Surfing Waves

True story:

Roxy the Rhodesian Ridgeback and I were walking across the outer parking lot at Hendry's surf break at about 5pm today in Santa Barbara. A stereotypical, shirtless, long haired surfer pulled into a parking space in his old Jeep. His short board stuck out the back through the plastic window panel. As he gets out, a young couple raced up to him and excitedly shout, "We saw two whales! There are whales out there!" The surfer pauses, blinks, and asks, "What about the waves?"

Interesting little wooden sail boat there. Were you from shore or on your SUP

I thought I saw a whale a couple of weeks ago, but it was windy so might have been a dolphin in the distance. It must be about the start of cruise by season as they started heading north (lucky them!). I was checking them out last year around early June and it was pretty constant, whales every 10 minutes or so past the headland (Ulladulla lighthouse). Makes you appreciate the NSW Sth Coast even more, I must say (sorry to all y'all who cant make it!)

I was on a headland just outside the bar at Merimbula last year.
I don't have a SUP, I'd have to be a 100ft tall for that angle
The whale is a southern right whale the same family come up and come in close every year.
The boat is a hundred year old Coota boat, one of the original Mallacoota sail fishing boats.
Same group same day but in with the surfers and with a calf.

same group the year before

Aww that looks like a really forgiving break! Would love to learn there!! Also.. Whales.

It is an easy break at that size, here is a bigger day

None too shabby!! I'd love a pop at that love you've got the wave just as that boat is taking one on the prow. Do you have to navigate local maritime traffic making it out?

There are whales around quite frequently on Kauai but they rarely come in as close to the break as in Jaffa's pic. It's not unusual to see spouts or the occasional whale breaching while looking at the surf or surfing. Once while checking out the surf at a break called Hideaways I saw two whales breach at the same time. So billie how was the surf?

Jester wrote:None too shabby!! I'd love a pop at that love you've got the wave just as that boat is taking one on the prow. Do you have to navigate local maritime traffic making it out?

yeah, I was just wondering who has priority, a surfer on the wave or the boat heading over the bar?

I guess like Asian traffic, the one that is biggest has priority

The boat going over the bar has priority, too dangerous to alter course while driving through waves.
for surfers easy wait and then go , the boat is in no way near the take off spot nor in the down line traffic.

And we get grumpy when there's an SUP in the lineup!

At least the boat wasn't a wave hog

Unlike this guy!! Pertinent bit starts around 50 seconds unless you speak French