Sneak Peek!

OK all you Angulonians, here's something we've all been waiting for...well, almost. I got a sneak peek of the new AnguloDesigns website the other day and it is so sick! The powers that be only gave me a quick glance but I can't keep this under my hat.

This website will have it all and finally, we will be able to get Angulo boards or accessories delivered right to our doorstep or from our friendly Angulo distributor. I don't know about you but where I stand up surf there are a ton of Angulos in the water. Not only that (and they won't tell me all this part) Ed has some insanely awesome new products coming out that will reach way into the SUPing market and beyond. (I can hardly wait to try the new 10'2" performance board!)

Stay tuned and as soon as the site is launched I'll be on it and so will you.

South Starts To Fade

Even though I got started at the same time this morning (0600) and I had the advantage of a lower tide than yesterday, size was diminishing and the sets were more inconsistent. I surfed for about an hour and a half again and got plenty waves, but smaller and longer waits.

Doc Nancy and her hubby paddled out after a half hour or so and stroked into some good ones. Waves were definitely bigger up the line, but on a Saturday morning with word out, you can't beat one to three people in the line-up.

Once again I was lured away from the better, earlier waves by some nice lines at Apt. House Point. My first wave was climb and drop luxury, just like I like 'em. I squirted through a couple sections and tried to squeeze out the doggie door but just couldn't quite make it. By that time I was washing into the cliff rip-rap with an outside wave looming. I managed to crash through the white water (always a dicey situation on the stand up board in anything over waist high foam) and paddle over the rest of the set's cresting waves without incident. On several rides I was able to catch an outside wave at Bat Ray's, kickout inside, catch another at Apt. House Point, kickout inside and catch another at Dick's. Sweet, and a great way to multiply the wave count.

But, who's counting?
May 3, 2008 (Sa)
In: 0604
Out: 0730
AT= 41.8 to 44.6 degrees
WT= 49.5 degrees at the nearshore buoy
Wx: Overcast with patches of fog starting to clear
Tide: 1.3 Rising to 2.81
Wind: Light easterly offshores
Sea Surface: Glassy in the kelp beds to light wind ripples
Buoy: NWS
Sporadic buoy data
0100: 3.9 feet @ 17.4 SW
0200: 3.3 feet @ 16 SSW
0800: 4.9 feet @ 16 SSW
10'4" Angulo SUP with Infinity paddle
Fin set-up: Thruster with Bluecoil 5.5" center fin and FCS Occy sides
Bathymetry: Rock reefs
CDIP: 1.5 feet at 9 seconds from 305 degrees and 2.6 feet at 17 seconds from 195 degrees

South Rocks the House

To paraphrase a line from legendary Texas power bluesman Stevie Ray Vaughan, "If the South is a rockin' don't bother knockin', come on in."

Although the local buoys are not reading it (CDIP finally sensed it at 0600), the long awaited, much anticipated south swell has arrived in full battle gear. Although no where near as epic as last year's April 12 south swell, this child, raised up in it's southern roots, delivered some solid licks this morning at dawn.

I was surprised to see my favorite reef going off and scrambled to get myself and gear down to the beach. This spot usually only works from a minus one to a plus one foot tide, but the size, direction and swell combo overrode the tide (at least for a while). As I pulled up in the srfnff-mobile a seven wave set was smokin' in off the Yellow House point. Light offshores were burning the wave tops off. With a limited rising tidal window, I was paddling out in the dim light at 0600.

First few waves were off Apt. House point because I couldn't pass them up. But Yellow House point delivered an eight wave set that red lined the stoke-o-meter and the rest of the session was spent there in chest to head high beauties.

Granted, these weren't the best waves the district had to offer, but they were mine. I surfed alone for an hour and half. I stopped counting waves at six after the first fifteen minutes. I calmed down after the first half hour and then just picked off the best set waves. South sets stayed consistent at around seven waves per.

May be an evening low tide rising sesh in my future. UPDATE: SW/WSW swell hit the buoys shortly after I finished my morning session. 42 posted 4.9 feet at 17.4 seconds southwest by 2PM; at the same time, 36 showed 1.6 feet @ 15.4 southwest. Have decided to opt for another dawn patrol session tomorrow morning when it will be less crowded.
May 2, 2008 (F)
In: 0605
Out: 0730
AT= 41 to 46 degrees
WT= 50 degrees at the nearshore buoy
Wx: Clear with high streaky clouds
Tide: 2.55 Rising to 3.65
Wind: Light north westerly to easterly offshores
Sea Surface: Glassy in the kelp beds to light wind ripples
Buoy: NWS
Sporadic buoy data
0500: 5.2 feet @ 10 WNW
0700: 5.6 feet @ 7.7 NW
0800: 5.6 feet @ 7.7 NW
10'4" Angulo SUP with Infinity paddle
Fin set-up: Thruster with Bluecoil 5.5" center fin and FCS Occy sides
Bathymetry: Rock reefs
CDIP: 3.9 feet at 9 seconds from 310 degrees and 2.1 feet at 17 seconds from 200 degrees

South Is In The House

I don't care what the data says...the south is in the house. Surfed late afternoon in waist to shoulder high lines that were more than just wind swell. Paddled out at Sarges and moved over to Gdubs 'cause it was so frickin' sweet over there. More guys out than I like but whatever...still got some nice ones and got to see some sweet rides by the mostly longboarders who were on scene.

The buoy data did not tell the tale. Sets were three to five waves and inconsistent, entirely consistent with a long period swell. My pet reefs that aren't supposed to break on this high a tide, were showing signs of life...consistent with a genuine bona fide swell.

Wx is warming and the big winds have fled. But the easterly winds turned offshore and blew some pretty pictures in our faces with the softening light.

Dawn patrol in the morning...we're getting back to where it's light enough to see at o'dark thirty. The antidote to the weekend crowd for those willing to hunt the worm early.
May 1, 2008 (Th)
In: 1626
Out: 1745
AT= 61 to 62 degrees
WT= 49.5 degrees at the nearshore buoy
Wx: Clear, sunny with light easterly winds turning offshore late
Tide: 2.0 Rising to 3.6
Wind: East to offshore 7 to 8 mph
Sea Surface: Glassy in the kelp beds to light wind ripples
Buoy: NWS
1500: 7.9 feet @ 10 WNW
1600: 6.6 feet @ 10 NW
1700: 6.9 feet @ 12.9 NW
1800: 6.9 feet @ 12.1 NW
10'4" Angulo SUP with Infinity paddle
Fin set-up: Thruster with Bluecoil 5.5" center fin and FCS Occy sides
Bathymetry: Rock reefs
CDIP: 6.6 feet at 10 seconds from 300 degrees and 0.8 feet at 17 seconds from 170 degrees