Surf: 4-6ft, some larger sets. Little bit choppy, but surprisingly clean for the size and the howling winds elsewhere.

Left work early to sneak in a little sunset surfing. The sunset was beautiful. Big gold waves moody clouds. The surf was big. I tend to get skittish around 4ft on the longboard. It’s a lot of board to have in the water. Even with the 9′ (which is meant to be ridden on a bigger, steeper wave), I was making whimpering noises paddling out.

The waves were fairly clean so the paddle out wasn’t hard. I was doing my best to avoid going for a wave, but did finally stop being a complete wuss long enough to catch two nice waves, probably the biggest I’ve caught. definitely the biggest I’ve caught and held a clean line all the way down. That 9′ can really fly.

I had a pretty exciting wipeout too. Over the falls, me and to board held down by the wash, bouncing along the sandy bottom. Oooof. I laughed it off because it must have looked spectacular. I also gave my friends on shore another good laugh watching me get caught inside on a BIG set just after sunset. I must have spent 10 minutes scratching over waves, diving under them, being a tiny dot in a big blue grey wall, before I caught one that had already broken and bellied in to shore. Whew.

Surf: 2-3ft, Inconsistent, Mushy but smooth.
Gear: 9’0 Stewart LSP?

After wrapping work early, I decided to go for my first double session and catch a few waves at the jetty. Conditions were a little weak, but at that point, so was I. I haven’t done double sessions before (especially after getting up at 5am), so I was sloppy out there. I got maybe one okayish wave. There was a pretty embarassing moment when another woman in the linup (who was TEARING it up on a longboard) asked if my board was mine or I was just borrowing it.

Ouch.

She was legitimately interested in my board and suggested that perhaps it’s an LSP and not a hydro hull. After looking up the specs on the LSP, I’d say she’s right. The upside is that I’m learning a new board and it’s one that should be able to handle steeper, larger waves next winter. It’s what Stewart calls their “9’0 shortboard”. Hopefully it will help me learn to be more agressive and take on steeper waves. I’m also hopeful those skills will translate to my shortboards once I get better at riding them.

The lineup was pretty great to watch. Between the woman cutting screaming lines down the face and Jeff Clark turning a mushy peak into magic, there was a lot of great surfing going on.

Hopefully I’ll be able to up my second session game in the future.

Surf: 2-4ft, clean, inconsistent. Dark.

After Tuesdays bigger wave morning, I was pretty excited to hear the swell was dying down. At high tide the waves were mushy. It was an easy paddle with lots of sprinting for mushy waves. I wound up doing a fair amount of kooky riding, trying to make bottom turns standing on my nose.

I surfed till I couldn’t see, went home, packed a bag for Tahoe. California living is pretty special.

SURF: 1-3ft. Inconsistent, but clean.

Headed back down to Santa Cruz with Luke and Cynthia to get in one last sunset session before the time changes. Waves were pretty inconsistent, but the sunset was beautiful and the moonlight on the waves made the couple of waves I did catch something special.

Stealing these pics from Cynthia.
Check out her site for some video of our sesh and lots of other great NorCal wave reports.

SURF: 4-5 ft. shoulder to head high with occasional 6 ft. and good conditions.

PM REGIONAL OVERVIEW: Mostly-clean, good surf prevails this afternoon as WNW and SW swells ease. Average breaks have knee-waist-chest high+ surf, while top exposures are running in the overhead+ range on the better sets.

Luke talked me in to a sunset session down in Santa Cruz. The weather was warm, waves were looking pretty clean.

I’ve only been down to SC a few times. The hook is pretty different from what I’m used to: kelp forest, reef bottom, more territorial locals, so I was a little skittish getting out. I got in two nice rides. The kelp forest keeps the waves clean and the reef bottom allows a smooth break and a long ride. I was surprised how fast the rides were, the waves definitely had more energy than I’d expected. I’m used to beach breaks where the wave is either fast and breaks fast or slow and breaks slow. Fast and breaks slow was a pleasant surprise.

Best part of the evening was watching the sun go down over the water. Lots of purple and gold waves. The moon was reflecting in the waves and the weather was just fine. Nice night out.

Also check out this pic by shredderbetty for some sunset action.