September Overview
2000 Overview
 

Santa Barbara Area Surf Report

 
    
Date/Time:   Monday, September 4th, 10:00 am - 1:00 pm  
    
Location:   Secos / Arroyo Sequit / Leo Carrillo  
    
Weather:   Sunny with dapples of high clouds, warm, no wind. Perfect beach day.  
    
Conditions:   Clean but a little crossed-up with two swells running.  
    
Swell:   Combination of small southern hemi swells, 2 to almost 3 ft at 17 s from 180 and 210 degrees.  
    
Surf:   Waist to chest high.  
    
Comments:   After a couple of false starts over the holiday weekend, one aborted due to wind and the other due to weak surf, finally got some clean waves on the longboard. With the "end of summer" at hand I figured this was one of my only chances left this year to paddle out in trunks. I think I'd already missed my chance, as the water was frigid! Lots of people out there in fullsuits. Fortunately my 9'6" kept me high and dry.

Sporadic sets, with the high tide burying the outside reefs and pushing the crowd into a tight pack around the rock. I kept getting impatient and grabbing little waves to work on my footwork, and it seemed like every time I'd be taking off on the first, most feeble wave of a set.

Got tired of that, and sat resolutely way on the outside, will the ocean to bring me a reef wave. Waited a long time, and waited, and waited, and when it finally came I almost fell right after making the drop and calling off the hordes on the shoulder. Then I nearly railbogged again on the inside, my cold clammy muscles betraying me. Time to go in. The cold showers that had the little kids yelping and running to me felt like a tepid baptism and after walking slowly across the melting asphalt parking lot I got the numbness to leave my feet.

I think tomorrow I'll wear a wetsuit.

 
    
   
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Created by Tim Maddux, courtesy of UCSB, CoE, ME, and CS. Last updated 9/4/2000.