Pre-Storm Window of Opportunity

I paddled out this morning at Scimi's into a rising swell and a falling tide. Unfortunately the swell wasn't rising enough, and the fat tide wasn't falling fast enough to get the prime pre-storm waves. I had to bail after only an hour to get my dog's stitches taken out at the vets. But I swung by the beach after and got the pics posted here. Things looked pretty good. (All pics taken with the Oly 6000).

The swell came up fast, from 1.6 ft. at 14.3 seconds at 6AM, to 5 ft. at 14 seconds at 1:30P. About an hour later the south wind was on it, and the sea surface was looking like it was going to go Victory at Sea any minute. But for a while this morning, a few surfers got some very nice pre-storm waves. Now it's batten down the hatches for the big blow and rain that starts tonight and all day tomorrow.

Glad I got a few, even if they weren't the best this day had to offer.

October 12, 2009

In: 0730
Out: 0840
AT= 55/56F
WT= 55.8F
Wx: Marine layer being pushed out by incoming storm clouds
Tide: 4.2' Falling to 3.9'
Wind: Light onshore
Sea Surface: Mostly glassy with some light wind ripples and backwash bump

5-11 Freeline Ghost Buster 2 Mini-Simmons
Bathymetry: Reefs
Deep Water Swell and Wave Face Heights CDIP Archive
Buoy: NWS (Farshore #1-Nearshore-Farshore #2)
Time-NDBC Data-CDIP Data (Primary Swell Dir.)(Local Wave Ht. Avg.)
0600: 3.0 feet @ 13.8 W - 1.6 feet @ 14.3 W (285) (2-3 ft. faces)
0700: 3.3 feet @ 14.8 W - 2.3 feet @ 14.3 WNW (290) (2-3 ft. faces)
0800: 3.6 feet @ 14.8 W - 2.3 feet @ 15.4 W (295) (2-3 ft. faces)
0900: 3.6 feet @ 13.8 W - 3.0 feet @ 14.3 WNW (295) (2-3 ft. faces)
1000: 3.9 feet @ 14.8 W - 3.0 feet @ 14.3 W (285) (2-4 ft. faces)
1100: 4.6 feet @ 13.8 WNW - 3.9 feet @ 14.3 W (290) (2-4 ft. faces)
1200: 5.9 feet @ 13.8 WNW - 3.9 feet @ 13.3 WNW (285) (2-4 ft. faces)