Santa Barbara Area Surf Reports

Location:		Mesa
Weather:		Fog/Drizzle
Conditions:		Chunky, Cheesy, Brown and Depressing
Swell:		8ft at 17s @ 305°
Surf:	Infrequent Head High Sets
Wetsuit Life:		15 Sessions in Rip Curl Bomb ($18/session)

Comments:

In retrospect, a poorly executed plan for our incoming NW swell. I tried to play it cool, knew the swell wasn't coming in until later and that if I dawn patrolled or tried to surf a long session I'd be too tired for when the swell was really here. However I couldn't resist and so checked out Rincon about 10am. I stood at the top of the steps above indicator and watched for about 20 minutes. Half a dozen surfers came and went and this was their response to the T:

• Hmmm
• Yeah, hasn't shown yet
• Hmmm
• Must be too steep
• Going to fill in good tonight
• Wait, that set was mostly South showing
• Tommorrow morning will be good
• Or Maybe I'll drive to *North County Spot*

I left Rincon in an attempt to save my energy. Drove south a little bit to check out some of the PCH beachbreaks and they were no good either. Chunky, red tide conditions with not much showing thru. So I speant the rest of the day waiting it out and planned an evening assault.

By evening time I did not have the fight left in me to battle southbound traffic for the 'Con and was feeling lazy enough to surf in town. Stood watching my first choice on the Mesa for about 20 minutes, it had some chest high waves but just no shape, crashing on the beach and cheesed out. I looked at a 2nd Mesa spot and went for it. Only 3 or 4 guys out, waist to chest high waves with an infrequent sneaker set about head high or so. I surfed on "Joe", the blue 6'3" that is really too high performance for me. Got a handful of fun ones but a lot closed out, and the boils from the rocks were a little sketchy. Held off on quite a few takeoffs cause some kid kept getting caught inside right in front of me. Got one or two hits on the lip that surprised me, my board was actually going where I told it to go, unlike the Fish which often times refuses to come back down.

Walked up the steps afterwards, back into the depressing Seattle like conditions of overcast and drizzly. The only good think is the Mesa smelled like some hearty fires were going on in some of those warm and cozy houses.