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Latest Report Surf Reports |
Santa Barbara Area Surf Report |
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| Date/Time: | Tuesday, February 20th, 12:30 pm - 3:30 pm | ||
| Location: | Rincon | ||
| Weather: | Nice winter day, mild weather with mixed clouds over the local mountains and no wind. | ||
| Conditions: | Glassy and calm. | ||
| Swell: | Strong WNW swell from a relatively close system, 15 ft at 14-17 s from 285 deg. on the outer channel, 10-12 ft at 14 s on the inner channel. | ||
| Surf: | Overhead to double overhead. | ||
| Comments: |
Should have paid more attention to the guy a couple cars over,
who spoke in the language of fear when I asked how the session was,
but I didn't hear him, not really, over the sound of wax on my board.
Wish I'd looked at his eyes as they appraised my 6'6", obviously
thinking "too short," but I just didn't want to see them -- didn't
want to drive home and get my bigger board. Should have listened to
the incessant beat of the sets -- or watched! -- as I waded out atop
the point, the closeout walls not stopping.
Ignored all that, got impatient and started paddling too early. Thought maybe I had an opening, but missed it -- out of shape -- and the waves quickly had me washed past the tip of the point, past the rivermouth, to the cove. Nonstop whitewater and current and I just can't break free and clear and it's only 10 yards away, down the point I go. Finally got out way inside the cove, practically at the freeway. Never had that happen before here! Shaken up, I settled in for the long paddle back up the point, against all that current, needed it to clear my head from the beating. Tried to position myself on the second peak of the indicator but never got a wave in close to 3 hours of constant paddling. Never gave up on it, right to the end, but they just kept rolling by or someone else had position. Finally got a small wave after drifting into the rivermouth, and then one more, and then got caught by a set and pushed to the freeway. All in all, it's hard to describe this as anything other than a very bad session. Pretty much spent the entire time on the sidelines watching everyone else charge some pretty sweet waves, hollow at times, and I was either on the shoulder or scratching to get out of the way. Hard to admit, but I sucked today. That makes it harder to explain how stoked I was that evening. Something to do with challenging the elements and continuing to fight, even though I was losing? Satisfaction of obsession? "From death's heart, I stab at thee!" I'll keep rubbing my sore shoulders and scratching my head until I figure it out... |
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Created by Tim Maddux, courtesy of UCSB, CoE, ME, and CS. Last updated 2/22/2000. |