Today was the first day that I have ever surfed Campus Point. It
looks like I picked a good day to try it out. Brought my 6'6" thinking
it'd be head high and mellow... ha. Still got a few good fast ones,
easy takeoffs and a little bit o' mush making it manageable.
Things seen and overheard today:
- The biggest wave I've ever seen in person on the outside, a lone surfer
dropping down on a triple overhead (at least) face, 100 yards or more
outside of my position.
- Chris Willingham, proprietor of Just Surf'n in Goleta
was out in force, tearing into the lip with wicked snaps.
- Goleta Beach was a mess. Waves last night overran the beach and up onto
the grassy berm. Near the Beachhouse there was debris and evidence of
waves running over the parking lot and into the slough behind it, on both
sides of the restaurant/pier.
- Waves at Goleta Beach were overhead, and larger by the pier where the face
just before breaking reached to within a foot of the pier's underbelly.
- Some waves generated not hoots but unbridled screaming, the first outside
set bomb, the standup barrels on the inside.
- The point was behaving in a manner much more reminiscent of Middle Peak
at Steamer Lane than Campus Point, save for the fact that there were no
lefts. This includes the hairball shorebreak right against the cliffs.
- El Capitan was reported to have 8' to 10' faces and perfect shape.
- The I.V. Reef and Devereux were obscured in fog when I swung by at around
11 o'clock. Some inside waves looked to be overhead, but the shape was
rather poor.
- "Do you think I could take my 5'9" out there?" -- overheard atop the Del
Playa Drive cliffs in Isla Vista, asked of a surfer carrying a 7'4"
minigun. Laughter was the response.
- "It's a twin-fin, too." -- the response to the laughter. Sure, take it
out, if your name is Tom Curren.
- Speaking of Tom Curren, he was reported to be styling through barrels
at the Sand Spit in town.
- Rincon was reported to have 15' faces. I would presume it was at least
triple-o down there on the sets.
- The Ventura area was reported to have 20'+ faces. A young surfer was
reported lost yesterday at Pitas Point, last seen at 5:30 pm. A wide-eyed
older fellow in the parking lot told me he was found, "in bad shape."
- An older surfer called the waves at Campus Point today "the biggest I have
seen since 1969."
My quads and hams are so sore I can barely walk; all of my wetsuits,
rashguards, and trunks are soaking wet, not to mention both of my boards;
my girlfriend caught me as I was walking back towards my car along the
sidewalk overlooking poles: "I should have known!"; I'm considering another
go-out before dark.