Santa delivered. Surfed out and the swells are stacking up. 6-6 stamps round pin fux
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***Official 2022 Community Surf Journal***
- Thread starter Kento
- Start date
I agree with some of the sentiments here, final bleepingly we have some swell. Saturday AM, caught some amidst the funk, but nothing special for me.
Best part was the pelican, caught some breakfast, then did a one stroke wing flap to catch a swell. Couple of minutes later, a squadron flew overheard and strafed me. One gave me some serious warning shots across the bow.
Yesterday afternoon, low tide, first time my fav reef has broken in months. Best waves I've caught in months. Sigh, I could tell that I have not caught good ones in months.
You have to love San Diego though, plenty of bikinis on the beach, and kids splashing in the water with no wetsuits.
Fark, I forgot the best part. There's kelp out there!!! We have not seen kelp for several years. This is a game changer for me, as I like afternoons.
Best part was the pelican, caught some breakfast, then did a one stroke wing flap to catch a swell. Couple of minutes later, a squadron flew overheard and strafed me. One gave me some serious warning shots across the bow.
Yesterday afternoon, low tide, first time my fav reef has broken in months. Best waves I've caught in months. Sigh, I could tell that I have not caught good ones in months.
You have to love San Diego though, plenty of bikinis on the beach, and kids splashing in the water with no wetsuits.
Fark, I forgot the best part. There's kelp out there!!! We have not seen kelp for several years. This is a game changer for me, as I like afternoons.
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nothing like coming back from vacation all fat and slow to an absolute ass pounding. Was way bigger than it looked so I was undergunned oin my 6'1". Only caught three waves. Medium sets and they were still well overhead.
yeah 15sec WNW swell this AM at a righthand reef, head-high to overhead. got cleaned up by sets a couple times. lots of people and water moving trying to get to the right takeoff spot. Pyzalien 2 setup as a quad felt stable up and riding, unfortunately the two waves I got were big & walled and didn't offer much to work with other than racing down the line and straightening out in front of the closeout section.
got some elsewhere in the morning, but can confirm. building swell through the session. washthroughs were duckdiveable for the first hour then not so much. wasnt until i had my board ripped out of my hands and go whizzing by my head underwater that i got the memo that was time to ditch and dive for the rest of it.Big, thick, and mean with a ton of water moving. Solid OH to DOH sets, moderate offshore winds, and relentless. Looked at it for a while to gauge if any way out the back. Peak out front looked really good but with a massive rip running through it - looks good but very difficult to get into any of those waves with the amount of water running up the face.
Found what looked like a window out the back and to a peak to the south. Made it out relatively unscathed but rip kept dragging me into the northern peak I didn't want to be at so just had to put my head down and paddle south and in a little to get to a hollow left setup that was a little more manageable with a lot of solid OH inbetweeners coming in. Figured the incoming tide would also help clean it up. And it did.
Trouble was, there were big sets that swept through. And they were good and I paddled for more than a few of them but no way in hell could I come even close to getting into them; so much water moving up the face as they jacked out of the depths and threw. But even if I didn't want any part of them, no way did I want to take any of them on the head so was constant inside/out paddling. Actually survived relatively unscathed, was able to get under all but a couple.
Between all them dodgem cars, though, I got a few solid waves, last of which I carved a big hack off the top after squaring off the bottom with a lot of speed and then I got annihilated when I bled just a wee bit too much speed on that hack. Oops. But I was happy nonetheless. Happy to fucking survive.
per usual stayed longer than i should have as conditions deteriorated. youd think id learn.
funny chit- headed up the coast ahead of the rain to visit family later. relatively clean but swell had gone nuclear. all my little indicators were macking. figured id take a mini detour, **** and checka spot for the shock n awe of it all. came around the corner and oh looky, a random truck in the turnout.
couldnt be a surfer right. nobody but me would be dumb enough to paddle this little cove with thismuchwatermoving. wrong. i have a doppelganger
came down the trailand it was big and there he was scratching for his life where the channel normally wouldbe doing prettymuch this
i watched for 10mins or so. his leash seemed pretty good and it was starting to rain so i said a littleprayforhim and got onmyway.
drove backby this morning and his truck was gone. so i felt okay about it.
Same spot as last night. I went a little later than ideal tide wise but figured it would help with the crowd. Indeed it did. 4 people out, all but one paddled in as soon as I got out. There was a long lull but in classic form, as soon as the other guy gave up and paddled in I scored a bunch of nice set waves. There was a bit of morning sickness that only partially cleaned up. The waves were soft with the high tide but the shadow mid ate up the flat spots. I surfed the main peak by myself for an hour until the tide really flooded it out and only the sets were breaking. After that I moved to the inside high tide spot with a handful of people. It wasn't quite lined up right but it was still fun and offering some growers. I don't remember the last time I surfed this much, it's good to be back.
Christmas Eve, onshore, foggy burgers at my brother's local, a semi-point reef ruled by an ex pro-snowboarder you've probably heard of.
26th, the swell started rolling in. We paddled back and forth between a coupla reef peeks north of the Tudor zone. Few mushy ones in the spot and some larger sets out the back that sectioned off before the better spot down the reef. Finally picked off an outsider that connected after backing off and then bowling up. On the Plasmic going mach 10 into a big wrap.
When I got home 3 hours later , my wife was pissed and shut down my hopes for some Swamis party waves this morning. Kids have been sick with a nasty upper and lower respiratory virus that has everyone sleeping terribly, so it's understandable.
Back to SF!
26th, the swell started rolling in. We paddled back and forth between a coupla reef peeks north of the Tudor zone. Few mushy ones in the spot and some larger sets out the back that sectioned off before the better spot down the reef. Finally picked off an outsider that connected after backing off and then bowling up. On the Plasmic going mach 10 into a big wrap.
When I got home 3 hours later , my wife was pissed and shut down my hopes for some Swamis party waves this morning. Kids have been sick with a nasty upper and lower respiratory virus that has everyone sleeping terribly, so it's understandable.
Back to SF!
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Day after Christmas, checked a spot just South of where Kento battled the Ocean. I had my "No excuses" 7'4" blade, but the outer bar wasn't quite working so I ended up surfing closer into the beach on a normal board. It looked like hell, but ended up being pretty fun long lefts in the head high plus range. Nothing great, but fun enough. Lots of water moving lots of paddling to stay in position.
Today I didn't bother, let the storm pass and hope for cleaner conditions tomorrow.
Today I didn't bother, let the storm pass and hope for cleaner conditions tomorrow.
afternoon session
the queen was cooking, only 350 people on it too
got one cove wave that made my month
hope everyone is scoring
the queen was cooking, only 350 people on it too
got one cove wave that made my month
hope everyone is scoring
got sand wedged into every orifice in my body. today was a good day although yesterday and xmas were funner..today was fkn macking up here. Lots of cat n mouse, closeouts, and lobster diving but the few i got were so satisfying.
3 waves at rincon right before dark.
1. Didn’t want to fall so cruised it for a bit, S turns, sectioned off before it got into the cove.
2. Guy fell right at the start of the cove section, turned and went. Leash around my foot, got my sh!t together, over amped off the top and ate sh!t.
3. Halfway to the end of the river mouth, absolutely burned the living sh!t out of some flicky teenager (he’s got many years of waves ahead of him), connected into the cove, very long barrel and got pinched at the end.
Got out and went home.
1. Didn’t want to fall so cruised it for a bit, S turns, sectioned off before it got into the cove.
2. Guy fell right at the start of the cove section, turned and went. Leash around my foot, got my sh!t together, over amped off the top and ate sh!t.
3. Halfway to the end of the river mouth, absolutely burned the living sh!t out of some flicky teenager (he’s got many years of waves ahead of him), connected into the cove, very long barrel and got pinched at the end.
Got out and went home.
6ft @ 18sec, light offshores. 73F water, 85 air. Two of us out. Happy camper.
Today I put two boards in to my car- a 7-4 and an 8-3. I figured I'd ride the 8-3 if it was crowded. Pulling up to the spot there was a long line of cars parked so I figured it was going to be crowded. I had to park quite a bit away and then went to check it. Only 3 guys out! I guess all the cars were for lookieloos.
I watched for a while. Being high tide the paddling channel was open. It would close out on the big sets but there were long enough pauses that I figured it would be doable, just have to time it right or get lucky. Since there were only three guys out I grabbed the 7-4.
In retrospect I should have grabbed the 8-3. As a friend who was out there described it, it was "cat and mouse." Really good ones breaking inside but then you risked getting the big ones on the head. They were big enough you really didn't want that to happen. If I had had the 8-3 I probably could have chased down some of the smaller ones (which were still overhead) and could have caught the big ones in more control. Solid swell changes the game considerably.
I got caught inside a couple of times on the big ones. The first one I tried to duck dive. I was able to hold on, but it really torqued and twisted my back. The second one was even bigger and I thought about bailing but then thought I'd pop up faster if I held on. So I bear hugged the board and in doing so got my cheek and chin slammed against the board.
I like big waves. It's not as "fun" but when you get one, the drop and the speed is much more thrilling. I could see how guys get addicted to it and spend their lives chasing giant low pressure systems..
I watched for a while. Being high tide the paddling channel was open. It would close out on the big sets but there were long enough pauses that I figured it would be doable, just have to time it right or get lucky. Since there were only three guys out I grabbed the 7-4.
In retrospect I should have grabbed the 8-3. As a friend who was out there described it, it was "cat and mouse." Really good ones breaking inside but then you risked getting the big ones on the head. They were big enough you really didn't want that to happen. If I had had the 8-3 I probably could have chased down some of the smaller ones (which were still overhead) and could have caught the big ones in more control. Solid swell changes the game considerably.
I got caught inside a couple of times on the big ones. The first one I tried to duck dive. I was able to hold on, but it really torqued and twisted my back. The second one was even bigger and I thought about bailing but then thought I'd pop up faster if I held on. So I bear hugged the board and in doing so got my cheek and chin slammed against the board.
I like big waves. It's not as "fun" but when you get one, the drop and the speed is much more thrilling. I could see how guys get addicted to it and spend their lives chasing giant low pressure systems..
Finally some big swell. Deep water reefs are breaking. Lots of current. Very few guys out. Almost every spot a disorganized mess but I needed this swell energy.
Probably cleaner in south county as usual.
Probably cleaner in south county as usual.
Went back for more punishment. This time I brought the 8-3... and was STILL getting caught inside some of the big ones. I REALLY wanted one of those so I decided to just sit outside and wait. I got a couple. On one I stood up early and was kind of stuck in the lip, things were looking iffy, but then I dropped down. I normally don't hoot for myself but this time I couldn't contain myself.
I can't duck dive the 8-3 so I turn turtle. I found if I hold the board by the nose I will usually make it through OK. On one though I felt the turbulence pick my board up and send it end over end. Fuk. Not good for my back!
I ended the session on a humiliating note. I turned for one slightly late, wave feathering, the crumble at the top hit my back as I was trying to stand and sent me back down on my belly (never underestimate the crumble on a big wave). I got to the bottom going so fast when I tried to stand I couldn't turn and got rolled by the soup and held down. Then wave after wave caught me inside and my shoulder was screaming at me to turn around and go in. I conceded defeat and went in.
Definitely a rest day tomorrow.
I can't duck dive the 8-3 so I turn turtle. I found if I hold the board by the nose I will usually make it through OK. On one though I felt the turbulence pick my board up and send it end over end. Fuk. Not good for my back!
I ended the session on a humiliating note. I turned for one slightly late, wave feathering, the crumble at the top hit my back as I was trying to stand and sent me back down on my belly (never underestimate the crumble on a big wave). I got to the bottom going so fast when I tried to stand I couldn't turn and got rolled by the soup and held down. Then wave after wave caught me inside and my shoulder was screaming at me to turn around and go in. I conceded defeat and went in.
Definitely a rest day tomorrow.
After a week of surfing the same very fun spot it finally got a little big yesterday so I went to a more protected point and scored low tide sand bottom runners in the evening with a few friends. Rode the Plasmid with tallboy fins. Paddle out at the top, catch two or three long waves and then get out and walk the long trek back up to the top. Only probably chest high on the sets but soooo fun. Much more of a speed run wave than what Ive been surfing and it felt amazing to just see how far I could race one. The board felt really good. I think if the tide was just a little lower it would have been a tube fest but it got dark before the full low.
This morning we woke up to maxing swell and semi funky winds. Looked like a lot of work to get one big mushburger so we packed up and headed to town for resupply, hot showers and some internet. Tomorrow we will drive a few hours to a different reef I think. Last year it was head high on a 3 ft swell so im curious to see how it looks on a 6 ft swell.
This morning we woke up to maxing swell and semi funky winds. Looked like a lot of work to get one big mushburger so we packed up and headed to town for resupply, hot showers and some internet. Tomorrow we will drive a few hours to a different reef I think. Last year it was head high on a 3 ft swell so im curious to see how it looks on a 6 ft swell.