That’s what we stay talkin about!!
It’s been a bit hectic leading up to the Holidays and so this swell couldn’t have had better timing. Woke up yesterday after sleeping in and took a leisurely stroll out to the beach to see pipes, cylinders, kegs, and barrels of all shapes and sizes breaking this way and that.
It was offshore and clean and so I had to hightail it back to the house for my winter getup. I was pretty out of shape since I hadn’t surfed in about a week and was in need of some serious stretching. Sitting on the beach and stretching you could see there were some beautiful little rides to be had.
It was deceiving as you would see some perfect peaks to be had, but of course there was always a maelstrom of whitewater between you and those waves. You have to find the perfect little rip that will suck you out.
I have been surfing this little 6’1″, 18 1/4, 2 1/4 which is really fun when you are up and on it, but it doesn’t exactly float me very well. I keep telling myself that it keeps me in better shape and forces me to surf deeper. It took me at least ten minutes to get out a couple times when I got caught inside cause the ocean was just having its way with me. OB can be like that.
When you do get one and all the elements come together, it is magical. I went out again this morning to similar conditions and one of the guys was saying that OB is so dependent on tide, wind, current, swell direction etc and that for all of it to come together is pretty rare. It can be pretty classic and fun, but one of those elements is always messing with you.
Without a doubt there are barrels to be had and its a perfect way to start Christmas Vacation. I’m going to go catch up on Santa duties, but I’ll leave you with this last sequence.
This morning I got some of my biggest and best barrels here in the city. I had a couple that were solid 6ft and allowed me to travel nearly 50 yards in the warbling eye. I pulled into about a dozen or so and did some serious time traveling, but didn’t make it out of any of them. I came close on two of them and then got klipped and krumpled only to come up to hoots and hollers.
Get out there and enjoy. Will some more big swell headed our way its a perfect day to get warmed up.
Bluebird Surf 