Santa Barbara Area Surf Report

December Overview | 1995 Overview

Date/Time:

Monday, Dec. 11th, 8:00 am - 11:00 am

Location:

Rincon, CA

Weather:

Overcast. Light sprinkles of rain by noon. No wind.

Conditions:

Highly variable, from poor to sheet glass, depending on what time and where one looked.

Swell:

WNW groundswell coming on strong, currently 8 ft. 13 sec locally and 20+ feet further north. Started off waist-shoulder high and had pushed through to overhead and a quarter by noon.

Comments:

The swell came on quickly and out of nowhere. Managed to pick off one of the first long rides after a half hour or so and took it from the top of Indicators well into the Cove by the blue house. It just kept going, my legs began to tremble and twitch towards the end and actually started tingling... one of those waves that you just cannot believe you are still surfing and it just doesn't stop.

The paddle back (I had to paddle, to pay my dues) took ten minutes. All the waves after that one were just gravy. Some so fast down the line at full trim that my little 6'6" just skipped on the mild chop.

Caught inside more than once, washed into the rivermouth by hell sets. Took an early one square on the head and got flipped over holding my board and pushed down into the sand.

Finally got out due to raw all-encompassing hunger. Roll on, winter.

Santa Barbara Surfing -- Last updated 8/6/96.