| Santa Barbara Area Surf Report | |||
| January Overview | 1999 Overview | ||
| Date/Time: | Sunday, January 3rd, 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm |
| Location: | Gaviota Coast |
| Weather: | Sunny and warm, sundowners in the evening. Calm winds on all the buoys except for a bizarre 15+ kt southeasterly on the East Channel Buoy. |
| Conditions: | Sheet glass. Bowly and sectiony with that southeasterly breeze making for a regular little 2' windswell across the lines. |
| Swell: | Holding, moderate swell out of the WNW, 8 ft at 17 s or so. |
| Surf: | Sectiony but occasionally fun, waist to chest high with some head high sets. |
| Comments: |
Antidote to a pre-New Year's fest of crowded point surf
was called for. The perfect antidote would be empty
Rincon, the antidote possible in this universe was probably
somewhere in Baja. Settled for a spot between Elwood
and the Ranch.
It did the trick. A lovely setting sun over a clean patch of water doing its best to pick up what little bits there were to be had of the big swell that pumped Hawaii on Friday. Got one beautiful wave with a couple of speedy sections and rollercoaster boosts off the top and a veranda to boot. That wave proved to be unmatchable and unrepeatable despite my efforts to remain patient and wait for another one. So I had to be content with surfing alone in punchy shoulder high waves on a beautiful 75-degree January day. It wasn't hard. |