Santa Barbara Area Surf Report

April Overview | 1996 Overview


Date/Time:
Wednesday, April 3rd, 7:30 am - 9:30 am
Location:
Rincon Point
Weather:
Steadily increasing SE winds (the worst kind for Rincon).
Conditions:
Junk. Shape additionally poor due to windswell mix.
Swell:
Combination W groundswell and NW windswell. Sets were shoulder high or so on the indicator, smaller inside.
Comments:
There's a lot of wind out there. Take a look at the spectrum in the lower left hand corner of this image, from the Southern California Swell Model.

Poor shape on most of the waves, a quick drop with a mushed-out shoulder followed by an unmakeable section further down the line. The shoulders were so weak it was difficult to even get a good carve or rebound off the sectioning whitewater.

A strange SE wind started howling in from the channel by 8:30, junking everything up. The rivermouth got the worst of it, and hopes that the cove would be better were soon dashed to pieces, it was as junky as the indicator yet smaller.

It was good to get wet though.


Santa Barbara Surfing -- Last updated 6/17/96.