Local California news affiliate ruthlessly mocks adult learners who even thought about chasing glory during bomb swell: “Not a beginner’s day!”

Ouch.

California’s “bomb” swell is now but a grand memory, something that surfers will tell their children and grandchildren about whilst sitting around the open door of a late model Sprinter van, semi-worn bit of astroturf lovingly placed out the front in order to minimize sand and dirt entering the mobile lounge.

Like fishing stories, I’d imagine there might be some light exaggeration. Maybe where one actually paddled out, what one was surfing, the size of what one caught.

Well, San Diego’s local NBC News affiliate, hoping to catch some laughs at VALs’ expense, sent a reporter down to Windansea where heavy waves lapped up the rocks.

Audra Stafford stood on the those rocks, smiling wide above the chyron that read “Not a beginner’s day” and gleefully told stories of kooks that got washed around before pivoting to a tale of two experienced surfers who even needed saving.

Turning the microphone to local surfer Dick Hansen who had decided not to paddle but spectate instead.

“Look at what nature has to offer; pretty cool,” he told her. “I haven’t seen on the surf report 15+ foot waves maybe as long as I live here.”

San Diego lifeguard chief James Gartland came next, who declared, “This is not a beginner’s day. One of these big waves catches you, pushes you inside. You got the rocks, the reef and all that energy so it can be really dangerous.”

Stafford merely smirked some more.

Watch here.

Ouch.