It was the 2nd warmest January on record and one of only 3 without any rain in the southland. An absolutely amazing month for warm weather in Santa Barbara. Pope had 24 days of surfing, perhaps his personal best for most days of surfing in a month. The first week saw great waves but the rest of the month was more mellow.Out of the 24 sessions they probably averaged chest to shoulder high. Things started out with a boom on as I literally heard the New Years swell arriving while on a boat in the Ventura Harbor. That next morning saw head high waves, offshore conditions, and warmth. Things stayed pretty fun but not as big for the next couple of days. The weather was still in the 70's and unstoppable. The weekend of Jan 4-5 saw some great waves, the best of which was an overhead glass off session along the Gaviota Coast on Sunday, but it was soured by hearing of death of Steve Issaris down the coast a ways at Deveraux. The 6th was still mighty big and out of the west. Some beachbreaks just couldn't handle the juice and the direction and I was just getting pounded. The 7th was perhaps the biggest day of the month. People were towing in up at Mavericks and it was overhead in Goleta. I'm sure Rincon was off the hizzy. This swell or series of swells hung around until the 9th. Some big days out in Goleta and Montecito.
The second half of the month was a different story. Waves were fewer and further in between. Was kind of small but clean and sunny for the longest while. Some juice showed around January 20th that was super west and some more action on the 23rd. Waves were big and fun all the way until the 26th, with Friday the 24th probably being the biggest. It was also a little messed up from some windswell. Super Bowl Sunday the 26th was like a broken record for January...warm and sunny with fun waves and a little bit of offshore. Meanwhile the Atlantic Coast is freezing their butts off. From this day until the end of the month it was pretty small.
Of the 24 days I had 15 days on the shortboard (Progressive), 9 on the longboard (Walden). A most excellent January.
You can also read Surfline's January Wrap-up.
The Reports
- January 31st, Gaviota Coast
- January 30th, Gaviota Coast
- January 29th, Gaviota Coast
- January 28th, Gaviota Coast
- January 26th, Gaviota Coast
- January 25th, Leadbetter
- January 24th, Montecito Coast
- January 23rd, Gaviota Coast
- January 22nd, Hammonds
- January 21st, Hammonds
- January 20th, Gaviota Coast
- January 18th, PCH
- January 17th, Gaviota Coast
- January 16th, Rincon
- January 15th, Coal Oil Point
- January 9th, Coal Oil Point
- January 8th, Montecito Coast
- January 7th, Campus Point
- January 6th, Gaviota Coast
- January 5th, Hammonds & Gaviota Coast
- January 4th, PCH
- January 3rd, Coal Oil Point
- January 2nd, Coal Oil Point
- January 1st, PCH