Hype

I think this past swell was more hype than anything. Thursday night had the news in Santa Barbara reporting the 'biggest swell in 40 years'. The morons reporting failed to realize that this area fires in winter time bigger than any place would get anywhere for this swell and didn't seem to realize that the friggin Channel Islands block the energy.

How much of a zoo was SoCal? Were the line ups mainly posers getting in the way or looking to hop on shoulders when the bombs were unloading.

it wasn't bigger than the swell in april '04.

crowd wise - i didn't surf a spot that had more than 10 people until yesterday at venice which had probably 60 people b/w the pier and the breakwater.

Drove in to CenralCal friday night to see overhead sets peeling left for 100yds by the full moon; was stoked. Woke up the next morning, first light, to find waist high dribble killed by the high tide, bummed. Drove up and down the area looking for the best break. Up around the lighthouse was head high and glassy, peeling pretty good. But this was the "monster swell", we could do better. Drive south. Reefs are looking good, 6-8ft on the sets, but alot of guys on it. Lets keep going a little more south and look at the beachbreak. Hmmm, already got a little bump on it and some fog. Back north. Reefs still good but more crowded, 30-40 out on a small take-off zone. (forgot CalPoly just got back in session). Lets head back to the original spot and see if the dropping tide helped it. Nope. Back south to the reefs. 2 Hours later finally paddle out, crowd a little less because the friggin' winds starting to come up.
A few more surfs over the next couple days, nothing exciting.Still a fun trip w/ the drive through Yosemite for beers on the Merced on the way home.

2 things- Don't belive the hype and paddle out a the first good spot instead of driving all over looking for better!