WNW Swell Arrives

I paddled out to Beginners an hour late, even though I tried to tell myself it was really right on time, DST was screwing me up says I.

I paddled out after the surf school claimed the inside sandbar. I paddled out after the surf school graduates claimed the outside sandbar. (I guess that's why they call it Beginners.) I sat way off of the outside peak and picked off two nice wide ones that dished up long rides to the inside. Got lucky. The surf school clique was in full effect with hooting and aowoo-ing every ride from the seriously nice ten hanging specialists to the seriously kooked neophytes. That gets kind of old (especially if you don't know anyone) so I moved on.

I found a nice little section with a steep take-off over a big rock just off Indigo's Point. The rides were fast, steep and short into a sandy trench that was the median between my little rock reef and the outside sandbar. I got a number of fun ones by myself (crowds hate a vacuum) before four or five people paddled over. Met Ray the night surfer. Nice guy, wants to try stand-up but didn't want to give it a go on the spot.

Surfed a couple hours and headed in. Since it's my day off and M is in Sacto I ran errands and headed home via the coast. Stopped at the point and immediately noticed an increase in the swell size and consistency. It appears that the awaited WNW swell has arrived putting up some good numbers on the nearshore buoy starting at 10AM (just about the time I was getting out of the water). Snapped some pics at several spots (see 'em here) and almost paddled out a second time. Decided instead to take the risk and hope that this swell will last at least 24 hours, and that I'll get some good ones tomorrow morning at the reefs.

This swell tipped it's hand on the faraway buoy last night starting up about 9PM, just after I turned off the computer and went to bed. Then I forgot to check it this morning before heading out. How dumb is that? I knew it was coming too, just not when exactly it was going to make landfall. I shoulda known.
March 11, 2008 (Tu)
In: 0751
Out: 0935
AT= 45 - 56 degrees
WT= 52.9 degrees at the farshore buoy
Wx: Sunny with high, thin cloud cover
Tide: 0.16 Rising to 1.59
Wind: Calm to NNW at 1 to 3 mph
Sea Surface: Light to moderate bump with light to moderate wind mottling to glassy in the kelp
Buoy: NWS
0600: 4.9 feet @ 12.1 Seconds WNW
0700: 4.9 feet @ 10.8 Seconds WNW
0800: 4.9 feet @ 12.9 Seconds W
0900: 5.2 feet @ 11.4 Seconds WNW
1000: 5.2 feet @ 17.4 Seconds NW
1100: 6.2 feet @ 17.4 Seconds WNW
10'4" Angulo SUP with Infinity paddle
Rock reefs
Waves: 3 feet at 11 seconds (Nearshore buoy approx. ave.) Storm Surf Buoy Model