Back to the Beaches in Summer Wx Redux

If the weather was the stock market, we'd all be rich. I spent the last two mornings surfing in small, wind driven beach break. The pattern is, clear blue sky morning with offshore wind. Low to rising tide putting up 2 -4 ft. fun waves in somewhat bumpy conditions (especially today, Thursday).

Surfing the beaches is a lot like fishing. You never really know what you're going to get from moment to moment. Will that set break over the sand bar lined up with the two houses, or will it swing wide and close out in the channel? Each set is different. That's why some folks never surf the beaches, they hate the inconsistency...but when it's the only game in town?

Yesterday's sea surface was smoother, with just a bit of a bump on the surface...waves were a little bigger. Today was a different story though. First 25 minutes were smooth with consistent peelers. Then it got weird. It never completely deteriorated but at 30 minutes into the session a white cap producing rip washed right through my spot. Washboard sea surface all around. Then that finally drifted down current, only to be replaced with what I can only call an "east swell." (My two cents on this is that it's blowing pretty hard out of the east which is energizing (literally) an easterly wind swell. This mixed with a weak WNW wind swell is putting up enough competition to be clearly visible, and felt, in the line-up.)

Things got too crowded for conditions at about an hour and a half so I called it a day and headed in. Diversity...ya gotta love it.
Jan 28, 2009 (W)

In: 0820
Out: 0920
AT= 42 to 50F
WT= 54F
Wx: Clear and sunny
Tide: 4' Rising to 4.6'
Wind: Offshore to calm
Sea Surface: Wind ripples and some bump

10-2 Angulo SUP with Infinity Ottertail carbon fiber paddle
Fin set-up: Thruster with K2D2 4.75" center fin (fourth mark up from back) and Future FJC1
Bathymetry: Sand bars
Deep Water Swell and Wave Face Heights CDIP Archive
Buoy: NWS (Nearshore)
0800: 2.6 feet @ 12.5 WNW
0830: 2.3 feet @ 13.3 W
0900: 2.6 feet @ 13.3 W
0930: 2.6 feet @ 11.8 W
1000: 2.6 feet @ 12.5 W

Jan 29, 2009 (Th)

In: 0807
Out: 0945
AT= 44 to 54F
WT= 53F
Wx: Clear and sunny
Tide: 3' Rising to 4'
Wind: Offshore
Sea Surface: Wind ripples and bumpy

10-2 Angulo SUP with Infinity Ottertail carbon fiber paddle
Fin set-up: Thruster with K2D2 4.75" center fin (fourth mark up from back) and Future FJC1
Bathymetry: Sand bars
Deep Water Swell and Wave Face Heights CDIP Archive
Buoy: NWS (Nearshore)
0800: 2.0 feet @ 11.1 WNW
0830: 2.6 feet @ 11.1 WNW
0900: 2.6 feet @ 11.1 WNW
0930: 2.6 feet @ 11.1 WNW
1000: 2.3 feet @ 10.5 WNW