Winter Surf Log 2023/2024

[Major Lazer]

Allen Sarlow, one of the Bu Mayors. Guys just goes.... doesn't give an F.

What's up with the Sultan Twin? Surviving the shutin? Will it see the light of Winter? Been prime time for it amigo.

[Major Lazer]

Another beaut of a weekend, at least Fri PM-Sat IME. I feel like Neptune has been looking out for me since I became a hybrid bro Started with a bit of a maintenance sesh, found 3-4 fun ones in mostly walled up minus LT conditions, but scoring some cheaply priced Ft G and Bouys new West Coast as well as a cheap dungey made for a pleasant night of camping. Warm again too! Woke to a beaut of a sunny am and fun waves. The newbs and shoebs and soft top crews seem to be on the Nino winter surf run, guess they don't share Tex's or the OSPs lack of interest in Feb? But who can blame them, been downright enjoyable. Not sure what to think about the news of the groundhog and an early Spring. Sure has felt like Spring, especially last few weekends and with Feb's balmy temps and longer days. But we will see when the skunk cabbage starts to bloom and the rotten winds and lumpy swells show. Fingers Xed they don't, but El Nino looks to be fading out.

[BOX]

Cut out of work early yesterday for a nice late afternoon session. Hadn’t been in the water since mid-December and it showed. But I caught a few waves and the weather was absolutely beautiful so no complaints. Went home with a big smile on my face so I count that as a win.

[Major Lazer]

Nice, been wondering how its been down that way.

[Major Lazer]

Sick Day Sand Bank was doing its best Nica impression this week. Peaky and punchy rights and more fun in da sun on 5-11 chonk shorty. Took the quads out and threw the AM2 thrusters in and remembered how much I like that pivot for pockety waves. I mean come on is this really Winter?!? Capped the week with some white waves in some classic and favorite zones. That floaty feeling on some high angle lines fired up stoke levels and winter finally felt like winter. Classic PNW week and rare Coast to Hood bird in hand this season.

[Major Lazer]

February was a fun one and lucked out once again on another winter holiday, Pres Day, and went 3 for 3. Last few felt more like spring thou. Last weeks swell was a funky one, but the weather and conditions were kine. And if you didn't add March to your No Surf Winter Month List, ya might want to cause the classic cold deep storm cycles are here. 950mlb lows, classic Nor Westers. Might be time to chase in the De Fuca zones. March may be one of the worst months for OR surf IHMO.

[BOX]

Went in late so I could get in early for a dawn patrol session this morning near the punchbowl. Little and lully but a lot of fun for a middle-aged longboarding dude just coming off a winter season break. Occasional chest-high long period sets nice and clean. Nothing too exciting if you were looking to get barreled, but I got a number of long, glidy lefts that left me with a wide smile on my face. Not a bad almost spring day in the water. Stoke level is pretty high.

[Major Lazer]

I think Howly may now hold the record for shortest session ever at SB Homie was walking out when I'm pulled up, checked it, ate 3 hard boiled eggs, suited booted, and hommie was desuited and packing up Did he see a shark? Chased out by rafting sea lions? Or maybe got one close out and was done Had to have been 15 minutes max with walk up and down the beach. Guess he had better things to do

[Major Lazer]

coming off a winter season break.

Seemed to be the theme of last weekend. Guess the seasonal go surfing memo went out? Peps seemed hungry. Quite the scene at SB. Found some solitude Fri afternoon, but around 5 holy smokes it was a train of paddlers coming down the beach from the channel, like 20! That was my best day of waves, but still nothing like what was on tap all winter up here. Will not rush back Weather was sure nice though and found some more waves on the home although lumpy spring swell.

[Howly Wolf]

Haha, busted. Didn't even paddle out. Was lured by some mesmerizing lefts pre-dawn, but just wasn't feeling it as I walked the beach in the cruel light of day. Kind of put off by what appeared to be a ceaseless and ever-shifting impact zone. Didn't help that a local who I know to charge the park with or without company did the exact same thing-- suited up, took a walk, and then called it off. He didn't waste as much time as me tho, so I guess he holds the record As I alternated between watching him climb back up the dune and a sole lo ngboarder eke out chest hight sloggers in the lee, decided to wait and surf later. Was the right call for me, since the session I had a few hours later was pretty darn fun.

[Major Lazer]

No paddle, no award. Perhaps a honorable mention for yeast'ing it. Maybe slow your roll essay.... I get it thou, trying to get a jump on the Bend bros. Hard offshore and pumping LP swell. Seemed bigger than Fri, at least more consistent. Walled and closed on inside bar I surfed Fri, but outside bar was breaking yet inconsistently. Got a some well OH roll ins on the 7'2" fun gun but only a handful. Just wasn't consistent and standing up or couldn't scratch in. Guy on 8 something Mavs gun was canoeing in to them. Paddled back to inside bar with the crowd and got slammed on a few closeouts. George put it in perspective, tired of paddling around for a few waves, but at least I'll stay in shape.

[Howly Wolf]

George is the man.

[Doc]

I was coastal all last week...albeit not at a typical surfspot. N side of a place that rhymes with Bake Cook Out.
Looked and looked and looked...wife said the waves look nice. Yeah, long paddle, raging current, thumping sandbar.
Hmm...she doesn't surf and she doesn't know it would have just been frustrating. And the only rubber in the water.
Finally pulled the trigger on Friday & drove to a spot where there was another head out.
His struggle was real...I can do better I thought, so suited up and paddled out.
My reward? My first utter skunking in memory. And my memory runs 50+ years, so there's that.
Sit on the peak? Get launched. Try the shoulder? Can't get in. Move down the beach? Breaks where you were.
Now...I was riding a retro 7'2" pintail that was the only board I brought to force myself to surf it.
And a little length would have gone a long way for sure. I did finally scratch into one...
Only for a close out that brought a merciful end to my embarrasment.
The other guy came in shortly after and we commiserated a bit about...
How could something that looked so fun have been so terrible? Couldn't have been the surfers...right?
Doc