surf

january 2000

Location	Date/Time	Conditions
Tourmaline Cove	01/30/00 4:15 pm - 5:30 pm	8 - 10'+ Extremely large thick north west swell hitting Southern San Diego county with full force. Huge dumping waves everywhere. The only place holding was Tourmaline cove. Took work off early to get some or at least watch the spectacle. Looked like a makable paddle out to some really big and fat rights breaking about a half mile out to sea. Take my biggest and thickest board which is a 6'6" x 19 ½ x 3 ½' - a serious paddle board. Wasn't enough. Could have easily used a 7' 6', which I don't own at the moment (time to get a mini gun for these rare days), because it was the gnarliest river current I have ever tried to paddle against. Easily took me 20 minute to paddle out and not because of the waves but because of this wicked current. It was hellish. finally get outside and there are about 6 guys out and only one guy on a gun seems to be getting any waves, which are huge drops into mushy shoulders, but some waves are lining up but the trick was actually being in position for these mammoth lumps. See a kid get a screaming 12 footer where he was barely in control on his shortboard. I decide to sit where he took off from. Unfortunately the swell was inconsistent so I waited for ten minutes and finally the right lump rolled through and I somehow get in and make the drop but barely make the bottom turn - not enough board. Take a high line then bottom turn again and nearly lose it off the bottom again from the chatter and chop. Somehow straighten it and fly across a huge section into a roundhouse and then across another section and then a couple of whacks before it closed out in front of the pump house. A good half mile ride but wasn't satisfied because I felt out of control half the time but there was no way in hell I was going to even attempt to paddle back out. 1 wave in almost an hour.
Swami's	01/29/00 7:30 am - 10:00 am	2 - 4' Beggining of the new swell. Very inconsistent and weak at times. Coupled with the extremely crowded conditions caused me a lot of frustration trying to pick off some decent waves. Some really nice head high set waves rolling through if you could get them. Two to three guys dropping in on each other on every set. Silly. I somehow managed to get a set wave to myself into Kiddy Bowl where I was dropped in on and also managed to get a chest high peeler through Kiddy Bowl that was nice. Everything else was forgettable or extremely frustrating mainly due to the ignorant and unrespectful crowd. Weekend, what should I expect?
Newbreak	01/25/00 6:45 am - 7:45 am	1 - 3' The absymal winter continues...Saw the buoys go up 4 feet in 3 hours the day before and was expecting some decent, although not huge surf. Got neither. Small northwest pulse that was weak and sporadic. Saw a few sets roll through Newbs and was down there early so suited and joined three other guys for some small mushy roundhouse walls.
Missouri St.	01/22/00 7:30 am - 9:30 am	1 - 2' Small punchy little wind swell that was forming nice little peaks on the super high tide. Nothing spectacular but looking good after another week of flatness in what is shaping up to be one of the worst winters I can remember.
Missouri St.	01/11/00 7:30 am - 8:30 am	1 - 2' Rushed home yesterday afternoon after it looked like it was starting to pick up when I left for work at 9:00 yesterday but by the time I get home it was flat again. A full 6 hour swell. Anyhow small and junky this morning with a few rippable rights but mostly closing out.
Missouri St.	01/09/00 8:30 am - 10:00 am	1 - 2' Small clean west swell that turned out to be pretty gutless although there was some shape.
Missouri St.	01/03/00 8:30 am - 10:00 am	1 - 2' Lingering wind swell from the storm that blew through the day before. Some fun little punchy peaks with no one out.