The Last of Swell #4

The last of the NPAC gales slipped into the bay mixed with local wind swell, putting up 2 - 4 ft. peelers, with some head high waves this afternoon/evening. I'm back in the water after fighting a cold all week long, still horking and spitting up some green stuff, but for the most part blowing out my sinuses with cold ocean water mixed with snot.

Water temp has warmed a bit, and air temp is chilly, but with the southwest winds and offshores blowing, my fingers got pretty numb near the end of the session. I surfed just about all the spots on the reefs: Sarges, Middles, Casa, GDubs and Yellow House. Got some fun waves at all the places. Didn't stay long at Sarges early, too crowded and one entitlement oriented longboard fossil who just highlighted the fact that life is too short to put up with some people without getting paid for it. Better to just move on for a while.

It always seems to work out for the best though, as my relocation yielded some fast zippers in the lowering tide at the three up-reef spots I surfed. As the tide lowered the kelp became more rapacious than ever, so after getting yanked off the back of my board twice from leash/kelp entanglements, I paddled down to Yellow House and surfed some tinys for a while.

For some reason (low tide and kelp madness no doubt) everyone got out of the water about ten to five, which is when the wind shifted offshore, the sunset colors got good, and some really nice, fast and hollow chest high waves started to consistently pour over the reefs at Casa's. Sarges was just too shallow to surf, with the inside waves breaking on dry reef. But Casa's was on and the two main sections were barreling. I made about a third of the waves I rode, and had one helluva good time trying to figure out how to make the other 2/3rds. It's really fun and challenging setting up for the next going square section on the big board, even if the odds are against you. And how many guys out? Two, and he was surfing another peak. More than sweet!

Jan 26, 2009 (M)
In: 1420
Out: 1745
AT= 55 to 51F
WT= 54F
Wx: Partly cloudy
Tide: 1' Falling to -.6' Rising slightly
Wind: West south westerlies at 1 to 8 mph, to calm to offshore
Sea Surface: Light wind rippling

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: Reefs
Deep Water Swell and Wave Face Heights CDIP Archive
Buoy: NWS (Nearshore)
1430: 5.6 feet @ 14.3 W
1500: 5.9 feet @ 14.3 W
1530: 5.2 feet @ 14.3 W
1600: 5.6 feet @ 10.5 WNW
1630: 5.2 feet @ 11.1 WNW
1700: 5.2 feet @ 13.3 W
1730: 4.9 feet @ 11.8 WNW
1800: 5.9 feet @ 11.8 WNW