Surfing Waves

What's it like when you have the most fun?
I'll take small, glassy and empty over big, pumping and crowded every time!

I like stormy largish conditions because it's usually empty and there's lots of waves to chose from

I like carvable conditions any time. Anything that would be good for a fish.
But there's definitely something to be said for rough surf when a big storm is building offshore. It might not even be rideable yet, but sometimes I just like to drift down the shorebreak and kinda do a Clark Little impression.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pXMObfeOcE
That always gets me in tune with the wave energy while it's building offshore and gets me jacked for the swell to arrive. But in a lot of ways, thats almost as much fun as the big wave event itself.

"sometimes I just like to drift down the shorebreak and kinda do a Clark Little impression." - Naeco78

I'm a Clark Little fan too. Do you get under the shore break with a camera like he does? Tell us more and share a picture!

I went out once in large stormy conditions at the same time as two younger surfers. They came in before me and I only stayed out for 30 minutes, but I had one really nice wave that had a big chop in it and I managed to do a small air off it and continue on. Basically it was such a big chop that I went airborne and landed it to continue on with several turns. When I came in I overheard the two younger surfers talking. "I don't even work that hard at work" and the other one "You couldn't pay me to do that" and me "That was my exercise for the day and a good workout." LOL I feel comfortable out there. It's my home.

BoMan wrote:"sometimes I just like to drift down the shorebreak and kinda do a Clark Little impression." - Naeco78

I'm a Clark Little fan too. Do you get under the shore break with a camera like he does? Tell us more and share a picture!

I usually just go in the shorebreak without a camera but I wish I had pictures from it. I have some from further up the beach but they never do it justice.. I can’t imagine what it must be like in person for the situations that Clark Little gets himself into. But Ive always kinda done similar stuff, like how he runs up to the shorebreak and gets barreled on almost dry sand, before getting annihilated and washed down the beach. When I was like 10yrs old, those were some of the first barrels that I could get into and learn from.. while pretending I had a Pipeline downrailer under my feet lol. Other times me and my brothers would just have contests to see who could stand up thru the gnarliest shorebreak without getting knocked down. But not nearly as heavy as the stuff Clark gets into.

Its changed somewhat in recent years because of the swimming restrictions during high surf advisories. More recently they told me that I couldn’t be in the water unless I have a surfboard (most towns started a surfers only rule during hurricanes). So I’m like... are you saying that if I strap a foamie to my ankle, I’m allowed to go back into the shorebreak? Yup. Okay, well that suddenly seems a lot more dangerous lol. Strange laws, but I guess I understand where theyre coming from in a general sense. But it’s just not very compatible with slaying shorebreaks.

Have you run into similar restrictions where you are? Or take any pics? I’ve looked into getting a waterproof housing for my Nikon a couple times but they were really expensive. Maybe a GoPro would be a better option nowadays.

Naeco78 wrote:Have you run into similar restrictions where you are? Or take any pics? I’ve looked into getting a waterproof housing for my Nikon a couple times but they were really expensive. Maybe a GoPro would be a better option nowadays.

There are no lifeguards at my local but we are restricted by the self preservation police. At high tide the shore dump breaks on the cliff/seawall and no one wants to play in that! Not a big day but you get the idea.

BoMan wrote:There are no lifeguards at my local but we are restricted by the self preservation police. At high tide the shore dump breaks on the cliff/seawall and no one wants to play in that! Not a big day but you get the idea.

Yeah I always liked the more rugged seawalls and coastline out west. Definitely a lot more personal responsibility. This was one of my favorite spots in the PacNW for that type of surf and backwash, but it funneled too much energy into that narrow area between the Jetty and the seawall. Way too easy to get really pummeled. But it was great for storm watching.. it sounds like thunder when big set waves break and echo off the seawall.

Farther up the beach. The pics dont really do it justice.

Naeco78 wrote:The pics dont really do it justice.]

They never do...especially when I'm in them.

With the tsunami alert this morning I've been looking at the surf cams and not seeing a big surge. The water looks like it did during recent King tides. Most spots are empty except for Linda Mar in San Mateo county.

https://abcnews.go.com/US/tsunami-warning-issued-us-west-coast-alaska/story?id=82282242

Unfortunately I seem to like the same conditions as the other 100+ that turn out for the best days.

I do like it when it’s big enough to keep a fair segment on the beach. Glassy is always good and sunshine over clouds is a preference.

So, the best conditions are when I get out there and surf. Don't care if it's small, big, closing out or mushy, if I'm surfing then it's the best conditions, just because I am surfing!

Sorry, probably did not answer your questions, but I am stoked to be surfing and hope you are too...

Ideally? 3-4ft, 10-12s, glassy at Sunrise. Although that does not happen too often... I am an old beginner who started late, landlocked with random surfing opportunities and a windswell home spot at the North Sea. I have started to accept that I will never be good, but love the ocean and this sport too much to give up. So I take anything where the combination of wind, current and wave size allows me to get out and try to catch some waves. My best day was at sunrise at the Rivermouth in Newport Beach, glassy with 2-3ft and 10s. My most scary day at Conil in Spain with 7ft@16s. My typical day is 2-3ft@4-5s at Scheveningen/NL or Sylt/GY. Yes, I am part of the crowd - sorry for that . But I look forward to my next opportunity in SoCal in ~3 weeks

That should be a great chance Oldie, make every wave a winner. After covid a Portugalor Spain possibility, warm water and up the beach from the crowds

Oldie wrote:Ideally? 3-4ft, 10-12s, glassy at Sunrise. Although that does not happen too often... I am an old beginner who started late, landlocked with random surfing opportunities and a windswell home spot at the North Sea. I have started to accept that I will never be good, but love the ocean and this sport too much to give up. So I take anything where the combination of wind, current and wave size allows me to get out and try to catch some waves. My best day was at sunrise at the Rivermouth in Newport Beach, glassy with 2-3ft and 10s. My most scary day at Conil in Spain with 7ft@16s. My typical day is 2-3ft@4-5s at Scheveningen/NL or Sylt/GY. Yes, I am part of the crowd - sorry for that . But I look forward to my next opportunity in SoCal in ~3 weeks

My God, this was so very well put Describes my own situation.
Hope every session in SoCal was a gift Oldie!

BoMan wrote:

Naeco78 wrote:Have you run into similar restrictions where you are? Or take any pics? I’ve looked into getting a waterproof housing for my Nikon a couple times but they were really expensive. Maybe a GoPro would be a better option nowadays.

There are no lifeguards at my local but we are restricted by the self preservation police. At high tide the shore dump breaks on the cliff/seawall and no one wants to play in that! Not a big day but you get the idea.

A similar joy at Cote Basque in Biarritz at High Tide - thanks to the Wall and the rocks - there are only those stairs and - far away in the wall, a vertical ladder that is no real option:

I hate to see this. It's hard to watch and completely avoidable!