Santa Cruz - livin' the dream!

hammies

Duke status
Apr 8, 2006
15,587
14,214
113
Flat as a board here (but what else is new?) and perfect conditions, and school is out.
 

TeamScam

Miki Dora status
Jan 14, 2002
5,485
1,119
113
Mid-Atlantic
I've been watching that cam occasionally since the monster swell a few weeks back and was surprised how flat is was today too. As an East coast surfer it still befuddles me what the different swell directions do out there, but today was unexpected at that place.
 
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92122

Michael Peterson status
Jul 29, 2015
2,597
1,023
113
Was there in October during that run of swell and saw the Lane Breaking well overhead and clean for the first time.

Still amazes me how a few mile stretch of coast can have such varied conditions at the exact same.... Steamer Lane 8'-10' and good clean conditions... Pleasure Point head high plus and kind of wonky... The Hook 3-4+ and just about perfect... Capitola, 2-3+ and clean.

Truly regret not being able to bring boards on that trip, so am planning another trip next fall but leaving the family at home.
 

gbg

Miki Dora status
Jan 22, 2006
3,864
3,377
113
I wouldn't live in Santa Cruz if you paid me. It's a beautiful. But too many people.
I don’t know how anyone can have fun w the crowds. It’s like a Wilbur kookemyer cartoon when driving around the point: water packed, parking packed, traffic packed, n packed w people on bikes w boards. Ugh.
The crowds there are nuts. And its so damn cold in winter. No thanks.
 

CutnSnip

Phil Edwards status
Sep 11, 2018
5,736
6,043
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Probably dropping in on you, California
I don’t know how anyone can have fun w the crowds. It’s like a Wilbur kookemyer cartoon when driving around the point: water packed, parking packed, traffic packed, n packed w people on bikes w boards. Ugh.
every time one of my oc buddies come up to LA to surf they say the same thing regarding the crowds. cant believe i even paddle out into that mess ,etc.

what the alternative? not surf? I get plenty of waves even at packed to the gills El Poopo. Its frustrating but not as frustrating as not surfing.
 

Swallow Tail

Billy Hamilton status
Oct 6, 2017
1,679
2,938
113
Your Mom’s House
every time one of my oc buddies come up to LA to surf they say the same thing regarding the crowds. cant believe i even paddle out into that mess ,etc.

what the alternative? not surf? I get plenty of waves even at packed to the gills El Poopo. Its frustrating but not as frustrating as not surfing.
I here ya. I occasionally surf in SC when I get desperate in the summer when nothings been working here: Have friends that live there n they just deal w it. & I guess lots of times many (most?) of the people in the lineup are “buoys” so can still get waves - they’re just kinda floating around out der.
 

doc_flavonoid

Billy Hamilton status
Dec 27, 2019
1,740
3,198
113
Was Santa Cruz always like that? Or did it change pretty recently
was pretty clear to me by the late 80's that sc was done. every era thinks theirs was the jam before it went to sh!t. mine was no golden age but once the southern bay area population started really booming sc's livability went markedly down hill as more and more people streamed over 17 daily

for reference i moved out of there in 1990. still miss the quality and consistency of its surf and weather sometimes but that is it