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Entire west coast about to get some action
- Thread starter One-Off
- Start date
Sean Collins used to tell me about doing tow ins out there when it gets big. That's pretty neato.
I’m sure the undergunned call out boys would be shredding on their 6’2”’s
♂
♂
I was re-watching the January big day at Blacks vid for a comparison to Big Friday Blacks vids.
January swell looked a bit thicker and heavier in some aspects. Where the Big Friday swell looked at tad more softer, if you can call it that. Might of been the swell period at peak size, or something? Or swell direction? 18-20 sec is normally not optimal by surfing standards, and usually a bit more inconsistent at first. 16-17 seconds is usually best (a bit steeper, more consistent). Lots of water moving with 18-20 second periods, and probably why we saw many places get swamped onshore by huge wave surges at high tides. Similar to Hurricane surges with lots water piling up at times. Big Friday swell peaked up north in the mid-late AM (at high tide), where it didn't peak down in SD until just after sunset. Takes a typical 17 second swell 8 hours from time it shows on Pt Conception buoy to reach SD. Where it only takes a few hours to hit SB/Ventura and about 4-5 hours to hit South Bay. That SB channel is fairly wide open to breaks in SB/Ventura on a straight west, without any island shadowing or sea mount refraction. Ventura obviously faces the west swells more direct than SB spots, so it's ALWAYS bigger.
Still, some sets looked as big or bigger on Friday vids. But, as some have mentioned, maybe it was a bit more inconsistent between sets and allowed water to not get churned around as much, as Blacks is known for, when sets have many waves and short lulls between. I remember more than a few big days battling rips to stay in position and from being swept out to sea. You could see them coming and had to jockey paddle to dodge them. Some looked like rivers going out to sea. This was usually an issue if you surfed North or Middle peak (less crowded when huge, but not always), and not so much down at the Corner (more crowded, easier access).
Big Friday will be bookmarked in So Cal history fame, as some spots like Rincon looked to be about as big as gets, and able to handle. Sometimes swell angles make all the difference to premier spots from Pt. Conception to Baja border. The outer island shadowing does all kinds of trippy blocking and refracting, along with the assorted sea mounts between the islands way out there. A 5 degree difference can be significant between full exposure and some shadowing/refraction with longer period size. Some spots show all time size, while others just show a big swell.
January swell looked a bit thicker and heavier in some aspects. Where the Big Friday swell looked at tad more softer, if you can call it that. Might of been the swell period at peak size, or something? Or swell direction? 18-20 sec is normally not optimal by surfing standards, and usually a bit more inconsistent at first. 16-17 seconds is usually best (a bit steeper, more consistent). Lots of water moving with 18-20 second periods, and probably why we saw many places get swamped onshore by huge wave surges at high tides. Similar to Hurricane surges with lots water piling up at times. Big Friday swell peaked up north in the mid-late AM (at high tide), where it didn't peak down in SD until just after sunset. Takes a typical 17 second swell 8 hours from time it shows on Pt Conception buoy to reach SD. Where it only takes a few hours to hit SB/Ventura and about 4-5 hours to hit South Bay. That SB channel is fairly wide open to breaks in SB/Ventura on a straight west, without any island shadowing or sea mount refraction. Ventura obviously faces the west swells more direct than SB spots, so it's ALWAYS bigger.
Still, some sets looked as big or bigger on Friday vids. But, as some have mentioned, maybe it was a bit more inconsistent between sets and allowed water to not get churned around as much, as Blacks is known for, when sets have many waves and short lulls between. I remember more than a few big days battling rips to stay in position and from being swept out to sea. You could see them coming and had to jockey paddle to dodge them. Some looked like rivers going out to sea. This was usually an issue if you surfed North or Middle peak (less crowded when huge, but not always), and not so much down at the Corner (more crowded, easier access).
Big Friday will be bookmarked in So Cal history fame, as some spots like Rincon looked to be about as big as gets, and able to handle. Sometimes swell angles make all the difference to premier spots from Pt. Conception to Baja border. The outer island shadowing does all kinds of trippy blocking and refracting, along with the assorted sea mounts between the islands way out there. A 5 degree difference can be significant between full exposure and some shadowing/refraction with longer period size. Some spots show all time size, while others just show a big swell.
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some rode the biggest wave of their life. others just had a lot of fun. it depends on experience. yeah, it was big. biggest i have ridden in a while. glad it lasted so long. january i was in new york. this one i was home for. sore, tired, and a broken board, but stocked. here's an empty one in front of my house, from today. no one around for miles. couldn't even get motivated to paddle out. this is still an 8' to 10' face.
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I was visiting San Clemente this week. Grew up surfing there. This morning had the biggest waves from this particular swell event and the direction very much reminded me of 97-98 El Nino season. I haven't seen some spots break like this since then.
That being said, there were definitely bigger surfable days in 97-98.
That being said, there were definitely bigger surfable days in 97-98.
Nah, Id be on a 5'10" single fin knifing sideways air drops under the lip... leashless in a spring suit of course!
Was it breaking out on Mariposa Reef outside/north of the pier? I remember some big assed waves out there during 97-98.
It was, but the size was mid-range and the shape was variable. Quite a few lumps and closeouts.
There were other spots bigger and better.
I surfed out there a few times pre 1980. Paddled out from 204. Long paddle. It’s hard to tell what it’s like until you get out there.
I remember watching it break from the pier and thinking damn that would be sketch.
I’m not calling anyone out this time. I was on a 6’4 and blew it. The 7’6 in my van would have got me some waves.
Was gonna hit you up for a report… glad you’re not dead… I fully sat this one out, no shame.
