Multi-Wind Swells and Winter

And like that, it was Winter...well, almost. I know we've got a long way to go until the official start of Winter (December 21), but in 48 hours things changed drastically. A low pressure trough moved through our area dropping temps in the inland locations as much as 30 degrees overnight. On the coast, because of the ever present marine layer and overcast, temps were more even. But as the tail of the low pressure systems moved West, it whipped us with strong northwesterly winds that blew the sea surface into a wind chopped mess all day yesterday.

This morning it was bright and clear and cold. Temp at the KOA across from the beach was 38 degrees. Because of yesterday's high winds, water temp was 55.2F at 6AM. That's more than a two and a half degree drop in 24 hours! The sea surface still had not settled from the big blow yesterday, and in addition to that, a far northwest coast wind swell was making landfall. Waves were 2-4 ft. with periodic six foot sets. It was almost impossible to find a corner. No sand bars, no corners. Even the small waves didn't have much shape, the bigger waves were impossible. The crowd was light, maybe everyone was in town, but that didn't look very good on the wave cams.

I couldn't find a channel or a lull to paddle out through so I just took waves on the head until I made it out the back. A large algae bloom blossomed overnight, and most of the time I surfed in root beer colored water. Hello sinus infection. I caught a couple olas that were fast, steep and furious on the drop, but with no where to go. Kicking out was the only option unless you really enjoy getting pounded during the paddle out. I could only take about 40 minutes of paddling for and backing out of a number of waves. I finally got one good ride into the beach after 40 minutes, and was tempted to paddle back out. But after walking up the beach to check out another peak or two, could find nothing better so I called it a morning.

I'll tell you what though, if this is Winter bring it on! At least the sun is shining and it's a beautiful color filled day. If I wanted Seattle, I'd move there.

September 30, 2009 (W)

In: 0807
Out: 0850
AT= 51-54F
WT= 55.2F
Wx: Sunny with blue skies
Tide: 4.2' Rising to 4.4'
Wind: Calm to very light easterlies
Sea Surface: Glassy with lot's of wind swell bump

5-11 Freeline Ghost Buster 2 Mini-Simmons
Bathymetry: Sand bars
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.)
0700: 9 feet @ 14 NNW - 3.6 feet @ 10.5 WNW (300) (2-4 ft. faces with 6 ft. set waves)
0800: 10 feet @ 13 NW - 4 feet @ 13.3 WNW (310) (2-4 ft. faces with 6 ft. set waves )
0900: 9 feet @ 13 NW - 4.6 feet @ 13.3 WNW (305) (2-4 ft. faces with 6 ft. set waves)
1000: 10 feet @ 13 NW - 3.9 feet @ 13.3 WNW (305) (2-4 ft. faces with 6 ft. set waves)

Onshore Winds and Fading Choi Wan Swell

There was light drizzle in the air, and it felt like rain this morning when I paddled out at 0815 on GB2. Usually the onshores don't start up until 9AM or so, but this morning it was already breezy early. A half hour later it went to moderate winds and by the time I got out the sea surface was wind chopped and wave faces were crumbly.

When it was glassy there were some fun rides every once in a while, amongst the close outs and the fake outs. The last of the typhoon Choi Wan driven waves would have been higher quality and much cleaner in decent conditions. (The swell didn't have much energy left by the time it made landfall in my neighborhood last Friday. The reefs were disappointing. I didn't get in the water all during the the heart of the swell because of teaching and our last GSF service. I was hoping the weather would hold up before things fade out later this week.) GB2 worked well though, handling the chunky faces and messy sections with stable efficiency. The mini-Simmons rides the white water so smoothly that rides to the beach and "face" maneuvers in the white wash are common. Instead of having to kick out, fall off, or bog down, the Ghost Buster makes riding sloppy waves fun.

The low pressure trough that is causing the dismal Winter preview is slated to move through pretty quickly, so tomorrow morning may be a bit smoother. We'll see, but anyway it turns out, unless it's howling victory at sea onshores, I'll be taking down some waves on the Ghost Buster.

September 28, 2009 (M)

In: 0815
Out: 0930
AT= 57F
WT= 57.6F
Wx: Overcast and gray
Tide: 4.1' High tide; Falling to 3.98'
Wind: Light onshores increasing to moderate
Sea Surface: Light to moderate wind chop, no white caps

5-11 Freeline Ghost Buster 2 Mini-Simmons
Bathymetry: Sand bars
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.)
0700: 5.2 feet @ 13.8 WNW - 3.0 feet @ 14.3 W (305) (2-3 ft. faces)
0800: 4.9 feet @ 14.8 W - 2.6 feet @ 12.5 WNW (300) (2-3 ft. faces)
0900: 4.9 feet @ 12.1 WNW - 3.3 feet @ 12.5 WNW (295) (2-3 ft. faces)
1000: 5.2 feet @ 12.1 WNW - 3.0 feet @ 13.3 WNW (no data) (no data)

Foggy Redux of Tuesday

Turn the time traveler back two days, add a little size with a bit more inconsistency, and you'll have today's surf.

The reefs must be flat, 'cause everyone who normally surfs there, was at the beach today. Surfed with Amy, Al, Diane and about three others who I know by surfing with them, but not their names...yet.

Overall a fun morning surf before brunch with "St. Vincent" Jay, the shadowy Carib operative about whom there is more than meets the eye.

September 24, 2009 (Th)

In: 0845
Out: 10
AT= 55F
WT= 57.2F
Wx: Heavy fog
Tide: 3.2' Falling; Rising to 3.3'
Wind: Calm to very light onshore
Sea Surface: Mostly glassy

5-11 Freeline Ghost Buster 2 Mini-Simmons
Bathymetry: Sand bars
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.)
0700: 4.2 feet @ 12.1 NW - 2.0 feet @ 11.1 WNW (295) (1-3 ft. faces)
0800: 3.9 feet @ 11.4 WNW - 2.3 feet @ 11.8 W (290) (1-3 ft. faces)
0900: 4.9 feet @ 7.1 NNW - 2.3 feet @ 11.8 WNW (310) (1-3 ft. faces)
1000: 4.6 feet @ 7.1 NNW - 2.6 feet @ 11.8 WNW (305) (1-3 ft. faces)
1100: 3.9 feet @ 10.8 NNW - 2.0 feet @ 12.5 W (no data) (no data)

Small Windswell in Low Vis Fog

Well so much for Indian Summer. The hot spell called for this week has fizzled. The thermal trough which was supposed to set up on the coast, set up inland. So while it's in the 80's and 90's in the valley, it's in the 60's on the coast with an onshore wind and fog blowing up the corridor. Oh well, par for the course for this unseasonably low temp Summer. Who knows, maybe it will heat up later in the month, or in October, but I kinda doubt it. I think it's got something to do with altered weather patterns due to three years of drought and La Nina.

The beaches were about the only place that had waves this morning. When I arrived, the parking lot was pretty clear, that is you could see to the other end of it. Inland another 100 yards it was clear as a bell. At the ocean overlook you could barely see the ocean three hundred feet away the fog was so thick. All that was really visible was the surf line as it peeled directly onto the sand. Couldn't see any waves at all, but...you could hear some. That was good enough for me.

Surfed the mini-Simmons for an hour and a half in small, juiceless 1-2 ft. local wind swell. There wasn't much push in the majority of the waves, but there were sets, and in those sets you could pick out a couple of fun rides, some even had shoulders.

Buzz was out on his new Surftech/Bob Pearson 10-6 SUP. I hadn't seen him in a while so we had a chance to catch up in between waves. His son is surfing club competitions, and on the high school surf team, and Buzz is enjoying the trips and surfing in various locales throughout the state. He's been doing some distance paddling and will paddle in the San Fran race this weekend.

In between chatting and surfing, the fog would get thicker (about 50 ft. visibility) and thinner (you could see land). Half the time I couldn't see my lineup so I'd take a wave in and realize I had drifted about a hundreds yards down coast. Still, caught a lot of good waves and had some fun chit-chat too.

September 22, 2009 (Tu)

In: 0845
Out: 1020
AT= 56F-61F
WT= 57.7F
Wx: Heavy fog
Tide: 2.8' Rising to 4.0'
Wind: Calm to very light onshore
Sea Surface: Mostly glassy

5-11 Freeline Ghost Buster 2 Mini-Simmons
Bathymetry: Sand bars
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.)
0700: 4.9 feet @ 10 NW - 1.6 feet @ 10.5 WNW (310) (1-2 ft. faces)
0800: 5.2 feet @ 10.8 NW - 2.0 feet @ 10.5 WNW (300) (1-2 ft. faces)
0900: 4.9 feet @ 10.8 NW - 2.0 feet @ 11.1 WNW (305) (1-2 ft. faces)
1000: 4.6 feet @ 10 NW - 1.6 feet @ 11.1 WNW (310) (1-2 ft. faces)
1100: 4.3 feet @ 10,8 NW - 2.0 feet @ 10.5 WNW (315) (1-2 ft. faces)