Post your Christmas Day surf reports here

[CutnSnip]

Not always brown, just usually when there are waves. Who pulls up to shitshow like Malibu and decides to paddle out?

when you live in LA, or socal in general - you learn to surf in crowds. I pddled out to a peak this afternoon with probably 40 people on it, and not a marquee spot by any means. frustrating yes - but i got my share of waves and fun was had.

people that surf the bu know what theyre getting themselves into. its no surprise. I wouldnt touch it with a ten foot pole but then again - i dont longboard unless im down at San-o bbq'ing with the bros. and guess what - its a sh!t show there too.

 

[mundus]

when you live in LA, or socal in general - you learn to surf in crowds. I pddled out to a peak this afternoon with probably 40 people on it, and not a marquee spot by any means. frustrating yes - but i got my share of waves and fun was had.

people that surf the bu know what theyre getting themselves into. its no surprise. I wouldnt touch it with a ten foot pole but then again - i dont longboard unless im down at San-o bbq'ing with the bros. and guess what - its a sh!t show there too.

One of the only good things about NJ winter is you can surf by yourself if you want.

 

[CutnSnip]

One of the only good things about NJ winter is you can surf by yourself if you want.

yea - if it got a s cold here - thered be zero people in the water. we are spoiled. today was 65 near the beach and sunny - i saw people in the water with booties, gloves and hoods. any decent 3/2 would have you comfy for hours.

there are places here you can surf alone - like dockweiler beach or the spots between there and the marina for example. miles of beach break right next to porto yet no one including myself surfs there because the sand isnt as good and it smells like sulfer. these days because of covid crowds youre starting to see alot more people on that stretch.

 

[StuAzole]

My local gets crowded (not quite that crowded) and when it's like that I say to myself, "If I get three good waves I'll be stocked." I'll usually get a lot more than three.

I have paddled out at Malibu when it was crowded, but much bigger than today. On those days I say to myself, " If I get ONE good wave I'll be stoked," because one overhead wave all the way down the point at Malibu is worth 5000+ South Bay closeouts. It is insane though. You have to temper your expectations and not get angry or frustrated, otherwise what's the point, right?

Most people don’t realize how few decent surf spots there are between El Porto and County Line. It’s really the worst.

 

[Sharkbiscuit]

Even busy Sebastian is normally rapid-fire and shifty enough that everyone gets to surf. How many times does one have to go to Malibu before they get one from top to bottom with no drop-ins? Now make it an overhead day?

That less busy back-beach-like right way up the point looks maybe-able. Otherwise, give me two dozen closeouts in peace and the shorter trip to LAX.

Most people don’t realize how few decent surf spots there are between El Porto and County Line. It’s really the worst.

Now do Florida's East Coast!

It looks to me like there's a zillion little jetty setups, and there's a few setups in North LA other than County Line. The problem is, everyone who can't duck dive between Containmentfornia Street and San Containfre surfs there.

 

[GromsDad]

The camera at Lowers looks so fun this morning with a very mellow crowd. Very jealous.

 

[mundus]

The camera at Lowers looks so fun this morning with a very mellow crowd. Very jealous.

Did you surf or just take photos?

 

[kidfury]

The camera at Lowers looks so fun this morning with a very mellow crowd. Very jealous.

Super cold though.

 

[Sharkbiscuit]

Super cold though.

??????
He's talking about Lowers in SoCal. I just checked the weather. Unless you are in Daytona -> South, Lowers is warmer, air and water, than where you are surfing today.

 

[Bayview]

post Christmas Day was fun. Two sessions around morning low tide. Chest to head and then waist to chest. West winds. Always warm on the inside. Good times.

 

[Kento]

No surf Christmas Day aside from the tsunami of gift-wrap strewn from wall to wall from stocked kids.

23rd was fun, OH, beachbreak, both outer sandbar with inside grinders. Usual shiftiness with currents everywhere. I think a couple people out way to the south of me but that was it.

Yesterday was larger and with the beach I usually go to was looking pretty raw, no one out, and hard to tell how big it was as it was way out the back. Ton of background swell with cleanup sets washing through often. Decided to explore up the coast, see if I could find a nook. Yeah, I did and it looked great from above but it was far heavier looking at it from the sand and even more so in the water. Solid DOH sets and not as clearcut a takeoff zone as it looked from the bluff. And that water was a lot more slack than I initially suspected, nasty little swirling currents. So making headway into a set wave against all that forced inertia was almost nil and sitting inside to pick off something smaller would have been a really bad idea. Especially on a goddamn 6'7". But it was good to know how far I can take that board and that sesh was way beyond the edge of that. Well, it's not like I didn't have an inkling that that sesh was going to be trouble; better to paddle out and find out than go home and wonder what if. And, hey, it was kinda fun to be paddling straight up the face of feathering cleanup sets, praying I wouldn't get dragged backwards over the falls.

So yes, my North Coast adventure continues.

 

[One-Off]

No surf Christmas Day aside from the tsunami of gift-wrap strewn from wall to wall from stocked kids.

23rd was fun, OH, beachbreak, both outer sandbar with inside grinders. Usual shiftiness with currents everywhere. I think a couple people out way to the south of me but that was it.

Yesterday was larger and with the beach I usually go to was looking pretty raw, no one out, and hard to tell how big it was as it was way out the back. Ton of background swell with cleanup sets washing through often. Decided to explore up the coast, see if I could find a nook. Yeah, I did and it looked great from above but it was far heavier looking at it from the sand and even more so in the water. Solid DOH sets and not as clearcut a takeoff zone as it looked from the bluff. And that water was a lot more slack than I initially suspected, nasty little swirling currents. So making headway into a set wave against all that forced inertia was almost nil and sitting inside to pick off something smaller would have been a really bad idea. Especially on a goddamn 6'7". But it was good to know how far I can take that board and that sesh was way beyond the edge of that. Well, it's not like I didn't have an inkling that that sesh was going to be trouble; better to paddle out and find out than go home and wonder what if. And, hey, it was kinda fun to be paddling straight up the face of feathering cleanup sets, praying I wouldn't get dragged backwards over the falls.

So yes, my North Coast adventure continues.

A friend of mine who lives in SF rides mostly 8-0 plus boards. Something about making takeoffs. I asked him about duck diving and he laughed at me.

 

[Kento]

A friend of mine who lives in SF rides mostly 8-0 plus boards. Something about making takeoffs. I asked him about duck diving and he laughed at me.

I see the wisdom of this very clearly right now.

I also think it's hilarious I went elsewhere to find something less heavy and instead went out somewhere much, much heavier. Kept myself out of trouble in the water but not a good place to have to swim in if you broke board/leash. Nasty beach surge too; watched it a long time to plan out egress before venturing out through blind keyhole expressway between large rocks. I could see how a lot of beachwalkers die at this and nearby coves.

Am having a blast exploring and paying some dues in the process. Although man, a sedate head high to few feet OH day would be nice. Doesn't look like it will be getting below 15' anytime soon though.

 

[mundus]

I see the wisdom of this very clearly right now.

I also think it's hilarious I went elsewhere to find something less heavy and instead went out somewhere much, much heavier. Kept myself out of trouble in the water but not a good place to have to swim in if you broke board/leash. Nasty beach surge too; watched it a long time to plan out egress before venturing out through blind keyhole expressway between large rocks. I could see how a lot of beachwalkers die at this and nearby coves.

At least uncrowded?

 

[Kento]

At least uncrowded?

No one out anywhere and for damn good reason.

 

[rice]

Rode longboards with my daughter Xmas day; was smallish but the long period made it super walled. Got a couple each, paddled a bit, swam for our boards a bit. No one out.

But the 26th was up and firing! Basically 5 of 7 days have been really good here for the past couple months.

 

[mundus]

No one out anywhere and for damn good reason.

Kudos for getting after it, you need gloves up there?

 

[Kento]

Kudos for getting after it, you need gloves up there?

Thanks. The water was actually pretty toasty yesterday, high 50s I'm guessing. Was not cold in slightest. Generally, though, making it work with a 4/3 and booties. Other days have been cold, though: low 50s water, low 30s air with biting offshores.