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November 30, 2011 (Wednesday)
Post-session
Semi-clean and crowded. Long waits and lined-up with good angle. M's alone then three irritating longies joined and, sorry to say, ruined my session. Yes, I was very tolerant and shared whatever came in, but they were simply in the way and clogged the small footprint of a peak. Did my best not to let it bother me, and at the time I was pretty mellow; but in retrospect, they messed things up. What can you do? That's surfing, right? It's not like I'm living on some remote island. Still.
It was a beautiful day and the direction and conditions/form were awesome. Had there been just a tad more energy, the waves would've been crazy-good.
Posted at 10:43 PM
November 29, 2011 (Tuesday)
Post-session
Smaller, less windy, and slightly cleaner. Actually, good angle and nice floor at the inside, end-corner, but just a bit too small and inconsistent. M's and BM's pulling in a lot more wave action, energy seemed to be focusing there, which was odd. Got some okay ones but wasn't until just before going in that I scored a handful that made the session for me. Looks like it's showing potential for a new swell on Friday the way the faint lines are stacking up with a definite and unmistakable SW direction.
Posted at 10:16 PM
November 28, 2011 (Monday)
Post-session
Bigger. New bump, as forecasted. Windy. Just like yesterday but twice the size. Empty initially. Then more people later. Scored two right away that left me satisfied. Then the sets died. I was groveling on the outside. Nothing coming in. Moved to the inside and started scoring. Got doubly and chunky with some fun seams, creases, and pockets. New swell on Friday?
Posted at 10:02 PM
November 27, 2011 (Sunday)
Post-session
Bigger. Regular with a friend. Caught a bunch--each much better than any yesterday. Inside end-corner was the place. We started outside, and it was pretty slow. Windy and cold and empty.
Posted at 10:47 PM
November 26, 2011 (Saturday)
Post-session
Second-worst day of the year. As we watched from the cars, one guy is snagging a lot of small ones on the "outside" and it looks encouraging. But when we get out, there's nothing coming in. It's really bad and deteriorating by the minute. Near-flat, windy, simply awful. Trades are supposed to be strong, 50 mph according to the NWS. High-wind warning in effect. Right now it's about 20-25 mph. Brrrr.
Posted at 11:20 PM
November 25, 2011 (Friday)
Post-session
Smaller (already?). Start at BM's with a friend. Looked decent from the cars but actually pretty bad. Paddled to Regular, and it's quite bad too. I get two decent ones, and my last is nice. Overall crappy everywhere. At least there was still something, I guess. Yesterday's "flash-swell" is gone.
Posted at 9:18 PM
November 24, 2011 (Thursday)
Post-session
Wow, twice the size of yesterday. Was headed to Regular, but two local pros paddled out and it was already quite crowded, so I opted for BM's to start instead. Catch a handful but it's junk. Move to M's then Regular. It's packed and junk. Interesting. Why? Looked quite decent earlier.
Finally during the last half hour, I have a blast. I score one from the "outside" and take it all the way. Was planning to head in, but you know how that goes. Up to then, it was my best ride and I really hadn't caught anything remotely acceptable. "One" more. I park on the end-corner and score a bunch of rippable bowl-ages. Completely satisfied.
Posted at 11:19 PM
November 23, 2011 (Wednesday)
Post-session
The worst day of the year. Truly bad. Caught...three? Pretty much not rideable with a shortboard. Small southern bump tomorrow?
Posted at 6:17 PM
November 22, 2011 (Tuesday)
Post-session
Regular. Slightly better. Smallish pack of regulars in the middle. I park at the end-corner solo and catch way more than yesterday and have much more fun; but in reality it's tiny and barely rideable. Getting worse just before going in.
Posted at 8:08 PM
November 21, 2011 (Monday)
Post-session
Phew. Really bad. Barely get anything. A few in the beginning then nothing. Worst in a while. Swell on Thanksgiving or weekend?
Posted at 10:12 PM
November 20, 2011 (Sunday)
Post-session
Worse. Inside, end-corner at Regular. Crowded. Longies clogging the line. Frustrating. One good ride, the rest mediocre to crap.
Posted at 9:09 PM
November 19, 2011 (Saturday)
Post-session
Regular. Much better. Smaller but less wind and more doable. Had the end-corner alone. Fun. Then three friends joined and it got a bit cramped. Scored a really good one that really satisfied. My last was good too. Just before going in, got crowded. East wind-swell in a few days, small south next week?
Posted at 11:04 PM
November 18, 2011 (Friday)
Post-session
Regular. Sucked. At first, seemed like yesterday--but smaller--with doable smallish bowls at the end-corner. Caught a few right away. Then it just worsened. Last 45 minutes was agonizing. Very windy.
Posted at 10:54 PM
November 17, 2011 (Thursday)
Post-session
Smaller but better form. Fun at Regular on the inside, end-corner. Everyone else was in the middle and on the opposite side, so I had it to myself. I was scoring. Yesterday was weak and slope-y, but today had more push and a better edge to the floor. I was doing well--not making mistakes--and ye ole board was working well. Had many more waves and did far more paddling in half the time as yesterday. Completely satisfied.
Posted at 7:46 PM
November 16, 2011 (Wednesday)
Post-session
Really bad at Regular. Empty. Windy. From the cars, watch guy on longboard catching everything, making it look fun. When we get out, it's crap.
The handful of people drifting about like buoys go in once we (four regulars) materialize. Initially, some stuff but then absolutely nothing. Very weak and slope-y. I get two of the biggest and must focus only on staying on and trimming without losing it. Forget turning. Catch a few more then call it.
Posted at 10:54 PM
November 15, 2011 (Tuesday)
Post-session
Smaller. Crappy. I do the circuit: BM's (solo), M's (solo), Regular (crowded). Pretty dismal. There's a guy killing it. Must be a pro because, for me, the ankle-snappers are barely doable, but this guy is snagging wave after wave and making it look good. Everyone else is sitting. I park at the far inside, end-corner and catch diddly. Whoa, really bad.
Posted at 7:49 PM
November 14, 2011 (Monday)
Post-session
Regular with a friend. Crowded (at first) and small. Nothing worthy coming in and everyone groveling, big time, jockeying for barely rideable, shin- to waist-high mushburgers. I'm not doing well. Very out of synch and making mistakes on routine moves. Friend goes in after 20 minutes.
Just then, everyone else gets the same idea and the lineup clears. Basically, just four of us regulars sitting on the main peak. Surge of sets and we start scoring for about half an hour. Big surprise. Salvages an otherwise brutally-dismal start. The end for me is maddening, as I cannot get a last one and wait FOREVER.
Posted at 10:17 PM
November 13, 2011 (Sunday)
Post-session
Much smaller and crowded-er but cleaner with better form. BM's alone and fun. Small but lined-up, lowish tide, rippable. I'm doing well and board is working awesomely. Do many satisfying straight-up snaps in the smallish pockets and quickish pivots on the tail off the semi-mushy lips. Once sated, decide to sample M's. Nothing. Finish at Regular for a last one in. Good session.
Posted at 10:23 PM
November 12, 2011 (Saturday)
Post-session
Biggest in a while. East wind-swell continues. It's classic: weak, short-period waves with lots of chop. (Groundswell has traveled thousands of miles and is orderly with strong, long-period energy; wind-swell is disorganized and weak with periods close together). It's thankfully not crowded for a sunny Saturday with decent swell. Just a small group of us regulars catching everything in sight, eating it up voraciously like crazies who've been starving for days (weeks?).
I'm having a blast. The bigger faces and longer walls make it easier for me to stand (with my arthritic hip) and allow me to unwind and draw out bigger turns with more arc. Every one of my waves is the best ride I've had in at least a week. I'm doing pretty well and making only a few mistakes. Totally satisfied. Good session.
Posted at 10:13 PM
November 11, 2011 (Friday)
Post-session
Regular. Bigger. Slightly cleaner form with some north in the wind; still blowing hard, though. It's a holiday, and it's crowded. Welcome, everyone: e komo mai.
East shore is getting some sizeable wind-generated energy, and some of that localized energy is pushing in. It's weak and choppy--classic wind-swell, although the periods are not short, as they typically would be--but there are over-headers. Lots of cross-swell and face-chop. Caught some okay ones. Started on the inside, but the outside seemed better and that's where I finished. Group of regulars out. Plenty kooks. Probably 100% size/quality improvement from yesterday.
Posted at 10:59 PM
November 10, 2011 (Thursday)
Post-session
Regular. Super crap. Smaller and windy. Got some but nothing good. Awful.
Posted at 10:44 PM
November 9, 2011 (Wednesday)
Post-session
Regular. Smaller and windier but pretty much a complete repeat. Not crowded then more people. Another one of my friends--again--getting plenty waves way on the inside. I snagged some then fell into a slump just before going in. Super frustrating. My hip was really bothering me. Wah, wah!
Posted at 11:26 PM
November 8, 2011 (Tuesday)
Post-session
Frustration at Regular. Empty initially then crowded. Seems everyone was getting something except me. One of my friends, in particular, was scoring everywhere and riding all the way to the inside. Made me sick. I struggled mightily. Did get a bunch but was barely able to do any turns. A few rides were okay. Irritating.
Posted at 9:18 PM
November 7, 2011 (Monday)
Post-session
Regular. Morning before work. Windy and sloppy. Started on outside then moved to inside, end-corner. Some okay ones. Miss a bunch. Hip really hindering.
Posted at 8:17 PM
November 5, 2011 (Saturday)
Post-session
Regular, morning before work. Windy and messy initially. Still some energy. Struggling again. Barely caught anything for the first hour, or so. Then the wind died and the form cleaned up. Sets got more consistent. The inside was the best, and that's where I finally parked. Didn't get many, but some were really good. I get a nice one and ride all the way to the inside and set up to do a big arcing cutback in front of two friends paddling out, and I dig my rail and fall off. Kook. So frustrating. Also, my hip was really an impediment to taking off today.
Posted at 11:48 PM
November 3, 2011 (Thursday)
Post-session
Morning before work. Regular. Depressing. Everyone was getting but me. Got three waves in over one hour. Wow. Some size but super messy and sloppy. Slope-y. Smaller than yesterday. Windy.
Posted at 8:57 PM
November 2, 2011 (Wednesday)
Post-session
Late afternoon after work. New swell. Surprise! Very west. M's solo. Score some, but it's breaking deep and wide--all over. Difficult to be in the right place (surprise, again). Some bombs coming in. Solid. Not quite four feet Hawaiian, but the marquee spots probably are getting some 4s and perhaps bigger.
I'm struggling. Leg/hip are sore, but I'm able to stand. Barely. Don't stay long. Happy to be in the water after work. Can't get a good last one. Finally relent and finish at Regular. It's packed. Really crowded. It's the biggest day in a while, so everyone is hungry.
Posted at 11:50 PM
November 1, 2011 (Tuesday)
Post-session
M's alone. Water is warm and feels wonderful. It's bigger but otherwise similar to yesterday. Very west-y. Get a bunch but boring and unchallenging. Breaking deep and wide. Finish at Regular. Stay for a long time. Some nice ones. I miss several good ones, natch. Must've been good earlier based on what I saw before paddling out. Pretty much empty all day. More people later but still un-crowded. Where is everyone? Country?
Posted at 10:13 PM