despite the higher tide. Some size on the sets shoulder to headhigh. Couple carves and hits on the fuse box. Best was a right where the thing was absolutely flying and leaned into a fs carve as hard as I could n boar just came around clean. Stocked! Got to meet up with stamps and order a couple more boars after.
 
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teeroi

Miki Dora status
Oct 21, 2007
5,107
9,269
113
eastside oahu
Got a call about my NS regular that it was firing yesterday afternoon. Then got a text there were some wash throughs. Was hoping to get a couple hours of dawn patrol before it got too big. But I checked the Waimea buoy this morning and it was 9 ft and 20 sec. too big.

Headed to Bowls hoping the west wrap was still in effect. It was small. I only went out because I wanted to surf the new twin fin. It was hard to tell cause the waves were small and wonky. The board paddled good and felt loose. Feels like it will be fun with a tad bigger swell. To be continued.
 

Aruka

Tom Curren status
Feb 23, 2010
11,990
22,531
113
PNW
victory at sea paddling conditions. not much actual surfing going on but I did manage a few drops. despite a month of south winds the water remains cold. 49F according to a fisherman buddy.

the sun came out for 30 seconds which was nice.
I had to search for a so I got that goin blank, so I figured I'd share with y'all. - Imgur.jpg
 

Chee-to

Michael Peterson status
Jan 11, 2002
2,426
969
113
Bailed on Orange County to go back to my roots today. It was nice to feel some power in the water again. Well overhead, flirting with double, thick sets steaming out of the canyon. I took one of the hardest beatings I've had in years on my second or third wave: whipped it late, got hung up in the lip, side slipped the 6'8" to barely avoid pearling, and recovered nicely to bottom turn and set up the barrel before disaster struck in the form of two separate halves of a board floating directly into my line, wide-eyed human attached, from the previous wave of the set. The wave chose at that second to double up menacingly in a 10-yard section. I straightened out to avoid running over the debris, tried to recover around it, and got detonated. Bottom time. Over the falls again. More bottom time. Good fun. Washed in and had to do a lap after that. The other guy ran home to get his third board of the day.

Edit: hey, there's a sequence of it! Starts at https://www.blarrel.com/Blacks/January/January-25th-PM/i-WdzNrZG/A
See that lump moving towards me from knee height? That was the section that doubled up and dumped on my head.
 
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teeroi

Miki Dora status
Oct 21, 2007
5,107
9,269
113
eastside oahu
North shore still huge so dawned Bowls. West wrap started to fill in yesterday and today primary swell source although there’s an out of season south trying to fill in too. There were some sets almost head high with the extreme west angle. Got a couple runners that stayed open. Rode the Vesso twin fin and had fun.

Paddled over to Rockpiles Right to surf with a couple friends. The Rights are tricky there’s a good drop then a deep spot then it stands up again. Got a long shot right and bottom turned to backside hack. I pushed hard but the wave hit the deep spot and my board flew over and I skidded on my back. I was going pretty fast it felt like jumping off the diving board and landing flat on my back. I told the crew I really misjudged that section but at least the board goes fast. Haha

Got a couple off the tops and I could feel the lack of the middle fin riding the whitewash out. Other than that the twin feels fast and loose.