Spring 2023 Surf Log

[BOX]

My custom OSP surf report read:

Looks like a couple short period (7-9 sec) NW (300+) wind swells on tap for next week. While not ideal for shape, could be pretty junky, and size for open beachies... should keep things pretty rideable early next week into holiday weekend and better than current lake like conditions.

Found it to be fairly accurate for dawn patrol sessions this week on the central coast. Watch out, Surfline. You may have some competition

[Tex]

just booked a camp spot in Rockaway for next Friday night with the 17 yr old who wants to surf next weekend. Should be highly entertaining surf report next Sunday. Stay tuned....

[Major Lazer]

My custom OSP surf report read:

Looks like a couple short period (7-9 sec) NW (300+) wind swells on tap for next week. While not ideal for shape, could be pretty junky, and size for open beachies... should keep things pretty rideable early next week into holiday weekend and better than current lake like conditions.

Found it to be fairly accurate for dawn patrol sessions this week on the central coast. Watch out, Surfline. You may have some competition

[Major Lazer]

In classic spring-shorts season fashion dusted off the skate and wobbled out in the flats on the neighborhood mini after a nice feeling front-side grind...... went over the falls and rolled out of it, but jacked my sholder pretty good 20+ years ago woulda been fine.

So suffice to say didn't surf much last week, but we did roll down to ye ole stomping grounds and favorite coastal hideout esp on holiday summer weekends. Left sunny gotham and hit the marine layer Fri afternoon, which took some getting used to after weeks of classic sunny weather. The ocean was greybird glass, waves small, and stopped along the way searching for the Orcas. Recent reports had put them in the vicinity bouncing between a bay and river mouth, so we were hoping to get lucky and catch them in between, but no such luck.

Went to sleep to the sounds of the creek flowing and hoots of the Northern Spotted Owl echoing through the old growth. Slept like a baby and woke to a wet and misty quiet Sat morning. Checked a few spots early, one packed nicely with sand with just a two heads out. Glassy WH-CH weakish wind swell beachie peaks. Pretty utility so passed in lieu of a family adventure and shoulder injury otherwise would of splashed. By afternoon skies cleared, sun popped! and wind machine cranked. Went back to camp and hiked to local beachie where we chilled by ourselves on the exposed sand for low tide in the lee and out of the wind

Sunday just adventured on foot. Wife and I did an 8 mile loop and did get a glimpse of the spot along the trial that had most potential for conditions. Looked like a little more swell, but wind was up and no one was out or even around. Decided it was time to test shoulder, so got up early yesterday and paddled out hans solo around 7:30. Beautiful clear sunny morning Wind was already up and probably never stopped, but this spot can handle a bit of that. Tide was a little high, but put together a utility session on the Mid. Fluffy windswell and tight interval made for some inconstant weak running rights and shorter bowly lefts amongst the consistent closeouts. Water was as clear as it gets, a turquoise green color and scenery epic as always. Couple nice heads eventually paddled out for a crowd of 3 on a holiday Good to be back in the water and in this zone in particular. Classic start to the summer.

[Major Lazer]

Anyone know what happend at Sands Mon eve? Heard Life Flight copter landed right on the beach down there. Buddy thought maybe there was a fatality, a drowning? But he wasn't sure exactly.

[smithgrind]

Anyone know what happend at Sands Mon eve? Heard Life Flight copter landed right on the beach down there. Buddy thought maybe there was a fatality, a drowning? But he wasn't sure exactly.

I heard someone died. No deets though.
On a lighter note, surf was pretty fun on the push this morning down there. Got a mini pikey
reunion with Neck Deep and Koonass at third creek.

[Major Lazer]

Bummer.

Waah I missed OSP reunion..... haven't seen those guys since last May and its always down there. Sheesh shoulda known was just up the road. Opted to check some other spots and went home dry Tried to surf it Wed, like twice, caught a few but havent had best luck down there when Ive gone.

[Major Lazer]

One of those rare moments yest where the wind completely died on the buoys overnight then went east as the sun rose coinciding with a seasonal -2' low that exposed an outer sand bank that's normally dormant to waves. While the swell was micro, the variables were there for something rando to show its face, so my homie and I made plans for an early start.

Ocean conditions were absolute butter at dawn. While checking things out from an overlook we noticed and interesting looking set up. A peaky left peeling down an angled bank off a very exposed feature that was catching the little bit of swell that was in the water. While I’ve surfed one side, never surfed off the other and maybe only seen potential or thought about it a few times.

So, we made the call, drove to low ley access, suited and booted as fast as we could, and ran up the beach knowing the tide was flipping and our window was going to be a short one. After power paddling couple hundred feet across a tidal lagoon we got the outer sandbar with hopes that what we saw from above was in fact a surfable peak and it was! Small kine CH WH peaks with peeling lefts down the bar and short rights with punchy drops in shallow water. Clear green crystalline water feathered by a light offshore breeze. It was definitely small, and at times grovley, but the good ones packed enough punch to get up and going and down the line on the quad fishy with a turn or two in the mix some really long. We kept saying a wee bit more swell and this would be epic..... lasted for about an hour and a half. Wind shifted to the N ruffled it and tide started to flood Later noticed the swell bumped a wee bit just after too Still a kinda surreal early morning and the added reward of the hunt and score and solitude are the kind of sessions that do it for me

[Tex]

lovely report, mine will be posted tomorrow but....if I had to guess, south of Needles and north of Arcadia....jest sayin....and good on ya!

We got the butter Friday eve....more to come.

[BOX]

Welp, after three years Covid finally caught me. If you haven't had it yet, I wouldn't recommend it.

Glad a few of you were able to get in some good sessions this past week. No surfing for me lately. Got wiped out just trying to bring the trash bins to the street the other day. Stoke is high but energy is really low. But I'm on the upswing now. I'm hoping I can get back in the water sometime later this week. I could use it.

[Major Lazer]

Sorry to hear ya got the vid, but hey getting it is some of the best immunity IMO. We got it last July and while it barely did anything to me, it really took out my wife who was boosted and I just got the 1st 2 shots. At least it's still early in the Summer with plenary of long days ahead.........

[BOX]

Yeah, I’ve heard the same thing from a few co-workers that they found catching it was better immunity for them than the vax was. The wife and I were both vaxed and boosted but we both still caught it. Neither of us had to go to urgent care or anything so I suppose it could have been way worse if we weren’t inoculated. It felt like a really bad head cold that just wouldn’t go away along with complete lethargy, especially during the first few days. I’ve felt more physically ill in my life, but rarely for that long without feeling better. It seemed like it would never end.

Was bummed I missed about 3-4 sessions where I would have gone out had I not been sick, but you’re right, there’s still a lot of long summer days ahead. Went out this morning for dawn patrol and did ok. I was able to paddle without wheezing at least. Took me a bit to get going. Was a little slow on my timing at first but caught a few in succession at the end that made up for it. Nothing glorious, but at least ended the session on a good note before I had to head into work. A little breezier than forecasted for the early morning but it felt good to get back in the water for sure. Already looking forward to getting back out there on Friday.

[Major Lazer]

June gloom glassy seas and a mysto and pulsey little LP swell late last week. OG neighborhood homie and surf pal was posted for the week and pinged me that an ole sand bank I hadn't surfed in years was showing. If anyone knows this "spot", it's him. So packed up and joined him for a few nights and we shared a nice A frame peak to ourselves off a defined triangular bar that was walking distance away. The ocean was so calm, zero reverb, and would almost be flat between sets but when they came almost every line focused on the bar. One day would favor the lefts, the other the rights, but always both in the mix. Water was warm with out the NW wind upwelling and surfed in my hoodless 4 mill, which was nice. Sat was the best day if not kinda epic....... 200 yard lined up rights to the beach and some pockety left too. Easy roll in off the outside peak, which had a bit of power, fade the initial slow slopey section with a stalled out BT and gut back or lip tap, then it would race through a couple speedy sections on the inside all the way to the beach. Eventually we were spotted and joined when a 4 pack paddled out Sat am Luckily only 2 of the blokes could surf and gave us our space. Surfed until the suck out tide killed it and went home surfed out and stoked! Midlength absolutely ruled it and 1st time surfing it there. Kind of a game changer for this particular wave. June has been fun so far, the type of seshies that get me hyped

[Tex]

We pulled up last Thursday afternoon around 2:00. Conditions ML noted were about the same. Minimal wind was nice and me and my son and oldest surf homey from mid 90's all hooted each other down the line on a number of peaks on the south end of the ss cove. Pure stoke watching the grom navigate the line up on a 7'8 Torq, he had nice paddle power, a ton of stability and he was enjoyng a new found freedom in picking and choosing the waves he wanted. He was catching reforms and riding them all the way into the sand. I was scoring some pretty fun lefts and weaving between the newbies posted on the inside. Friday we got it on the incoming tide. My boy was paddling into some set waves and nailing his take-offs. I was more stoked for his waves than mine. He also got stuck in his first rip, which was mostly entertaining for me watching him try to paddle against the rip. He will always remember that little lesson. Anyway, his grandpa wants to get him an early birthday present so we are heading back on Sat to pick up his first board....basically the same one he has been renting the last two weeks. We are full circle as my dad bought me my first board as well, way back in 88. Glad you scored ML, also Box, glad to hear you are on the mend.

[BOX]

Thanks, Tex. Feeling much better now.

Got out for dawn patrol south of the jetty on Friday. Mostly waist/chest high but super glassy. Perfect for the longboard with lots of long rides. Went out again last night and had a blast. Wind was up a bit but I was at a known protected spot that surprisingly wasn’t that busy. A handful of heads in the water but for some reason they were all sharing the same peak. I moved over and pretty much had my own wave to myself. No complaints.

I moved my center fin placement earlier this spring. Realized last week that it wasn’t making a positive difference so I moved it back. My last two sessions have been the most fun I’ve had in a while. Coincidence? I don’t know, but that fin is staying where it’s at for now.

Great reports! I agree with ML, June has been super fun so far. Stoke level = super volcano.