How is the surf so far this year in your part of the world ?

[albert]

it will be there in the morning

[albert]

I had been camping down the coast hoping to catch some waves before this monster swell would roll in as predicted. As soon as it did, I pretty much threw my hands in the air and headed home...

As soon as I got back I hear from steen that this rare point was going off when the swell came up... I was kicking myself all night for not checking it since it was on my way home...

Now its 4:50AM cant sleep so Im heading down there again... hopefully my little red car can make it without any worries... Will write more when I get back.

[albert]

swell dropped too much overnight... gonna go have some breakfast now

[stemple]

Next week's forecast is calling for predominant NE winds which are offshore at OB with swell ranging in height from 6 to 10 feet consistently through the week. Biggest swell Monday and Tuesday with it staying head high for the remainder of the week. These conditions have the potential to make OB go off with serious tube time. So much for a productive week at work. Anybody interested in getting together let me know.

Syd

[Smokin Rock]

...

[ScottMac]

..

[stemple]

Pretty epic up here yesterday too. I was checking it at VFW's, OB at 3:00 pm when Don pulled up with Bonnie and the Hound. It was solid 8 foot with definate 12 footers coming through regularly. The period was solid 15 seconds and it was throwing hard and round onto the inside sand bar. We chatted abit then Don went south to check Sloat which was solid 15 foot and four to five rows of white water. Not my cup of tea.

He did motivate me get out there and give it go. I suited up and paddled out on my 6'3" pin tail. Unfornately my timing was bad and I must have taken at least 15 waves on the head and was swept about 1/2 down the beach. As I was just getting to the outside when a large set moved in. Paddling like a bat out of you know what, I barely made it over the top of the first then paddled even harder to get over the second, barely ducking under the lip as threw a good ten feet in front of the base. Total redline on adreline meter.

Off shore wind was howling at least 10 to 15 knots. It made for late take offs but wickly vertical walls and huge tubes. I was tubed twice and was literally praying to come out in one piece. The tubes were full stand ups in size. Nobody needed to duck to fit. Lips were were throwing at least a foot or two overhead. I would say these conditions were right at my comfort level. I caught eight waves, all of them full screamers and makeable. I have not had a total redline session like that in awhile. Got out around 5:15 pm shaking from the adreline rush as a down pour occurred. Got on the Bay bridge and made it home in time for dinner with the wife and kids.

[Don]

Syd,

Well, yes Sloat was big. I saw a few guys who told me where the rip was to paddle out so I suited up and went for it. The peak to the north had 8 guys on it and the peak to the south had 1 guy. I opted for the south peak.

I haven't surfed big waves with offshores like that in about a year. The guys on the beach were saying there 8'0 boards were getting hung at the top and they had trouble dropping in. Hence my decision to go with a short board (5'10). I figured I could spin under the lip and take the late drops... it worked but man was the adrenaline flowing... so much so I lost my chicken salad sandwich on garlic toast. Seriously.

Big Sloat is actually a fun wave. The drops are long, the bottom turns are huge and if you're not too deep the wave is very surfable. The first one is the toughest as you never know what your going to get. After about 8 waves I started to get hungry...

Just when you think you've got it all figured out Mother Ocean deals you a bad card... I was keen on taking the 4th or 5th wave in the set knowing my paddle out through the channel would be fairly safe. So, I kept moving a bit further inside as the wind was blowing me out to sea. As I paddled over a 2x I saw the first wave in a set cresting on the outer bar... not a good sign. As Syd says, redline... I paddled like !@#$ fighting my logic which said "your paddling the wrong way... the beach is behind you" As the lip feathered for about 15 yards toward me I kept thinking one more stroke... one more stro....

Well the lip hit my shoulders to lower back and pushed me forward out the back of the wave on an upward tragectory. Then the feeling struck me... I'm going back over the falls. Yes it was a punishing wave but the worst part was my broken leash. Swimming in from that distance sucks. There's inside sandbars, dead zones, holes, flat spots and pounding shorebreak. I had no idea if my board was on the shore or not. 10 minutes later I reconnected with my trusty friend.

It was good, it was bad, it was big wave surfing. Better than being flat.

[fooj]

You OBers are a special breed!

[Don]

fooj,

you coming over again this year? i'd love to catch a session or two with you.

as for the special breed... when OB is your local break you just don't know any better and accept it for what it is. if common sense ever kicks in i'll be surfing half as much

[southpeakbrad]

Don, I once was out at Big Sloat in late afternoon as well. Similar situation when I saw a large set looming way out there and for the 1st time ever I actually turned and stroked for shore, then turned around to duck dive as the whitewater hit me.. It felt weird, but I knew I DID NOT want to risk the impact zone in that situation!

[surfhorn]

Barfing at OB must be some kinda tradition. When I was at SF State I 'decorated' my board on a big day at VFWs. But I think it was the partying the nite before than the big surf that called that tune.

uuurp........

[fooj]

Don,
Not this season, maybe next? My bone marrow still gets as cold as a Slurpee just thinking about it. Yeah, I'd love to grab a surf with you and the boys. Wonderful place you've got there, keeps one humble.

[K58 HAWAII]