***Official 2021 Community Surf Journal***

Chee-to

Michael Peterson status
Jan 11, 2002
2,426
969
113
1/2 headed down to some local reefs and scored some absolute smoking sets from deep on the boil. Wave of the day I take off 10' behind the normal peak and under the lip on the biggest set to come through, slip around the clamshell, bottom turn, set my line, and stand tall and relaxed for the backdoor barrel starting to throw that I am absolutely, 100% certain that I am about to cleanly knife through. The wave pinches and the lip clocks me clean in the face. I resurface to see the section I was mentally preparing to hit mocking me smoothly down the line. Fortunately, there were a couple more waves of the day to redeem. I end up simply falling off my board on the last one in the shorebreak from sheer exhaustion.

1/3 Oops, burned too much energy yesterday. Oh well. Still got some grunty ones before the reef started to overload and close out in the channel as the tide dropped. Also took some solid beatings. Stocked for 2021 so far.
 

MathDebater

Michael Peterson status
Apr 13, 2016
2,583
6,122
113
SD
Hoped for a glass off but it was mostly glorified close outs. Pulled the blackbird out on arrival and realized I somehow put a huge ding in the deck on my boat ride Saturday. Major bummer especially considering the forecast. Oh well, fortunately because I’ve got a board hoarding problem I pulled out my ghost instead. Not my first choice for these fatter reefs but still still does the trick! Went over the falls on my first overhead set but got a few sections after that.
 

silentbutdeadly

Duke status
Sep 26, 2005
33,493
23,086
113
Tower 13
Realized that I posted this in the 2020 journal by mistake

Checked a couple of reefs and was disappointed so I took a chance and headed to an old go to spot. Showed up to some solid surf but saw two corners right away so I suited up. Waxed up the blackbird and I'm glad I did. Without being a hog I was one of the guys catching waves this morning. Nice to get the adrenaline going a bit.

Stocked.
 

Senor Sopa

Billy Hamilton status
Mar 11, 2015
1,366
2,176
113
Ponto
Surfed from 7:30 to 10, same spot as yesterday. Waves were bigger with more waves per set at first, got pretty lully at the end.
While getting ready, saw Bassy catch 5 or 6, he's a wave catching machine. Started paddling out in the "pond", looking out at the peak, "fark, that's a long ways to go". Easy peasy, didn't even have a real duck dive, made the 45 degree sprint with ease. If you mistime, you may have to start over. At higher tide the distance between sets and "sets" is significant enough that one can not cover both bases. I ride a longer board, sit outside. Crowd was 40 peeps, few regulars but mostly guys in over their heads. At one point classic, entire crowd drifts north 50 yards to a fake boil. I catch a few sets, they return, then set of day comes in. After paddling back, I had to laugh that now entire crowd has panicked and is now 50 yard to the south of the peak. Then the current kept pushing everybody towards shore. I love this action, the reef aint moving, find your boil and sit on it like glue! I'm thinking the sets were doh, but when paddling out after catching a set, watching guys ride waves that I know 100% not as big as the one I got, dudes were looking small, thus more than doh sets. Couple of nice ones provided the snowboard halfpipe type vertical face that allowed for basically knees above head top turns, so fun when there is speed to be had. One set, I should've gone for #2, but went on first one, rode too far, paid some dues with duck diving the "shore pound" which is far from shore. The sand is piled up in interesting spot and there were backwashes and fun churns. That handful were the only ones I had to go under. I confess that I tube dodged one. I mentioned yesterday about this, this section is infamous for serving clamshells on the head, I still made it, but arghh, should've pulled in...

Funny chit.
Young 20's guy on what looked like a 6'6" midlength type boar, full purple tint, mellow, causing me no grief. For whatever reason, I decided I would help this guy get a wave after watching him pull back for barney to get pitched. I tell him you got to go, you can always kick out. Later on, again paddling back out, same thing happens to purp. He hasn't caught a wave, I've been scoring. He says he's gonna follow my advice. Next thing we know, outside bomber, I tell him to go. I could've snaked him so bad from deeper. Didn't matter, I caught next one. He was super stocked as we paddled back out.

More funny chit.
Dude has a deep one, usually deep ones are not what you want at this peak cuz bastards like myself will crush it from the proper boil. He's got it, everybody back off. Complete launch into oblivion. Guy next to me belly laughed when I pointed that the "pitchee" was now literally not in the lineup anymore after that wave. Complete wash in. Channeling Nelson from Simpsons here "Har Har".

While leaving, handed over precious parking slot to the "other" Tudor and his frothing groms. Round two in the afternoon nixed due to choppy seas and sore knee. We've already had more waves this season than last 5/6 years here in the Conception Bight. Keep it coming!
 

Chee-to

Michael Peterson status
Jan 11, 2002
2,426
969
113
I'm thinking the sets were doh, but when paddling out after catching a set, watching guys ride waves that I know 100% not as big as the one I got, dudes were looking small, thus more than doh sets.
Just watched the Surfline cam rewind for a few minutes. If that's DOH to you, the erBB regulars are going to start posting a lot of pictures with them furtively touching you soon.
 

Senor Sopa

Billy Hamilton status
Mar 11, 2015
1,366
2,176
113
Ponto
Just watched the Surfline cam rewind for a few minutes. If that's DOH to you, the erBB regulars are going to start posting a lot of pictures with them furtively touching you soon.
For a few minutes...
Show some screen shots, show I'm full of dung.

Down the road a bit, looks about shoulder high.
1609778614256.png
 
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silentbutdeadly

Duke status
Sep 26, 2005
33,493
23,086
113
Tower 13
What is it about 15 second period that it so brutal? Smaller than yesterday but I took an absolute beating. Frustrating at first but I ended up with some fun waves.

Add to the "something you don't see every day" A sea lion popped up next to my chomping on an octopus. Pretty amusing.
 

sdsrfr

Phil Edwards status
Jul 13, 2020
5,857
11,266
113
San Diego
Show some screen shots, show I'm full of dung.
knowing that stretch well, measuring the height of waves when they jack up on the boil makes measurements tricky. the shoulders can drop to shoulder quickly before bowling up again to HH+.

i wouldn’t call this last run anything better than regular OH. calling it DOH kind of implies it was that big on every set which wasnt the case.
 

Chee-to

Michael Peterson status
Jan 11, 2002
2,426
969
113
For a few minutes...
Show some screen shots, show I'm full of dung.

Down the road a bit, looks about shoulder high.
View attachment 103140
Oh, I believe it hit DOH in La Jolla. Just not Cardiff.

Here you go. Here's the set of the morning, with what looks like Mr. Jackboots himself taking off far to the left of the screen outside of a pack of panicking kooks. DOH? Not quite. I could charitably call that a 10' face. 95% of the other sets I saw ridden were head high to maybe 2' overhead. Screenshot is 8:51am at 2:49 on the Cardiff Overview rewind cam, if anyone else wants to see the whole thing.
 

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sdsrfr

Phil Edwards status
Jul 13, 2020
5,857
11,266
113
San Diego
I rode that blackbird again and was definitely overgunned but the waves were hard to get into at this spot especially with stiff offshores. 6'2" would have handled getting worked better but I got more waves being on the crutch.
What size is your blackbird now?

i really enjoyed my stock 6’2 this last week. was over gunned for sure but also having an easy time moving around and picking off the good ones and really didn’t get tired/gassed after getting mowed over by a few after taking the first wave in the set.
 
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silentbutdeadly

Duke status
Sep 26, 2005
33,493
23,086
113
Tower 13
Don't laugh but 6'10" lol. I am getting so many more waves on the bigger days now it's great. Age, bad shoulders, more weight (right now) isn't helping.

I swallowed my pride and am happy I did.

With that being said, if the waves weren't so difficult to get into my normal 6'2" scarecrow would have been more than good enough.
 

Mr Doof

Duke status
Jan 23, 2002
24,856
7,753
113
San Francisco, CA
Went for a New Years Day surf at my 2nd or 3rd favorite spot that I surf once to 4 times a year.

Ended up not being able to con or entice anyone to go with me, so when I left the house for what might have been the longest drive since 3/2020 (edit: not distance but in time), it would also mark the 3rd time I've ever gone there solo in the last 30 yrs. Or 4th.

While getting there, could see ocean mist from the large surf and started having doubts....been there before when it was too big, the usual take-off spots on the reef just overwhelmed by roll through mush from further out reefs that break somewhat chaotically.

Get to the overlook and it isn't looking great, nor is it looking terrible. About the same as the time I went there with R3W and Bandini about a decade ago....that session ended up with only me making it out, dodging a few, and lucking into one and then exiting the water...can't just leave your friends watching on shore.

Suit up, make the walk down, and as I do, see someone else start the paddle out. Excellent not alone.

By the time I get to the entry point, get to watch the surfer take a big fall, then get washed down the reef to the spot I call 'the Rock', where I got stranded on my first ever time here in somewhat the same manner (though it was smaller).

Do a bunch of jumping-jacks to warm up, trying to figure out the timing, notice every now and then how the line-up shifts, and look back to the Rock, and what the hell, he is leaving? Then spy three more walking down the path, boards in hand.

Large-ish set breaks, and I start the wade out, trying to hold myself from getting knocked over in the calf/knee/thigh deep water. Last of the sets pushes across the inside, and I sprint with the grace of drunken toddler trying avoid the toys strewn about the playroom floor for 15 feet or so to the waist deep part, then it is is a race to avoid the next set, which I am hoping is at least a minute from now....took me longer to start paddling than I would have hoped.

Get through the usual background noise without much hassle but then have to pour it on when I see the horizon wrinkle. Angling for the shoulder the entire way, hoping there isn't giant wave that breaks and mushes and rolls through, and yeah, there is, but maybe not too huge?

No much else to do but keep going and hope my aging heart and lungs and shoulders do their best.

......and it was not even a thing. Over the shoulder with much room to spare, and the one behind it swinging a little wide is nothing more than another data point, "Oh, it is doing this," kind of thing.

Paddling up the reef towards the peak, I see the three surfers warming up, watching the ocean, the wave, and knowing that if I made it out, they could too.

First wave ice-breaker was an overhead lumpy wave, fourth or fifth of the set, but I get right back out, which I consider the real win.

There is a long lull or me just being out of position and then there are 4 at the peak. For a change, there is a sense of camaraderie, and no jockeying for top dog position which is mine by virtue of me being there first, not out of any real dominant display of skill on that previous wave. But it also means that I need to go when a wave presents.

Again I get another overhead wave of no real note except maybe that I'm remembering what to do here. Paddling back to the line-up allows me to watch one guy get a solid ride, and see his friends pull back on maybe bigger waves than his or mine, which was good because they sectioned terribly.

As the session goes and the tide fills, the sections don't close out as much, the kelp doesn't seem some scary when it bonks the bottom of the board or my foot, the clean-up sets turn out to be not so punishing, but my wave selection is not improving. Where is the one great wave that makes the day? I mean, I would love to get a bunch of them, but it isn't a day of great waves. No great beat-downs, just a fair number of OK waves on a rising swell with 3 others. Best wave I saw was from the same guy who caught the first wave I saw.

Towards the end, right at the tide change, slide out on bottom turn and got rolled by the set. Determined not to end that way, try to paddle out as I get washed down the reef to the Rock. Barely get outside the inside end section, when I see the horizon lump up.

Too fatigued to sprint the whole way, turn, paddle, miss, paddle, miss, paddle, catch a gut high utility wave, cut in before the Rock, then struggle my way to land....there is a pesky shoredump into cobblestones to overcome.

Set cleans the three up, sending one in.

We watch the others for a bit, say Happy 2021 to each other , then slog my way up the hill. The effort is offset nicely by the view down the coastline. Amazing to see the lines when there is this kind of defined swell, all the bends caused by the bathymetry and final headland.

So inaugural surf for 2021 portends, oh, I don't know, more of the same I suppose.
 
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sdsrfr

Phil Edwards status
Jul 13, 2020
5,857
11,266
113
San Diego
Don't laugh but 6'10" lol. I am getting so many more waves on the bigger days now it's great. Age, bad shoulders, more weight (right now) isn't helping.
no, I totally get it. ive been kicking the idea of a custom at either 6’5 or 6’7 after this last run, just for giggles.

the board is such a cheater stick especially with the wfh crowds.
 
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silentbutdeadly

Duke status
Sep 26, 2005
33,493
23,086
113
Tower 13
that's just it. I don't surf the slabby top tier spots anyway when it gets big so it's generally a normal reef or beachbreak. Other than a couple of sections a session I haven't missed the smaller board. Any smaller than today and it's back to normal though.
 

MathDebater

Michael Peterson status
Apr 13, 2016
2,583
6,122
113
SD
I definitely had some reservations about pulling the trigger on a used 7'0" BB, but once I swallowed my pride it has been great. Wish I had it today, it wasn't particularly big but nor did you need all that board to catch the waves... if you were in the spot. Tons of current and a huge difference in take off zones on some of the sets. It would've been nice to be able to scramble outside with the extra board and catch the few bigger sets.

I had a meeting first thing that I took at the beach in hopes of catching the end of the good tide window with offshores but instead got stuck with burgers. My usual high tide wave was thoroughly jacked up, it's a rocky/reef but I think a ton of sand washed in, the shore looked completely different. Not great but oh well. At least there's more waves in the forecast!
 

oeste858

Phil Edwards status
Sep 11, 2017
6,931
17,273
113
San Diego, CA
I had a meeting first thing that I took at the beach in hopes of catching the end of the good tide window with offshores but instead got stuck with burgers.
Same. Couldnt get out until the tide was pretty high. Wind was not too bad, but lots of water moving through and some waves were pretty chunky. Outer reef just south was way OH+ sets. Would’ve wanted 6’8 BB out there. But I had grabbed the 5’9 Mitsven quad fish so stayed at reef #4 which was solid HH with some tricky moguls to navigate. Got some fun rights but board felt a lil squirrelly for the first time- like the Piggyback quads were too small. Might have to try some different fins when there’s decent swell, maybe the Rasta quads since the tail has double wings and is not that wide. Forgot how much I hate duckdiving big closeout sets. Got tossed around a bit underwater holding onto my rails tight.
Drove by the local slab rock afterwards: was firing with all the young pros getting barrels for the photogs. Ah, to be young & fearless again. One of the guys apparently made the cover of the local Sun paper, but I didn’t see it.
Supposed to be bigger tomorrow