Desperate Times...

Morning sickness. Conditions have deteriorated significantly from yesterday. Thigh to waist high with some bigger sets. Moderate NW breeze has put some crumble on it; only fair minus shape. 20 guys out, so the crowd has dropped off some. With good reason. There's something about these conditions (early morning grey overcast, funky winds, low tide, marginal shape and red tide) that don't inspire me all that much to go out. Think I'll watch and see what Ken, Chuck and Reid can come up with.

Me, I'm going to the first day of the airshow at MCAS.

Have a good one


Aloha
Gary


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Photos: Swell Swings Into San Diego

A mash up of swells from three directions was on call this morning and it seems that most of San Diego was in the water trying to get their share.  Conditions were good, red tide has backed off some and the waves were a solid shoulder to head high.  I wasn't going to take any photos this morning but Reid came bouncing down the ramp and convinced me I should.  I'm glad he did; take a look:

Flashing the photographer a shaka ensures you get your picture taken.  Shameless hussy.

That's right, oily glass on tap this morning.

Or was it plate glass?

The sandbar in front of the grass

A little further on...

A fish tacito

with secret sauce

A four sequence shot; 1

2...

3...

and 4

Reid with his familiar fade right, go left turn.

See you in the water tomorrow!

Have a good one
Aloha
Gary

All Photos Copyright Gary Erbeck

Lines upon lines upon lines

Solid shoulder to head high surf this morning. And a crowd to go with it. 40-45 people in the line up. Doesn't anyone work in San Diego?

The line up is mostly concentrated on the reef but there are a fair amount in front of the grass and Jakes as well. As usual Restaurants is steeper, faster and consistent. In both line ups the shape is only fair as there is a goodly amount of west in the swell combo.

Good conditions but the tide is rising and will be up against the bluffs fairly soon.

Have a good one


Aloha
Gary


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More Size!

Size has kicked up a notch to waist to shoulder to head high on the sets. Nice peaks up and down the beach; Restaurants being the biggest and most consistent. 12 guys out. Red tide is hanging around so the water is still chocolate brown (at least I hope it's red tide!).

Good conditions; no wind. Some lulls.


Have a good one
Aloha
Gary


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Red Tide

Has backed off a bit as have conditions and the surf. The water is no longer that deep muddy red color. Moderate bump on the water along with mostly short period waist to shoulder high wind swell peaks. Larger ground swell sets. Fair minus shape. 5 people out.

First hand report: Pete just got out. Said conditions were better earlier and that it was a good session. Head high sets, lefts better than rights. So there you have it


Have a good one
Aloha
Gary


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Holy Moly!

It got bigger; way bigger! Chest to head high, larger on the sets. Smooth surface conditions, high tide; 30 guys out. Long lulls. Fair minus shape. The line up is scattered far and wide and sitting just a tad deeper than usual. The sets are 3 waves, peaking on the reef but you've gotta draw your line and GO!


Have a good one
Aloha
Gary


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Wait for it...

Waist high, clean conditions and inconsistent. 9 guys out, tightly bunch up on the reef. High tide so you have to sit pretty far inside to get anything. The set waves are shapely but you have to wait, wait and wait for them. All in all, if you bring the right board and attitude you could have some fun.

I want to take a moment for a very important announcement. HAPPY BIRTHDAY KAREN! Here's to you!

Have a good one
Aloha
Gary


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Wet and Not Wild

Smaller! Knee to thigh high breaking really close in. The 3 people out there are really struggling to catch waves. Calm winds, good surface conditions with a heavy mist hanging in the air. The new south swell is passing right by Del Mar, headed for the contest at Lowers I suppose. So, I'm going out on a limb and declare this to not be a surf day. Save your energy for the NW swell that is headed our way towards the end of the week.


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Foggy Bottom

Marine layer down on the deck this morning. Moderate NNW breeze providing some lump and bump to the surface. Waist high peaks here and there with fair shape. This is definitely a new swell and has potential; now if eddy would just go away... 3 people out. The wind is picking up, putting a crumble on the surf and the tide is coming up. So if you're going to hit it, better get down here soon.

Have a good one
Aloha
Gary


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Sir Edmund

Is here this morning blowing hard out of the SSW. This has put a serious bump and crumble on the waist to chest high surf. Maybe headhigh on the sets. Light drizzle. 10 people out at the reef; 2 at Restaurants. Poor shape, but hey, it's a light crowd for a Friday morning!

Don't forget to show up at the Surfrider paddle for clean water at the OB pier this weekend. See you there and race you around the pier!


Have a good one
Aloha
Gary


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Getting Better All The Time

Larger with more focus this morning. Head to head high+ and fair to good shape. Calm winds and smooth surface conditions. Perfect tide.

More consistent than yesterday and much more crowded. 25+ people out and the parking lot us filling up.

If you've got time or can make some, get out here!


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I Can See Clearly Now

Overcast, calm winds, smooth surface conditions. Waist to chest high with some head high sets. More west than yesterday so things are a little lined up; fair shape. Crowd has pick up. I count 13 out with 4-5 more getting ready. Restaurants is bigger but breaking closer in and not as good shape as the reef; 3 out there.

Have a good one
Aloha
Gary


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Peaky Monday

Light surface bump, calm winds, knee to waist high fair+ shape. Nice little lefts standing up on the reef this morning. Restaurants is breaking too but it walled up and closing out. 5 guys out. Looks fun and not crowded. Think I'll go add one more to the line up.


Have a good one
Aloha
Gary


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Signs Are Posted

3.2M gallons of raw sewage poured into the ocean at the lagoon mouth at Torrey Pines State Beach when power outage caused the sewage pump stations to fail.

And yet there are 3 idiots in the water. I told one guy who was suiting up about the spill and closure and he just shrugged and continued putting on his wet suit. Incredible. Just fracking incredible.

The surf: lots of surface bump, waist high wind swell with poor shape. Line up is cluttered with toilet paper and brown trout. I'm standing here talking with the same guy (and a friend now) surfboard in hand, determined to go out. His excuse was he grew up in New Jersey.

I managed to talk them out of going out, whew. Feel like I need to stand here at the ramp all day blocking access.


Have a good one
Aloha
Gary


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A Higher Place

With really COLD water. What the frack; water temps of 60 and below? Anywoo, totally glassy. but no surf to go with it. Occasional double over ankle sets trying desperately to push through the high tide; even the sweepers aren't catching the teeny tiny lines that are literally breaking on the shore in about 12" of water.

But don't tell that to the 16 or so guys out there you'd spoil their illusion; or hallucination. Whatever is going on in their brain that tricked them into paddling out. Must be the allure of cold water.

Have a good one
Aloha
Gary


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And on Tuesday the Beach

Is deserted! A tad lumpy this morning with a lingering swell producing waist high surf. Shoulder high on the sets. Cleaner and more shapely south of the reef where the left is standing up and peeling off beautifully. Calm to barely offshore breeze. 6 guys out.

Looking south, it looks like more rain headed this way


Have a good one
Aloha
Gary



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Trifin Soup. Photos of the First Day of the Big South Swell

I flew out to Port Townsend, Washington on Thursday but was able to squeeze in a quick visit to 15th Street the first morning of the swell.  Conditions were good, but the surf was somewhat lined up making the rides few and far between but really sweet when someone did manage to snag a corner.  Check it out:

View from the deck of Poseidon Restaurant

Out in front of Restaurants

Not all attempts were successful!

A big set swinging through in front of Restaurants

A nice looking left in front of the grass

The scene at the reef

Green glass

The frothy inside section

Driving hard off the bottom projecting to the shoulder

i'm calling this 8 feet.  Any other ideas?

I needed to get home and head to the airport to catch my plane but I couldn't resist a quick stop at Torrey Pines.  It was cleaner than 15th street and had better shape.

Have a good one
Aloha
Gary

All photos copyright Gary Erbeck