Fewer Good Sand Bar Waves

I was on it again early this morning thinking I could score again. The swell had jumped up overnight, but not too big I thought. I arrived at the Cali Bar in the murky early light to find it way smaller than I expected, Shakes too. So I headed down to EoL's. I had such good surfing there yesterday, perhaps a redux?

Surprisingly again, it was much bigger than yesterday. At least a foot or two, and the sets were closing out. That's beach break for ya...good yesterday, less so today, or in an hour or, whatever. But there I was, all suited up and no place to go so WTF, let's go surfing. I paddled out right into what was yesterday's channel. Today, with more energy in the longer period swell, I couldn't punch through the inside sand bar. Unbeknown to me, the current that was running laterally yesterday in the trough just off the beach, was on meth today. Before I could get very far out, I was a hundred yards down the beach. Rather than wear myself out fighting a losing battle, I got out of the water and walked way past the channel to where I could at least avoid that current. It still took a little while getting out, but after a while I made it, only to find myself surrounded by large peaks closing out all the way to the beach, or not breaking until they were way inside...and then closing out.



Long story short, I got two good rides on long walls, and a half dozen quick turn and flick outs. The waves just weren't there today. I thought maybe the tide was too low, so I surfed an hour fifteen and got out. I waited a while but nothing changed. Could be swell direction, or size or both. Could be lack of that little WSW that was in the water yesterday. Maybe today there was nothing crossing up the new WNW in the water. I gotta admit, I was disappointed, but glad I got wet anyway. At least I got a couple good ones and a couple nice turns too.

February 3, 2010

In: 0705
Out: 0820
AT= 43-46F
WT= 55.8F
Wx: Fog and low clouds
Tide: 1.19' Falling to 1.19' (Low 1.09')
Wind: Calm to light offshore
Sea Surface: Goosebumps to light wind ripples

McTavish (PU) 9-3 Fireball
Fin set-up: 9" Future Cutaway with FCS GX sides
Bathymetry: Sand bars
Deep Water Swell CDIP Archive
Wave Hts. (Faces): 3-5 ft. with the occasional 6-7 footer on the sets