Time to get wet...

[Ottime]

Let's see. Shoulder is healed and the South Pac is starting to churn. A moderate swell is on its way and the local winds are light to nil. These late season low pressures are great. Hope it holds until the waves begin rolling in. As long as I break this little fever, I know where I will be the next few mornings. Ghraidogs, here I come.

Here is wishing for a decent summer. Last summer was okay. Consistent small surf, but we never really got a solid swell. I can still remember about 7 years ago when we had a week of DOH plus with the smaller days running about 4.5'@20sec. I even took out my 8'4" gun for one session at Black Hole. I have yet to see it break like that again.

Bring it. Please. The snow is nearly gone.

[hop]

I'm currently tracking a little something heading down from Norway. Should smack directly into the S coast of Moray Firth tomorrow afternoon and Saturday. Sure, there will be 15mph onshores, but I'll take slop over flat anyday!

I'm thinking the fish might be better than the quad, but I'll take both just in case.

[Ottime]

Last evening was a very nice first day back in the water in 6+ months. Perhaps a little fast and punchy for my out of shape self, but my first waves was a zippy 100 yard plus freight train that I held on to. Midst my second top turn my front foot floated off my board, and some how I waited for it, and came back around and down and across.

Not much after that. A few short ones; a close out barrel even. Plenty of swell out there. My buddy had a killer session.

This am patrol looks a shit show out there. Gonna do some yard work and hit it mid day. I'll try to remember to bring my camera.

[supermodel159]

Sounds like fun.

I knew the second I left the coast a south would hit, only to rain and hail in Denver for the past week.

[hop]

A friend and I braved the 15kt onshores and went for a S. coast Moray Firth mission on Sat.

Between Lossiemouth and Banff we checked tons of places that would be firing had they not been blown out. A session at Sandend reminded me of blown out OB. Lines of whitewater, rips, and generally endless paddling for minimal reward.

Then we used mad ninja skills and found a perfect right point where the winds were blowing side/offshore. Score!

[Ottime]

^^^ Those kind of days are the best. Finding that secret spot that is going off while all others are,... meh. The coast you are on is filled with nooks and crannies, just waiting to offer up a glimpse at perfection.

This weekend was a bust for me. Near perfect conditions, but the crowds had me at bay. We looked Saturday morning and everyone and their mother was out. Even the few spots we still considered semi secret were not only being utilized, but crowded. F-Point had over 15 in the water. Even two summers ago it was odd to even see someone out. Ghraidbirds had 8 at each reef. What??

Being a crowd hater, and a bit tired from Friday nights session, I opted to 'go out later'. Yard work and family fun time got the best of me and later never came. Sunday, I just headed out to late and the death winds began to blow.

Still more swell on the way. I guess I need to search out new secret spots to pioneer, so the sheep can follow again in a few years. Time to play around Secret Reef, Secret Creek and Pistachios for a while. Anyone have a good shark repellant??

[supermodel159]

F-Point had over 15 in the water. Even two summers ago it was odd to even see someone out. Ghraidogs had 8 at each reef. What??

15? There's 15 people out down here before the sun comes up.

[Hugh Conway]

15? There's 15 people out down here before the sun comes up.

I counted 60 at Ulu's at dawn one morning. Then 10 Japanese on longboards with paddle gloves passed me on the stairs

[Ottime]

F-Point is not near Santa Cruz. It is not near SF. You can not see it from the road. It is a mile hike in. It is in the middle of a very shark infested waters. F-Point is not a very good wave - just good enough for you and a bro. And two years ago there were probably a total of 15 people who had ever surfed it.

OTOH, Steamers had about 150 people at sunrise. So I do have perspective.

So I like to surf in small groups. I search out places that others do not surf. I guess summers are not what they used to be. At least my fall spot never gets crowded. It is rare to get over 6. It is not a secret spot by any means. Everyone around here knows about it. For some reason, people do not want to chance falling off the cliff on the way down to a thumping shark tank.

[Superstar Punani]

For some reason, people do not want to chance falling off the cliff on the way down to a thumping shark tank.

If it's south of W Creek and North of D-port I had the sketchiest of sketchy experiences there. Besides almost falling off the cliff and grasping at weeds to prevent an unintended 40 foot huck to flat, we surfed fun 4-6 foot slabby lefts and rights until the Jaws theme did my head in.

When we got da fuck outta da water, there was a seal washed up on the shore, minus his head and big bite marks on his back, a fresh kill that wasn't there when we paddled out 2 hours before.

Fuck that. I'm not going back there again.

[liv2ski]

If it's south of W Creek and North of D-port I had the sketchiest of sketchy experiences there. Besides almost falling off the cliff and grasping at weeds to prevent an unintended 40 foot huck to flat, we surfed fun 4-6 foot slabby lefts and rights until the Jaws theme did my head in.

When we got da fuck outta da water, there was a seal washed up on the shore, minus his head and big bite marks on his back, a fresh kill that wasn't there when we paddled out 2 hours before.

Fuck that. I'm not going back there again.

Just another reason I moved to San Diego years ago. Warmer water, great swell window and you don't have to worry about the landlord coming to take the rent out of you
Nice south swell predicted for Thursday-Saturday. Nothing big, but catching head high waves make life so much more fun once the snow is history.

[supermodel159]

If it's south of W Creek and North of D-port I had the sketchiest of sketchy experiences there. Besides almost falling off the cliff and grasping at weeds to prevent an unintended 40 foot huck to flat, we surfed fun 4-6 foot slabby lefts and rights until the Jaws theme did my head in.

When we got da fuck outta da water, there was a seal washed up on the shore, minus his head and big bite marks on his back, a fresh kill that wasn't there when we paddled out 2 hours before.

Fuck that. I'm not going back there again.

...FUCK THAT is right!

[Ottime]

Besides almost falling off the cliff and grasping at weeds to prevent an unintended 40 foot huck to flat, we surfed fun 4-6 foot slabby lefts and rights until the Jaws theme did my head in.

When we got da fuck outta da water, there was a seal washed up on the shore, minus his head and big bite marks on his back, a fresh kill

Yup. That is the spot. The reef just south of there, sometimes called Ganjas is a sick little piece of cold indo. Bet you had fun in those wave, tho. That cliff is better crowd control than the Landlord.

Two seasons ago we where chased out by a juvy white. Sobering. Three seasons ago one of the switchbacks on the cliff trail down disappaered. If anyone had been on it the day it fell.... goodbye. Honestly the cliff is worse than the sharks. I too almost went off it. Last year, going out for a second session, in near epic conditions, I was moving a little too fast. Barely held on.

BTW. That place holds real nice up to about 15'. Not a long wave, but it can get truely sick.

YES - more Southy on the way. Background has been holding in the W Creek area. No winds this AM.

[toronto.personal3]

Glad to know that you are on your way to fast recovery. Best of luck for the next surfing.

[Joey Bag O' Donuts]

Just another reason I moved to San Diego years ago. Warmer water, great swell window and you don't have to worry about the landlord coming to take the rent out of you

Like that has nothing to do with all the sightings down south! Jeez! don't tell me you have not noticed all the shark sightings on surfline and the research comittee website homie?

Edit: Wedge looking good

[liv2ski]

^^^^^Joey, I have only read about White sharks being seen up by San Onofre. That is likely a fluke, so I am not real worried about sharks like I would be surfing with the OP.

[Joey Bag O' Donuts]

^^^^^Joey, I have only read about White sharks being seen up by San Onofre. That is likely a fluke, so I am not real worried about sharks like I would be surfing with the OP.

don't forget about that poor bastard from Solana Beach last year, just saying. Also, it is very well known that momma great white, likes to give birth off the shore of La Jolla. Be safe homie. Forgot to add, looks like a seminar will be taking place at Doheny

http://www.sharkresearchcommittee.co...shark_news.htm

[supermodel159]

Hey Ottime- Check the models...160hrs.

[Ottime]

You looking at the npac? That system was on the charts a few days ago, running aground in norcal for friday. Now it is just to spin out there a bit and disappate. Might be too far away to get much, but I still love seeing these systems in late June.

As the souths die out mid-week, we could see a WNW pick up. Just hope the nearshore winds hold off.

[Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer]

Chad - your stories hit the nail in the head why I don't surf. Amount of sharks (or my perception of the amount of sharks - which is probably not remotely accurate) keeps me out.

[Long duc dong]

^^^^^Joey, I have only read about White sharks being seen up by San Onofre. That is likely a fluke, so I am not real worried about sharks like I would be surfing with the OP.

What do you mean by a "fluke?" It is not just San O which has seen more activity the last couple of years. It still does not scare me, the way it would up north, but there is certainly more going on down here.

[Ottime]

Chad - your stories hit the nail in the head why I don't surf. Amount of sharks (or my perception of the amount of sharks - which is probably not remotely accurate) keeps me out.

It would be nice is more people wised up like you. Fucking idiots risking their life bobbing in the water like fish food. Today I bobbed with eight or so of them. Still, it was surfing Grhaibirds, which is always a blast. Just not my own private idaho any longer.

Being back in the water the past few days has been a real nice treat. This morning we saw some head high plus drainers. Summer slabs. Mmmm. It makes sense that more people are out there. You can see the damn thing from the road.

[bodywhomper]

sorry to repeat it, but

the sponger is stoked \/ \/ \/ \/



would have been a GREAT whomp!

[Hugh Conway]

woot:
http://magicseaweed.com/Swell-Call:-...-Content/1643/
the May '07 swell was gnarly.

[Alkasquawlik]

If it's south of W Creek and North of D-port I had the sketchiest of sketchy experiences there. Besides almost falling off the cliff and grasping at weeds to prevent an unintended 40 foot huck to flat, we surfed fun 4-6 foot slabby lefts and rights until the Jaws theme did my head in.

When we got da fuck outta da water, there was a seal washed up on the shore, minus his head and big bite marks on his back, a fresh kill that wasn't there when we paddled out 2 hours before.

Fuck that. I'm not going back there again.

I know exactly where you're talking about and have had many similar experiences there. Even despite the random rapidly forming boil underneath my board while my mind begins to cave in on itself, I've scored just about everytime I've surfed there, which is fairly often in the fall.

Oh and W creek was firing like a poor man's cold water indo last week. so good. And some of the other secret spots.