Westerly Ground/Wind Swells Back Down

I'd forgotten how cold it can get around here in April. 37 degrees F when I got up to crack it this morning for what I figured would be the last of this three-day swell event. Fortunately it warmed all the way up to 40 degrees when I paddled out at 0620. Again, Jamie, Johanna and Sean were out, cleaning up the last of the remnants.

The strong offshores reamed everything out and there were no clouds in the sky, just cold, clean air. Water temp was a brisk 50 degrees. With air at 40 and sea at 50, and not much swell energy left in the water to take us over and past the low tide kelp challenge, I only lasted two hours before calling it a day. As I write this an hour and a half later, my toes are still numb.

Sarge's was only a shadow of it's yesterday self, putting up low energy walls in the slowly dropping tide. I rode there for a while then paddled over to Gdubs and took down about a dozen waves. One other guy out besides me and plenty of waves, just not real high quality. Not a lot of long rides this morning, very sectiony.

Finished up at Sarge's with Greg and Andy on their SUPs. Compared to yesterday the kelp was a lot worse. I think the reason is that yesterday there was plenty of energy to drive fast through the stalks. Not so today.

Winds are supposed to die down later today and then go calm for the rest of the work week and into the weekend, but they were still pretty cranked up on the Westside this afternoon. Hopefully as they moderate, the ocean will warm up a little, something like a nice toast 54 degrees would be great.

Apr 15, 2009 (W)

In: 0620
Out: 0820
AT= 40 - 46F
WT= 50F
Wx: Clear, cold and sunny
Tide: 1.5' Falling to .5'
Wind: Light south westerlies increasing
Sea Surface: Light to moderate wind ripples
10-0 Angulo EPS/Epoxy Custom SUP with Infinity Ottertail carbon fiber paddle

Fin set-up: Thruster with K2D2 4.75" center fin (fourth mark up from back) and Future Fiberglass YU (actual fin not shown)
Bathymetry: Rock reefs
Deep Water Swell and Wave Face Heights CDIP Archive
Buoy: NWS (Nearshore)
0630: 6.6 feet @ 11.8 WNW
0700: 6.6 feet @ 11.8 WNW (2 - 4 ft. faces)
0730: 6.2 feet @ 11.8 WNW
0800: 6.2 feet @ 10.5 WNW (2 - 4 ft. faces)
0830: 5.6 feet @ 11.8 WNW
0900: 4.9 feet @ 11.8 WNW (1 - 3 ft. faces)