Surf Check 2/28/12

What a night. I haven't heard wind like that in a long time. We actually had more rain that I was expecting; about 3/4" in SD and 1/2" in the OC. Good- we needed it.

The storm that blew through last night has generated some short interval NW wind swell that peaked about 12 hours ago. Today we're left with head high jumbled waves with an odd overhead set. Winds are currently 10mph out of the NW and not looking to back off today.

Tides are pretty medium the next few days. About 1' at sunrise, up to 2.5' at 2pm, and down to 2' at sunset. Water is cold and pretty dirty from the rain- wait until Friday morning's swell to surf (more on that below).

Tomorrow should be clean and cool with some leftover chest high waves. Looks like another shot of showers/wind late tomorrow night. I don't think we'll get any real rain out of it but we should have a little bit of wind though- not as bad as last night thankfully. Good news is that we've got another swell headed our way for late Thursday with overhead sets on Friday morning- and clean conditions finally.

Once the storm/swell moves through we've got great weather for the weekend and no surf it looks like. Charts show some activity in the north Pacific this weekend which should bring some more NW towards next Tuesday.

The southern hemisphere is starting to become more active and we may have some chest high SW towards the middle of March. Keep your fingers crossed!

THE Surf Report 2/24/12

Timeout.

SURF:

After a couple months of fun consistent surf, it’s time to take a little breather. Kind of a small week around here. Just minor waist high NW with a little bump yesterday afternoon for chest high sets. Today that swell has peaked and we’ve got some small fun waves this morning with more chest high sets. That’s the good news. The bad news is that there really isn’t any surf for the weekend. No major storms in the north Pacific the past few days means waist high or smaller waves for us this weekend. Wish I had better news. So get it today!

Tides this weekend are 1’ at sunrise, about 5’ mid-morning, and down to 0’ late afternoon. Water temps are high 50’s. Make sure to keep up to date on the waves and weather at Twitter/North County Surf.

FORECAST:

After a dismal weekend of surf, there’s a good NW swell showing up for Monday but we have some weather associated with it too. Typical. Look for head high sets in north county SD/OC, some overhead sets in south SD, and some chest high sets in south OC. Just beware of the SW wind and showers. After that we’ve got a smaller chest high+ NW towards Thursday. Nothing major but at least there will be a couple rideable days next week.

Nothing much in the southern hemisphere either- but it does look like it's starting to wake up. I wouldn't be surprised if we had some fun southwest swell the 2nd half of March.

WEATHER:

Got some low clouds and fog this weekend. With the small surf it’s kind of dreary around here. I need a trip to Hawaii! Things don’t get much better as models show some showers developing Monday and breezy conditions. That clears out towards Tuesday and we’re left with clear cool skies the rest of the week.

BEST BET:

Tough call- we’ve got some leftover chest high sets today with a little bit of low clouds and fog. Or a bigger swell on Monday with showers. Or back to chest high waves and clear skies Thursday. I’ll take the lumpy bumpy swell on Monday. No crowds at least!

NEWS OF THE WEEK:

NOAA put it out it’s monthly update for January a few days ago. All kinds of stuff going on. Take a gander…

The globe experienced its 19th warmest January since record keeping began in 1880. Arctic sea ice extent was the fourth smallest extent on record for January at 7.5 percent below average. Additionally, La Niña conditions continued during January 2012. According to NOAA's Climate Prediction Center, La Niña is expected to dissipate during the Northern Hemisphere spring.

Global temperature highlights: January

•The combined global land and ocean average surface temperature for January 2012 was the 19th warmest on record at 54.23°F, which is 0.63°F above the 20th century average of 53.6°F.

Surface temperature anomalies for January 2012

•Separately, the global land surface temperature was 0.88°F above the 20th century average of 37.0°F, making this the 28th warmest January on record. Warmer-than-average conditions occurred across most of North America, the northern latitudes of Europe and Asia, southern South America, and most of Australia. Cooler-than-average regions included China, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, south central Russia, much of the Middle East, northern India, north Africa, and southwestern Greenland.
•The January global ocean surface temperature was 0.54°F above the 20th century average of 60.5°F, making it the 17th warmest January on record.

Polar Sea Ice and Precipitation Highlights

•The growth rate for Arctic sea ice in January was the slowest in the satellite record. The average sea ice extent for the month was 7.5 percent below average, ranking as the fourth smallest January extent since satellite records began in 1979. The extent was 425,000 square miles below average. This marks the 19th consecutive January and 128th consecutive month with below-average Arctic sea ice extent.

Selected Climate Events for January 2012

•On the opposite pole, Antarctic sea ice during January was 13.8 percent above average, and the seventh largest sea ice extent on record for the Southern Hemisphere since records began in 1979.
•Northern Hemisphere snow cover extent during January was slightly above average, with large differences between the North American and Eurasian land areas. Eurasia had its ninth largest snow cover extent in the 46-year period of record, where cold and snowy conditions dominated across central and Eastern Europe, as well as much of China. North America had its third smallest January snow cover extent, where much of the United States and southern Canada were warmer and drier than average, limiting snow cover.
•Monsoonal rains brought heavier-than-average rainfall to southwestern and southeastern Australia. Precipitation was also much above average in south Asia, part of eastern Russia, and southwestern Greenland. Much drier-than-average conditions were observed across northern Canada, the north central United States, eastern Brazil, and northern Sweden.

BEST OF THE BLOG:

The boys are back in town! If you’re reading this right now, then you’re not aware that the ASP World Tour has kicked back into gear (because you’d be watching the webcast instead) and it’s one big party right now on the Gold Coast of Australia (Mardi Gras has nothing on this event). Check out the overview of the upcoming ASP world tour on the blog. And of course the mid-week Surf Check and a more in-depth THE Surf Report- all of that and more in the blog below!

PIC OF THE WEEK:

Nothing fancy this week. Just good old fashioned barreling rights. With tropical water to boot. And a rippable wall. And light winds. With no one on it. Definitely not Swami’s. For more action from the Maldives, check out Maldives Surf Trips.

 

Keep Surfing,

Michael W. Glenn

Zeus
Clinically ‘Lin’sane
The Next Kolohe Andino

Clips of the Day: The Boys Are Back In Town!

As you know by now, the ASP World Tours' 'offseason' is almost over. From Pipe in December to the Snapper in February, the pros really don't have much of a holiday. Well, being on tour is like a holiday considering Fiji is on the schedule, the France, Hawaii, Tahiti, etc. etc etc.- it's not too shabby of work if you can get it.

Anyway, the boys start back up tomorrow (the 25th in Australia, the 24th for you and I) at the Quiksilver Pro at Snapper Rocks and it's going to be a banner year. All kinds of interesting contests this year (Tavarua and the Coldwater are back) and new faces to shake up the old guys (can't wait to see Kelly square off against John John at Teahupoo). This year also seems to be the biggest mix of talent ever. There's the old guys (like Slater, Davo, CJ, Knox). There's the guys who always seem to make at least the quarters (Mick, Parko, Taj, Perrow), there's that crazy Brazillian take over (Adriana, Pupo, Alejo, Gabriel), the new air crew (Julian, Wilko, Kerr, Owen), the 'old' power school (Jordy, Bede, Bourez, Cardoso), and NKOTB (John John, Yadin, Kolohe, Thiago). I can go on forever. I haven't even mentioned Dusty, Gudang, Simpo, Jadson, etc! Long story short, it's Friday tomorrow, so post up in front of your computer at the office, crack a cold one, and get the surf contest season started right!

Surf Check 2/21/12

Not much out there today, especially with the high tide this morning. We've got waist high+ waves with chest high sets in south county SD.

Tides are about 4' at sunrise, hitting a high of 6' mid-morning, then dropping like a rock to -1' mid-afternoon, then back up to 2' at sunset. With the small swell it's not helping much with the extreme tide swings. 

Weather is nice though with temps in the low 70's and clear skies.

We should have good weather the remainder of the week with more clouds and a little breeze this weekend. Models can't make up their mind if there will be showers or not but if so, I don't expect them to be much.

On the surf forecast front, there isn't much brewing. We've got a shot at some chest high+ NW towards Thursday night/Friday morning and then again for Saturday night/Sunday morning. Nothing to lose sleep over. Long story short, nothing to report, so get your chores done this week!

THE Surf Report 2/17/12

Typical winter.

SURF:

All kinds of waves and weather this past week. Must be winter. Today we’ve got great conditions but not much surf. There’s some waist high NW with chest high sets and calm winds. South SD is probably your best bet with consistent chest high waves. Good news is that there is still storm activity in the north Pacific and we’ve got a new NW showing up Saturday afternoon and really firing on all cylinders by Sunday evening into Monday morning. Sunday could have some 10’ sets in north SD, double overhead+ in south SD, and some overhead sets in the OC. Models show a weak cold front coming through Sunday and there’s a 50/50 chance we could have light showers. Hopefully they’re wrong and we don’t get any S wind from it. Regardless, Sunday will have big surf- just keep an eye on the weather.

Tides the next few days are 6’ at sunrise, -1’ at 1pm, and up to 3’ at sunset.  Water temps are still cold- enough said. Make sure to keep up to date on the waves and weather at Twitter/North County Surf.

FORECAST:

Sunday night the big NW should peak and hold into Monday morning. Looks like Tuesday will still be fun with a couple overheads sets in SD. The middle of next week looks pretty small actually. No worries- you’re probably surfed-out anyway. The north Pacific is still active though and I’m hoping for more surf by next weekend.

WEATHER:

We’ve had a lot of cold windy storms lately but not a ton of rain. Today we’ve got great weather and Saturday morning looks good too but another weak front makes it way into the area Saturday night. Models are advertising some showers on Sunday but nothing too exciting; probably more gloom than doom. Early to the middle of next week looks sunny and mild. Charts are showing a stormier pattern towards next weekend but that’s a while off. Keep it in the back of your mind though!

BEST BET:

Probably Monday morning as the big NW will be holding and hopefully the weak cold front from Sunday will have exited the region!

NEWS OF THE WEEK:

The recent storm this week wasn’t a barn burner but it did give us a 1/3 of an inch of rain. So where does that put us for the season?
-Newport Beach: 3.67” to date. Only 42% of normal.
-Oceanside: 5.28” to date. Only 62% of normal.
-San Diego: 5.78” to date. Only 89% of normal.
Good news is that models show the La Nina declining rapidly through May. Hopefully that leads to a little more rain. On the flipside- March is still shaping up to be drier than normal- so the rapidly declining La Nina may not make much of a difference. At least La Nina should be gone by summer and maybe we’ll have some 70 degree water temps in July finally!  

BEST OF THE BLOG:

Big fan of Mason Ho. Actually the whole Ho family- dad Michael, Uncle Derek, sis Coco- and why not throw in long lost relative Don for the heck of it. Mason surfed a fun/weird/sketchy wedge in Brazil last month and I got the video to prove it. And need a cheap 2^nd dry full suit for those chilly dawn patrols? I’ve got an app for that. Or something like that. And of course the mid-week Surf Check and a more in-depth THE Surf Report- all of that and more in the blog below!

 

PIC OF THE WEEK:

I apologize for last week’s Pic of the Week. It wasn’t nice of me to highlight a frozen gloomy desolate point break in the middle of winter. What we need around here is a little pick me up- like some tropical sun and barrels. So I bring you the ‘Useless Umbrella’. Useless you ask? Well if it was me standing in that boat, I wouldn’t be holding an umbrella but rather a 6’6” rounded pin. Actually, I wouldn’t be in the boat- I’d be pitted in the barrel. For more shots to keep you daydreaming at work all day, check out JasonKenworthy’s portfolio.

Keep Surfing,

Michael W. Glenn

Large And In Charge
Print Money For A Living
World’s 1^st SUP Boogieboarder

Deal Alert! A Dry Suit For The Dawn Patrol!

How great is it to have an unreal evening session then crack it the next morning with a warm dry fullsuit? Only gonna happen if you have two fullsuits because it seems like it takes a good 24 hours for a suit to dry completely. There's nothing worse than slipping on a cold wet fullsuit for the dawn patrol when the air temp is 40 and the water isn't much warmer. To solve the problem, get a second full suit of course. But who can afford two $400 fullsuits? (Besides Mitt Romney). Well North County Surf has found all kinds of killer suits for under $200 at jackssurfboards.com.  And a good selection of brands to boot. Like the above 3/2 Rip Curl E Bomb for just $188. Here's the marketing speil from Ripley J. Curl himself: "The Rip Curl E-Bomb Pro 3/2MM Chest Zip Wetsuit is for the surfer that understands the best fullsuits should feel like you're not even wearing one, and should work with you, not against you. Rip Curl's WCT Team understands this, as they all wear the E-Bomb Pro 3/2MM as their standard piece of rubber, and they never worry about leaks because of it's glued and blindstitched seams. Now 30% with 30% more stretch thanks to an all new 100% elastomax neoprene construction and an E3 back panel that offers unparalleled freedom-of-movement"

Or maybe you pledge your allegiance to Jack O'Neill. From the family that brought you the first wetsuit, leash, and boardbag comes the 'Superfreak' 4/3 fullsuit. 100% UltraFlex XDS, Exclusive new ultra-light, High-Performance Minimal Seam design, Krypto Knee Padz. O’Neill’s Patented Z.E.N. Zip Closure System with Barrier-2 Pullover and Super Seal Neck, Plasma Wrist and Ankle Seals, ultra-flexible Super Seam- and all for a ridiculous $146.

Or you can align yourself with one of the greatest teams ever (Taj, Dorian, Parko, Luke, Occy, Manoa, Freestone, Rasta, AI R.I.P., etc). I can't guarantee you'll surf like these guys wearing Billabong's Revolution GBS 302 MM Wetsuit- but it is an awesome, mid-range deal that has high performance tech at an affordable $160 price point. The Revolution GBS 3/2 is comprised of 100% Superstretch neoprene, with 80% IWSS seam sealing, along with a C2 chest entry for great flexibility, and Supratex compression molded kneepads for great protection and comfort. Recommended for the 58-61 degree temp range.


Considering it's the middle of winter and these suits are cheap, they probably won't last long so get on it!

Surf Check 2/14/12

Wish I could love the surf on this Valentine's Day but it's looking pretty lumpy. Hard to get motivated for a surf with the clouds, bump, and jumbled surf.

We've had a couple low pressure systems over us the past few days and we have yet another one exiting today and another one filling in tomorrow.

A few days ago they generated some NW groundswell and then windswell on top of it today and it's making a mess. Surf today is slightly overhead and lumpy from strong W winds last night. Fortunately the wind has switched to light offshore from the E but it's pretty consistent and unorganized still.

Surf will peak today, hold tomorrow with more junky conditions as another weak front comes through, then backs off Thursday through Saturday morning with cleaner conditions. On it's heels is another bigger NW for Sunday morning (maybe double overhead in south SD) and yet another low pressure system.

I'm hoping the weekend low pressure system is a little tamer than the past few days. That would mean somewhat cleaner conditions for the sizeable swell. But it is winter so I'm kind of asking for a lot.

Tides the next few days are 2' at sunrise, down to 0' around 9am, and up to 3' late in the afternoon. Happy Valentine's Day and good luck finding some clean surf!

Clip of the Day: Wedge on the Rocks

I swear Mason Ho is the new Buttons. He'll surf anything, anywhere, on any board just because it's surfing. Take for instance this wedge in Brazil. Not the best wave by any means- but it's surfable, it's a challenge, and why the heck not? It actually looks pretty darn fun- except for that whole rock/cliff thing he's dodging half the time. Anyway, the water's warm, there's no crowd, and you can punt on a few. Sounds like fun to me.

THE Surf Report 2/10/12

Wow.

 

SURF:

Wow was that some amazing surf this week. We had another odd storm stay parallel to our coast mid-week (just like a similar set up a couple months ago) and so as the storm drifted into northern Baja, we had swell coming to us from the S. Wednesday looked like there was summer southern hemi swell in the water and the weather even looked like summer. Then a storm out in the north Pacific later in the day sent WNW swell our way and met up with the odd SW swell and by sunset on Wednesday into Thursday, there were peaks galore all over southern California. Even the negative tides late in the day couldn’t put a damper on the shape.

Today we have continued WNW swell for head high+ sets in north county SD/OC, some overhead+ sets in south SD, and south OC has some shoulder high waves. Saturday morning starts off slow but (but still fun waves- it just won’t be firing like it has been the past few days) and then we have more overhead NW swell lining up for Saturday afternoon into Sunday with 10’ sets in south SD. Should be a fun weekend of surf (if the fog doesn’t screw things up- more on that below).

Tides the next few days are 1’ at sunrise, 5.5’ at 11am, and down to 0’ sunset.  Water temps are still cold. Make sure to keep up to date on the waves and weather at Twitter/North County Surf.

FORECAST:

After a good weekend of surf, Monday morning starts off small but then we have yet another overhead NW lining up for Monday afternoon. Bam! Look for 10’ sets in south SD and shoulder high sets in south OC. That swell lasts into Wednesday morning then we get a break the 2^nd half of the week. Unfortunately by Friday it’s looking pretty flat. Charts though show more activity in the north Pacific so I’m hoping by late Saturday we’re getting more overhead surf around here.

WEATHER:

Got a little change in the weather for the next 7 days. If you like sunny skies, light wind, and temps in the 70’s, then next week is not for you. We’ve got some weak cold fronts going by to the north and that in turn will make low clouds/drizzle on tap for Saturday. Sunday it clears out and we’ve got sunny skies and cool temps. By Monday the next weak front moves through and there’s a chance of showers and variable winds- probably lasting through Wednesday morning. Nothing major but the summer type weather will be gone. Late in the week things warm up and we’ve got nice weather again. Long story short, cooler weather on tap Saturday through Wednesday with drizzle/showers off and on.

BEST BET:

Tough call. Sunday morning we have new swell and I’m hoping the low clouds/drizzle will be gone. Tuesday morning there will be new swell too but maybe SW winds and showers. Then Sunday it is!

NEWS OF THE WEEK:

Did you hear about the app that lets you track Great Whites? How awesome is that- the next time you pull up to Swami’s and check the conditions, you can also check to see if the men in the gray suits are also in the line up! The San Diego Union Tribune newspaper reported recently that the Fallbrook-based Marine Conservation Science Institute has released a new smartphone app that allows users to follow the movements of white sharks in the northeastern Pacific Ocean. The institute has tagged 22 white sharks over the years with custom-built satellite transmitters used for researching where sharks spend their time. The app, called Expedition White Shark, costs $3.99 on iTunes. "This is our latest innovative way to help raise nonprofit funds in this very challenging economy," said institute president Michael Domeier. "People are getting a fun app for their modest donation. The app does have its limits. Positions for tagged sharks can only be calculated when the animals are at the surface with their dorsal fin out of the water for several minutes. "Each signal beamed to us from space adds to our growing knowledge of the life history of this species," according to the marine institute. "The MCSI satellite tagging of great white sharks leads to many important new findings regarding white shark biology, and each day brings promise of a new discovery that you can make with us!" A veteran marine researcher, Domeier has followed the white sharks using monitoring devices that have stayed on long enough to provide intriguing clues about their travel patterns to the mid-Pacific. He came to public prominence in 2010 as the central figure in the National Geographic television series “Expedition Great White,” which later was renamed “Shark Men.” It showed Domeier and his colleagues stalking the animals at sea, lifting them out of the water onto a specially outfitted boat and taking biological samples before releasing them. When the show launched, conservationists and researchers debated whether the dramatic footage accurately represented marine biology and whether the public nature of his research undermined the peer-review process. Domeier made no apologies, citing the challenge of keeping his institute afloat during a recession. Regardless, his new app is pretty remarkable even with its limitations. Make sure to check the whole story here.

BEST OF THE BLOG:

Have you heard about the new Lib Tech surfboards, err, I mean waterboards? Is it the next big thing? Also, got some reconnaissance footage of Jordy in South Africa during his downtime from the tour last month. And of course some deals to save you dinero- like Electric accessories, Skullcandy headphones, and more. And of course the mid-week Surf Check and a more in-depth THE Surf Report- all of that and more in the blog below!

PIC OF THE WEEK:

Think it’s cold here in the winter? You know, high 40 air temps for the dawn patrol, choosing between your 3/2 or 4/3, maybe the wind is blowing offshore at 10mph? You ain’t seen nuthin’. We’ve got it good here in So-Cal. You want real winter? How about Canada? You’ll be lucky to get air temps above 0, water temps in the 30’s, and maybe the odd grizzly to greet you in your 6/5/4. Now that’s a good time. For more of Canada’s best, check out SBCSurf.

Keep Surfing,

Michael W. Glenn

Undeniable
Phantom Menace
Surf Switchfoot At Carnivals For A Living

Deal Alert! The Surf Industry Is On Sale!

Seshday is exploding at the seams this week. You looking for a new watch? Check. New wettie? Check. Dyrdek deck? Check. Headphones? Check. Check Check. Check! Oh, forgot to mention bags from Electric too. Check. So go grab your roommate's wallet while they're sleeping and let's get shopping! First up, the Electric Recoil backpack shown above. Good looking and good for you. Why? Check out all the feature it holds for just $24.99:

• Skate Pack
• 5 Compartments
• Large Main Compartment
• Medium Front Zip Pocket
• Enclosed Pocket With Organizer
• Padded Laptop Compartment
• 2 Velcro Enclosed Side Pockets
• Skateboard Straps
• 100% Polyester
• Dimensions: 19" X 11" X 7"

So you got an Electric backpack but no board to strap on? No worries! for a meager $59.99, you get a complete 7.6 x 31.6 board from MTV star Rob Dyrdek, err, I mean DC team rider with:

• Built with Reflex Hornet Trucks,
• Alien Workshop 53mm Wheels,
• Reflex Abec 3 Bearings,
• Reflex Hardware,
• Jessup Griptape.

If you can care less about being on land and just want to brave the elements in 55 degree water this winter, then do it right with the Body Glove Vapor Slant Zip 4/3. It's a top of the line suit for an unbelievably low $199. Here's what you get:

MATERIALS
100% vapor stretch water repellent technology throughout
Vapor Flex - superior water repellent super stretch neoprene. Repels water while maintaining maximum stretch, warmth, performance and durability.

100% fluid seal seams
Fluidseal - Liquid tape that stretches, designed specifically for today's advanced stretch materials. This tape allows complete flexibility with zero water penetration.

Thermofiber from the chest down
Thermofiber - heat reflective hollowfiber panels located on the suit's interior. Keeps you warm and feels great.

 

Or maybe you're an accessory guy and just want some bling while you're rollin' in your Rolls. Then pick up some Skullcandy Lowrider headphones with mic for just $19.95. Or the blue Vestal Destroyer for only $49.99. Just think, with all the money you save, you really can buy that Rolls. With some extra money for surf racks on top. Get them now though as Seshday will sell out fast!

Clip of the Day: Don't Forget About Jordy!

Lost in all the hoopla of the newest generation of Young Guns (i.e. Gabriel, Freestone, Kolohe, John John, etc) is a guy who's still pretty young (he's going to be 24 on Saturday). That kid is Jordy Smith. As I mentioned in a previous story, the surf world latches on to the next big thing quicker than piranhas to a cow. It seems just like yesterday we were talking about Bruce or Adriano or Taj. Heck- Owen seems like yesterday's news already and Dane's even retired from the tour! But Jordy can still throw down with the best of them whether it's 2' D-bah or 10' Sunset. Just check out Jordy in the clip above from a few sessions at home the past few weeks. He's looking fit, hungry, and ready for the Quik Pro on the Gold Coast just 2 short weeks away. Keep your eye on Jordy this year as the cream will rise to the top. Of course it could be small and gutless this year on tour then all bets are off and Pupo will be crowned the next champ...

A Legal Kind of Waterboarding

After Black Monday and the demise of Clark Foam, the surfboard industry looked to be in shambles with the main source of foam blanks gone in a flash. Immediately following the shock and awe, all kinds of new technologies popped up to fill the void. Companies like Salomon and their S-Core boards, Aviso and the carbon fiber boards, Firewire, Placebo, Chinese pop-outs at Costco, EPS foam, Surftech, etc. etc. etc. The dust has settled and now there's another 'board of the future' to hit the market. This time from snowboard manufacturing legends Lib Tech (think Travis Rice and the limits he's pushed recently). Now before you sneer at another snowboard company trying to make waves in the surf industry (see Salomon above), Lib Tech is going a different direction. Instead of just making a more durable board than todays' PU foam and resin, they've got a durable honeycomb design which also helps speed up the production process- Lib Tech claims they can make a board in the morning and you can surf on it after lunch. No more waiting a few weeks for the resin to cure. The decks are also concave (which makes sense since your chest and feet just dent the deck of a regular board) and in theory is easier to turn. And they've also got a unique rubber rail construction to help dampen vibrations. Speaking of the rails- they even have a slight indentation along the rails which helps you grab them during airs, cutbacks, etc. And if that's not enough, they call them 'Waterboards' since surfboards seem so 20th century. And did I tell you their aim is to make them environmentally friendly? The boards should hit stores by summer and prices will be close to $700- which isn't bad considering it will last you 10 years instead of 1 year (no offense Al- I love my Whip regardless of how long it lasts). Who knows if they're a gimmick until they run the gamut this summer season but I for one want to try it out at least for the novelty of it. Gotta start mowing some lawns to afford one of these things!

Surf Check 2/7/12

Small surf this morning but we're due for some solid surf late tonight and possibly some weather tomorrow. Surf around town this morning is waist high+ from the NW with some small background SW. Conditions are clean and we've got some clouds overhead.

Tides the next few days are pretty extreme and the solid surf will make for some interesting conditions. The reefs and points should be lit up in the late afternoons with the super low tides. We've got a 5' tide around sunrise, 6.5' at 9AM, dropping quickly to -1.2' at 3pm, and up slightly to 0' at sunset.

There's an odd storm off our coast that is going parallel to us and won't turn inland until it hits Baja. For us we'll just get some rain in the 1/4 inch range late tonight into tomorrow with variable light to moderate S winds. Nothing too exciting.

Central CA has some big surf this morning and the resulting swell tomorrow for us will be pretty W with waist high waves in south OC, head high sets in north OC, overhead sets in north county SD, and sets 10'+ in south SD.

We've got all kinds of storms lining up in the Pacific the next few days and after the Wednesday swell, we drop slightly towards Friday but another similar sized swell takes aim on Saturday. That holds into Sunday and right on it's heels is another similar sized swell for late Monday/Tuesday. The skies above will have some showers tomorrow then great weather Thursday/Friday. Models show some low clouds and cooler conditions for the weekend as weak storms move by to the north. All in all some good surf with off again/on again conditions. Can't complain the last few weeks; lots of good surf- nothing huge- but good conditions to go along with it.