Window Just about every day there is a window where the surf is good - even on stormy days. Usually the window is small; maybe just an hour or two. Today, such a window appeared around 1:30. The buoy showed the swell at 8.4 at 10 seconds from 280, and when I looked the surf was cleaning up - the tide was still a little high, but overhead sets at the hook started to look fun. Then, within an hour, the window closed - slammed shut - as the wind picked up and the storm continued to rage. I saw the coach at the hook and he said he was waiting until the tide dropped some, then he was going out. I don't know if he made it before the wind. I was under duty and couldn't make the window. see ya
  ¶ 11:20 PM 1 comments

  Blownout and Flat Tuesday and Wednesday saw blown out storm conditions followed by no swell. Tonight the buoy shows 1.8 at 10 seconds from 280. It's blowing hard with rain right now as a strong front moves through. Not much surf to talk about; just stay warm and dry. It's ironic that with a world disaster occurring, the US initially committed $15 mil to the aid effort while getting ready to spend over $8 mil to crown the president king a second time. To push it over the top, consider that the US probably spends more than $15 mil each hour to "protect our freedom" to drive SUVs. stupid people breeding (SPB). Here's a view of finer days from rick's collection.


  ¶ 10:49 PM 0 comments

  Stormy The surf was blownout Sunday and most of Monday. In the mid afternoon, the wind died and the ocean laid down. There was some peaky wind/ground swell, some of it head high and overhead. Nevertheless, it could wait. The E.Coli count was probably 10,000 MPN per 100 ml - that's ten thousand most probable number of bacteria from the intestines of warm blooded animals per 100 milliliters of ocean - tasty. The cocktail spewing from the drain pipe most likely had other wonderful compounds. I almost went out anyway. It was stormy, but nothing like the storm that hit the countries lining the Indian Ocean. We know the area shown below for its great surf. I'm not sure what happened to surfers in the area, but if it were you or I, we'd be at the beach - maybe in the water. Many, many people passed away - many children. Take some time to reflect - family, fun times, groms in the water, kooks - some of it is real big - some of it meaningless. What's watching out for your spot when it's washed away, along with many of the people and landmarks that made it what you love.


  ¶ 11:06 PM 0 comments

  Just like Summer Long period swells from the west have provided some waist to head high waves at second bowl and first bowl. As the tide drops the focus moves to first bowl. Had fun the last couple of days, and it wasn't too crowded mid-morning Christmas day. The long wait for sets and sunshine makes it seem like summer - but the shadows are long and the sun doesn't get too high. Someone in the surf shop employ told me they did great selling boards this year; couldn't keep up with demand. The MTV crew are on it, but what about us? Inexperience, boards flying, and old school traditions out the window. I heard it said "take care of your spot, don't let it get out of hand and fall to the masses". Fair enough. The coming year will bring plenty of pressure on our spot given the indicators. Do we surf angry? What about our safety? I think we need to be firm about our expectations, communicate, and have fun. So far, I've been pretty ineffective. In contrast, the enforcer continues to keep some assemblance of order while in the water. Is the mayor up to it? Are we up to it? here is what we are trying to take care of.

  ¶ 9:20 PM 0 comments

  Christmas Eve by the Bay The last couple days before Christmas and the sun's out. Wednesday the swell was waist to head high from the west. Surfed sharks and got some fun waves. The offshore was blowing, so the waves were really standing up. The waves disappeared as the tide dropped. The swell was bigger on Thursday, with a little more north, but the east wind blew almost all day making the waves semi blown out. Ah, the smell of garlic. Once the wind stopped, the tide all but killed everything but a few first bowl racers. Heard it was good at the top of the point - sewers, rockview, and windnsea, but I never looked (because I'm a kook). Speaking of kooks, this morning I watched this guy stuff MD mike, turn and look at him, and continue to stuff him wildly. MD was calling him off the wave and the guy just looked at him and continued smoking him. Then, the guy stared to go besirk - yelling stuff like - "I'm going to get you - watch out". He got out of the water screaming and continued to scream as he walked up the stairs. I was at the top of the stairs, and when he reached me I told him he deserved more than he got and he should humble himself and shut up. Well, he turned on me and started calling me an old **%7$ kook and stomped off to his car. Minutes later, as I'm talking with ranger roy, he comes back and continues to trash me, and started in on roy. Once again he was told to cool off. He took off again, ripped out of the driveway, and who knows what. He justified himself by saying he'd surfed out at the hook since he was six. Hasn't learned much. I don't ever remember seeing him either. Merry Christmas - see ya out in the water
  ¶ 1:00 AM 2 comments

  Time for a change The response to the mayor's message was strong. In the vain of voting out the governor, comments favored displacing the mayor. Who would take his place? Arny junior? Let me ask: who else has put in the time working on his tan and overseeing the rock? Who else lives in the cave? Who else is watching you race down the line, waiting for that moment to drop in and say hi? Who else greets the new surfers to our esteemed lineup? A friend of mine that surfs the point and seldom ventures into the mayor's charge asked me: "how's the mayor?" How did he know the mayor is the mayor? It's because the mayor is the mayor. Take a real good look at our stately representative and you will see - the mayor. Dude, seriously - time for a change? I think not.
Surfed waist to chest high second bowl - long waits and Santa's crew. But- it was a beautiful day on the bay. Rick sent this photo of a bird who's future was opined by the mayor in his first entry. It wasn't taken today.


  ¶ 11:06 PM 0 comments

  Hearsay

Sunday's waves at the hook were waist high, with bigger waves at the point. My neighbor said he got overhead waves at twosix and had fun - but I call him a pussy hawaiian because it is never big enough. I was a bit over-gunned for Sunday’s waves due to damage to my extensive quiver (sure), so I barrowed a friend's (the enforcer) board. Of course, every kook who had an opportunity to crash into me tried. Penguin even did his best to derail my day (even though I dropped in on him). Luckily, I escaped without damaging the board. So much pressure. During the bullshit session on the cliff, and out in the water, the hearsay regarding the incoming swell - the one that was supposed to be in the water on Sunday, was coming from all directions. Someone told me a police report was hearsay - I had no idea. Surf reports on the other hand - that's hearsay - it should be here - it's big up north - it's big at the beaches - the surf report says. Oh well, I had fun.
Monday's wave were a bit better - waist to chest high with the occasional head high set. It was fun and the crew was local; even KevinM, famed backslider who was trying to convince us that we should give him a break because of his goofy foot disability was out. He was ripping. Speaking of ripping - I saw north coast steve and ronnie, along with others, checking out what I thought was steve's new board. Upon closer inspection, I found out that they were inspecting his use-to-be board. The nose was broken off and hanging by the top sheet of glass and his layered fiberglass middle fin was shattered from the middle out. North coast and several witnesses said the use-to-be status of the board and fin was due to a collision. North coast was charging a second bowl wave, apparently the wave of the day, when a kook decided to practice the fine art of surfing on the same wave that north coast was on. It was to late for evasive maneuvers and the inevitable T-bone occurred. By the looks of steve's board, he must have been flying. When asked, the perpetrator of this crime said, "this is my first day in the water". For some reason north coast had pity on him and is looking forward to a new stick. That's plenty for tonight, but some topics for thought - Huntington Beach is now legally, trademarked, Surf City - they can have it . Someone asked me when I thought a traffic light would be installed at the intersection of 41st and Portola - what do you think? Finally, I asked the mayor to check in and he did. Still practicing computer literacy for seniors, I had to import his words and provide some editing. Here it is - he usually doesn't scream in person:
"I HAVE HAD INJURY AFTER INJURY ARM, NECK, BACK. BUT I AM GETTING BETTER. BEEN OUT OF THE WATER FOR ABOUT A MONTH, GOING NUTS. BACK IN THE WATER SOON. DON’T GET BUMMED, I WONT DROP IN ON YOU UNLESS I DON’T KNOW YOU. (if he knows you he'll drop in on you more) HEAR CAL GOT A WAVE AT SHARKS ALL THE way TO PRIVATES, A NOSE RIDE, AND NO Swims. GUSTAV You’re A KOOK. HEAR Jason’s GETTING MARRIED, HAS ANY ONE ELSE Heard THAT? THAT’S ALL FOR NOW." THE MAYOR

  ¶ 10:05 PM 2 comments

  Hype HypeSwell never really materialized, but the masses did. Friday had some size, 8 to 10 feet at 17 seconds from 295, but the morning bump lasted almost all day. The ocean cleaned up late. I surfed second bowl and got some fun overhead bombs, but I heard from the sharks crew it was great thursday evening (pre-hype session). One charger told me he got one of the longest waves of the year for him. I also heard penguin and graphic mike were ripping. All the species were represented - except me; I'm sure they didn't miss me. Today, I surfed second bowl while penguin charged sharks. I had great fun even though it was massSaturday. Some overhead swell left from the "hype" swell. I stayed just inside on the bowl and got a couple of incomming tide walls. When I got out, the core crew was building. Dane ran through the lot delirious - dreams of throwing buckets.
Someone commented on my ranting and pointed out that the redevelopment of 41st and Portola looked nice. I agree, it does look good. I'm just afraid it's the calm before the storm. Maybe the "up-marketing" of our area will be done right - but what is right? Is the parking lot at the hook right? What about property rights? These are not simple issues, but they are issues made right with money. I'm waiting to hear from the mayor.
  ¶ 10:27 PM 1 comments

  Rumors The surf has been fun the last few days, waist to head high at the hook and the top of the point showing overhead sets. Weather has been great, light wind and sun. Only complaint is the tide - high throughout the day thereby concentrating the masses after school and work. Well - I've been watching the swell build - plenty of rumors around after the islands received the best winter swell in years. Good enough to hold the Eddie Aikau in 20 to 25-foot Bay Bombs. Congratulations to local peter mell for a great showing. It was nice to see honorary invitee jay moriarity listed. But - back to the swell. Early this morning it was 4-foot at 17 from 300. Later in the day, it was 6-foot at 17 from 290. At sunset, the swell looked good and lines could be seen across the bay. This evening, overhead sets were pouring in at the hook. The buoy is showing 7 feet at 17 sec from 290. Unfortunately, everyone from everywhere has been made aware of this swell (it was on NPR) and it is likely the parking lot will be full by sun up. Ever notice how many idiots are in the water when it gets big - everyone trying to claim they were out on the "big" day. What is usually friday follies may turn out to be much worse - friday at the fights? I'm sure there are plenty from the otherside that are taking the day off to join the steady stream of boards flying over the hill. Good luck.
  ¶ 11:24 PM 0 comments

  Beautiful day on the bay Surfed second bowl and one or two at sharks. Waves were waist to shoulder high with some head high sets. Sun was out and the wind was light out of the west-northwest. Morning sickness and high tide push the surf window towards the afternoon. Most of the usual suspects were out, and the masses were generally thin. Looking back, Sunday was blown by the zouth wind, and Monday was waist to shoulder high, but inconsistent. Monday wasn't lacking for a crowd either. Last time I mentioned the slow push toward commercialism of the point. Seawalls, mansions, 41st and Portola Mall. I read some else's lamentation on the subject. Beachtowns being turned into tourist destinations, stopovers for the wealthy, and consumer havens is not new. Down south the blight has already stricken, and those who recently entered the stage have no memory of what was. Huntington Beach Pier is a good example. Once the Golden Bear jammed, now the Mall cranks whatever is in vogue and resort hotels are ready to "check you in". I was there a few years ago and the only remanent of the Golden Bear was a hotel lobby display that included an old poster. Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, and others have fallen as well. Take a look around you and dig what we have because forces greater than you or I want to change it forever. I heard it called "up-marketing". Yea - there are those who want to "up-market" the point. What is especially nasty is some of those folks don't even live here. They stop by, but for the most part, the money leaves our area. Starbucks or the doughnut shop? Freeline or Billigone?
  ¶ 11:39 PM 1 comments

  Swell and the weekend Friday's waves were smaller than Thursday, but still real fun. Still some overhead sets; mostly shoulder to head high - the top of the point had the biggest waves. Surfed the hook and sharks. As the tide went down, saw some great top to bottom third bowl barrels. Tide went real low and surf continued to drop. There was a bit of Friday follies in the water. Saturday saw the swell continue to drop in size, but there were still fun waves waist to head high - the buoy showed 6.9 feet at 17 seconds from 285. The crowds were driving over the hill in force - it was mass-Saturday in the water. On another note, I heard the new Billibong shop got vandalized. The shop - the building - is another step in the commercialism of the point. You've seen the houses, farm property turned to condos, and the cost of life for core surfers get out of hand. I guess it had to happen sometime, but I'm glad to see discourse on the subject - even if the discussion is visual. You got to make a living - just ask the surf school owners and employees.
  ¶ 1:01 AM 0 comments

  First good swell Surf was good today. The Monterey buoy showed 15 feet from 290 at 17 seconds. I surfed overhead waves at the hook, sharks and privates. Glassy with slight wind out of the northwest. Tide went out fast from mid morning through late afternoon; surf was good at higher tide and when tide pushed in. Some great double overhead sets as tide pushed in towards the evening. I checked the buoy and it looks like it might be smaller on the eastside because of a change in swell direction and height. Tonight it was 13 feet from 300 at 17 seconds.
  ¶ 1:30 AM 0 comments

  Rain is Wonderful Rained all day with plenty of storm surf. The stoked were out anyway - few at the hook, and I heard the murph bar had a crew on it. I guess storm surf provides an opening for those who would otherwise be maxed out. I didn't partake in today's fare, but enjoyed the wind and rain. Surf is everything - almost. Someone noticed the graphics on this site, and although there is still much work to be done completing content for this site, I agree with the commentator - the graphics are great.
  ¶ 11:33 PM 0 comments

  Late night rain It's raining steady on the east side this evening, but no wind. The storm surf settled earlier in the day and the sun came out- around 1:00. The masses enjoyed a wind swell shoulder to head high. Even though it was junkie, the youthz I spoke with who surfed the hook were stoked. surf steady
  ¶ 12:30 AM 1 comments

  hello hello  ¶ 1:13 PM 0 comments

  Today surf is... mushy.
  ¶ 11:46 AM 1 comments