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Santa Barbara Area Surf Report

 
    
Date/Time:   Thursday, 30 January 2003, 4:00-5:00  
    
Location:   Gaviota Coast  
    
Weather:   Sunny and Warm  
    
Conditions:   Small, Clean and Inconsistent  
    
Swell(Harvest):   3.7ft @ 12s @ 300°  
    
Tide:   0.0 and rising  
    
Surf:   Very Seldom Waist to Chest high sets  
    
Board:   Progressive  
    
Comments:   Stormsurf was saying that a swell would be building all day so I figured I'd wait until later in the day, but the low tide at 2:30 was making it tough to surf in the afternoon. The low bottomed out at -1.4 and by the time I got there it was still quite low. The sets when the came had nice glassy shape but closed out a little bit more than desired. I caught a couple of fun chest high waves with just beautiful shape down the line, nice and clean thanks to the kelp. But waiting for the waves was an absolute chore, it seemed like decades in between sets.

Saw a pod of dolphins crusing down the coast and also was assigned a seal to watch after me. He was either a curious lil' bloke, or he was the scout for the rest of the clan. My shortboarding this week and been pretty weak. The waves have been small and that could explain some, but I just haven't had the ability to gain much power from waves unless they are perfectly lined up. It's still all fun.

 
    
   
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