Swell Improves, Rain Coming

Andy and I paddled out together this morning at 0715. It was considerably warmer than yesterday morning. Air temp today was 42 compared to yesterday's 34. Water temp is still at 52.5 measured at the farshore buoy.

Although the swell has been putting up good numbers, direction at our location was still not right. Set waves were in the head high range but very few were lining up and the fast sections were gobbling people up as well as just stopping them in their tracks. A lot of guys were getting pitched on take off. I had a hard time getting water shots with the Oly because there were very few safety zones, i.e. places I could safely stand to take pics and still be out of the way. After surfing I went down to Craptown and took some shots of the longboarders having fun.

I paddled all over the place picking up waves at several different spots from Gdubs to Sarges. Wind blew offshore the whole time. One great improvement today was the sea surface. It was smooth for the most part with just the offshore wind ripples. And the double waves of yesterday had disappeared. Jamie sat on the Tweeners peak and picked up the wave of the session. A sweet little speed line into a backdoor peak and half-pipe cover up. Nice!

Following up on yesterday's post, I installed the 9" Harbour HP fin. I didn't like the effects it produced in the Ohlohe's performance as compared to my Harbour WingPin performance longboard. The two primary objections are that the fin catches in the kelp and the exaggerated rake seems to hold me too high in the wave face. I like riding high but I felt like I was constantly fighting to push the board down the wave face. Andy suggested that I remove the FCS GL side-biters, because I used the fin as a single fin in the WingPin. That's a good idea but I would still have to deal with the kelp issue. The RFC 9" didn't hang as badly in the kelp.

Both the 9" RFC and the 9" Harbour improved the speed performance of the Angulo by giving me the drive that the smaller 5" RFC couldn't deliver. I also have a 7" RFC fin that I haven't tried yet. Perhaps that will give me the full benefit of a shallower draft for the kelp, but increased drive for speed. More on that after I try the 7". So far, on anything with some juice I would use the 9" RFC fin.
December 15, 2007 (Sa)
In: 0715
1st Wave: 0730
Out: 0915
Wave count: n/a
AT= 42 - 48 degrees
WT= 52.5 degrees at the farshore buoy
Wx: Clear and moderately cold and partly cloudy
Tide: 3.2 Falling to 3.1 feet, Rising to 3.2
Wind: Steady moderately light NW offshores switching to northeasterlies
Sea Surface: Smooth with light offshore wind ripples
Buoy: NWS
0600: 6.6 @ 16 WNW
0700: 6.6 @ 16 WNW
0800: 6.9 @ 16 WNW
0900: 6.6 @ 16 WNW
1000: 6.2 @ 16 WNW
1100: 6.6 @ 16 WNW
10'4" Angulo SUP
Rock reefs
Waves: 5' @ 17 seconds (Nearshore buoy approx. ave.) Storm Surf Buoy Model