Get It!
The “bomb” swell has arrived. Southern California surfers who, days ago, were in literal disbelief after World Surf League forecasting partner Surfline had predicted waves reaching never-before-seen heights across region are, right now, eating crow and/or drinking salt water.
Blacks: 15 – 18 ft.
Swamis: 8 – 12 ft.
Huntington Beach Pier: 8 – 12 ft.
World Surf League CEO Erik Logan’s El Porto: 10 – 15 ft.
First Point Malibu: A celebrity comfortable 4 – 6 ft.
Sunny skies, light winds and it might be thought that Surfline staffers would be relishing a rare victory. Parading around various cities and towns pounding chests, insisting that Nostradamus ain’t shit compared to Kevin Wallis. But those thinking such things would be wrong.
Ever erring on the side of abundant caution, those who might want to test their mettle against nature’s finest were met with stern warnings.
“Massive surf is hitting all areas this morning with Over Head to Double Over Head waves rolling thru many areas,” penned North County Surfline advisor Bird. “Winter focal spots can see waves even larger than that. A 6’+ high tide is further adding to deep ocean surges that are spilling in to the lower lying car parks and breaking over some of the structured areas and piers. Winds are light offshore. Bottom line is that it’s Very Dangerous at all areas so really think hard before you attempt a paddle out. If you want to go watch the action stay extremely clear of those areas that can get flushed out by the rogue Super Sets.”
Will vulnerable adult learners heed the warning?
Will the Donald Trump-esque random capitalizations of Over Head, Double Over Head, Very Dangerous and Super Sets add the proper gravitas to keep them away?
David Lee Scales and I discussed confidence and entitlement outweighing reality in these the post-Covid surfing days of our lives. We also spent time wondering if vision boards are an important tool for personal success. I think you will enjoy the episode much and should listen whilst preparing to Charge The Bomb.
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Is been a great early season with many wet, warmer than usual storms coming out of the southwest(think San Diego up to LA versus San Fran to Seattle). Not normal weather but after the last four or five marginal early seasons I’ll take it. Was on skis in the backcountry for the first time in October, in about 10 years, and no other people in sight. BUT I’m ready to paddle out next week as I need that peace again…
So far, nobody has admitted to actually listening. More of a scroll and comment crew, no so much on reading and listening.
Definitely looks about four to six
My nana, she thinks Dave is such a lovely young man
Pfft – she prob thinks you’re a sweetheart, too.
So much for her judgement ….
Everyone thinks it
Snort.
witnessed several of these sized swells as a pre-surf grom: bike-ride to gawk and run away as the big sets hit and deflected from the Redondo Breakwall; playing in the stormwater outfall at 1st street; floating in the shorepound with an inflatable surf mat; way before there were ever warnings about…dirty water.…I could boast that all this bact-t exposure boosted the immune system…but i’m no doctor…and didn’t start to self-medicate until i was a teenager…and to escape the concentrated hoards of the South Bay, starting finding boards that could be paddled beyond the impact zone…and started looking at surf pics in Surfer mags…Santosha, The Seychelles, Blacks, even Virginia Beach…full color pics sure looked cool stoned on hash oil, mex rag weed, thai sticks…acai. starting a paper route and caretaking the local ballfield to pay for all of it…wouldn’t have a car for another 4 years…even now, the only way I would get in the water would to be out of my mind…
straight chalk lines, no wiggles … beer cans in the dugouts where the cool kids drink in the rain…massive ravine at the back of the box where the cleanup guy always digs in a little deeper, no matter how deep it is to begin with…throw the paper on the porch and keep it off the wet grass f-ing twerp! … some memories there prof. salsa
nice observation RL…in thinkin back, I took the ball field and playing the game much more seriously then surfing!
Church was nowhere near the 8-12 feet Surfline saying it was, so I got to kook out riding a gun in head high+ surf.
Backcountry in Eagle County near Vail.
Just for laughs I looked at Malibu camera, nowhere near as crowded as I was expecting and a set caught the entire lineup too far inside, of course.
I’m watching the free rotating cam on Surfline. Blacks looks big. Other spots not so much.
Its all about SB on these types of swell. Needs a big corner to turn and smooth out the swell.
This pic of Rincon from yesterday caught my eye. https://uploads.disquscdn.c…
Sandbar was off its rocker but current kegging up top.
jeezus … where did you see that? I saw some IG pics and stories from there yesterday that didn’t look nearly as big but hard to tell with perspective how big it actually was … sad I’m not on the right coast for this one.
Shaun Thomson’s IG.
I’ll have to dig into my memories of the epic Code Red swell crowds of last July while I skin up a mtn today that has benefitted greatly from the outsized snowfall this year. And maybe, just MAYBE there will be another big event next week when I can paddle out…
fresh pow-pow… get it sir!