THE Surf Report

 

CAN I BE FRANK WITH YOU?

SURF:

Typical July conditions the past week with water temps in the low 70's, some small but rideable SW swell, and tropical clouds passing overhead. For this weekend though, Friday looks to have just have leftover waist high+ SW swell and Saturday/Sunday is waist high at best. The OC might see a slight uptick in S swell late Sunday from Hurricane Frank- but for the rest of us, that will come Monday if everything goes according to plan. And here's the tides, sun, and water temps for the next few days:

• Sunrise and sunset:
• 6:01 AM sunrise 
• 7:48 PM sunset

• Water temps should hold at 70 this weekend IF... the forecasted winds blow SW. If they turn WNW- then all bets are off!

• And beware the low tide at sunrise:
• 0' at sunrise
• 4' mid-day
• 2' at dinner
• and back up to 4' at sunset

FORECAST:

Once we get the weekend out of the way, can we finally get to the good stuff? Think of this weekend as eating vegetables and next week as anything you want in the dessert display case at Marie Calendars (scratch that- are there any Marie Calendars left)? 

Anyway, Hurricane Frank is currently in our swell window and is strengthening to a potential category 2 storm (110 mph). Surf should pick up fairly quickly Monday and peak with shoulder high surf in far N County SD and head high surf in the OC. 

That fades quickly on Tuesday but we have a fun southern hemi swell on it's heels for Tuesday into Wednesday for more shoulder high surf. Look for the 1st half of the week to have fun surf and the back half to be small again. FYI- we also have Tropical Storm Georgette meandering off Baja but it's not forecasted to amount to much. All eyes will be on Frank. 

WEATHER:

Monsoon moisture increases over the mountains and deserts Saturday/Sunday and there's a slight chance a few of those thunderstorms will drift to the inland valleys. For next week, things dry out and we're back to the mid-70's and sunny skies after lunch. If anything changes between now and then, make sure to follow North County Surf on Twitter!

BEST BET:

Monday once Frank joins the party or Tuesday/Wednesday when the new SW arrives. 

NEWS OF THE WEEK:

As you probably know by now, I'm a backer of wave pools. Nothing will replace surfing in the ocean of course, but I think of wave pools as a recreational idea or even a vacation destination. If we can have skate parks or golf resorts, why not wave pools? When it's flat around here (which is often), or crowded at the good surf spots (which is always), or the water is cold (which is known as October to June), or it's overcast & S wind (which seems to be a majority of the time), I'm all for wave pools. I also like taking vacations with my family and let's be honest- Fiji/Hawaii/Indo/Tahiti are expensive. That's where wave pools come in. But at this current time, Waco is the only semi-close destination (as well as affordable when compared to Kelly's $75k a day) and though not as far away as the tropics, I could use something closer. Like somewhere in a 15 minute to 2 hour drive. Looks like I'm in luck:

As mentioned last February in THE Surf Report, the developers of an Oceanside wave pool development had run into some long running roadblocks. BUT... The San Diego Union Tribune this week reported that Ocean Kamp, an adventure-themed hotel and community built around an artificial surf lagoon, received the Oceanside Planning Commission’s unanimous approval Monday for construction in the San Luis Rey River Valley. The project brings a new era to the 92-acre site of a former drive-in theater and swap meet just off state Route 76 and Mission Avenue at Foussat Road.

Opponents said the resort will waste water and increase traffic congestion, while supporters said it will be “a gem” in Oceanside’s crown, boosting the city’s reputation as a surfing destination and bringing millions of dollars annually in tax revenue. Plans include a four-story hotel with 232 rooms, eight “villa” buildings with a total of 18 rooms, 16 “casitas” with a total of 20 rooms, and a park-like group of permanently parked Airstream trailers that constitute 30 rooms.

All the guest lodging will be centered on a 3.5-acre surf lagoon that will generate waves of varying sizes. When the wave machine is off, the lagoon will be available for swimming, stand-up paddle-boarding and other aquatic activities. Also in the plans are 11 separate commercial, retail and office buildings, an 18,000-square-foot conference building, and up to 700 dwellings divided into areas of for-sale condominiums and rental apartments. Among other amenities are about 1.5 miles of trails for walking, running and biking.

“The center of gravity for the whole development is the wave lagoon,” said Jon Corn, an attorney and partner in the project. The lagoon will have consistent waves and warm water year round, unlike the ocean, he said. As a result, the resort will draw people from around the country and the world. The developer is projecting $81 million in tax revenue for the city from the project during its first 10 years, Corn said.

About 5.2 million gallons of water will be required to fill the wave lagoon and about 4 million gallons will be lost annually to evaporation, he said. An 18-hole golf course in California uses about 90 million gallons annually, according to the California Alliance for Golf.

The Oceanside Chamber of Commerce, the North County Economic Development Council, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Oceanside, the San Diego County Bike Coalition and other local groups have endorsed the project. “This is a unique development,” said Erik Bruvold, chief executive officer of the San Diego North Economic Development Council. “It has the opportunity to create a real sense of place and destination in Oceanside.”

Other speakers had harsh words for the project. Diane Nygaard, president of the local nonprofit Preserve Calavera, said she would rather watch real waves on the ocean than “a giant toilet flush” on an artificial inland lagoon. The developer should be ashamed for only providing half of the city’s required 10 percent affordable housing on the site, she said. The project will pay in-lieu fees to the city to build the other 5 percent elsewhere. The resort offers “expensive pay-to-play recreation that uses water during a drought,” she said, and it will take business away from other hotels in the area that have recently opened or are planned, such as the Inns at Buena Vista Creek along state Route 78 and two hotels approved for the city’s El Corazon property. “We urge you to just say no,” Nygaard said.

Other speakers said the resort’s location is too close to the Oceanside airport, which has had two fatal crashes so far this year. About half the speakers Monday were in labor unions that wanted jobs with the project. Carpenters union members and their families all praised it, saying the developer had promised to employ them. Pipefitters, steel workers and other unions opposed the project, asking the commission to refuse approval until their groups are offered a deal.

Several people suggested a new, full, environmental impact report should be done. An environmental impact report was approved by the city in 2008 for a previous development on the site called The Pavilion. That project would have been the largest shopping center in Oceanside with multiple big-box anchor tenants, but it lost momentum and was never built. The city approved a supplemental report for Ocean Kamp, based on the report completed for the previous project. A recent traffic study showed the resort will generate 19,000 vehicle trips a day, significantly down from the 32,000 daily trips expected from The Pavilion.

Grading began in 2019 at the site, which is along the San Luis Rey River three miles east of the ocean. Contractors trucked in 450,000 cubic yards of fill material to raise the property above the flood plain. The site was the home of the four-screen Valley Drive-In theater for almost 50 years. The drive-in closed in 1999 and the screens were demolished in 2016. A weekend swap meet held for many years continued there until it was shut down in 2019.

Encinitas-based Zephyr Partners bought the property in 2018 and developed the Ocean Kamp plan based on the artificial wave concept. Zephyr announced in November 2020 it had sold the project to its former partner N4FL Worldwide, also known as N4FL Development, which has offices in Encinitas and Rancho Santa Fe.

Planning commissioners said most of the concerns raised Monday have been addressed already or will be dealt with as the project progresses. “This is not a public project, so there’s no requirement for minimum wage or union work,” said Commissioner Tom Morrissey. “That’s not our sphere of influence. We don’t go there.” He called it, “The greatest project I’ve seen here in a long time,” adding, “It just fits in with our Oceanside history.”

Commissioner Kevin Dodds urged the developer to hire local workers and said, “There is a plethora of talent here in Oceanside.” “It’s exciting to see such a unique project on a piece of ground empty for so long,” said Commissioner Louise Balma. “I can’t wait.”

The commission voted 6-0, with Commissioner Jeff Symons absent, to certify the supplemental environmental impact report and to approve a tentative map and conditional use permit for the project. The commission’s approval is final unless appealed to the Oceanside City Council.

No timeline has been given on its opening but since grading has already been started, I'm guessing summer of 2024? So what about something sooner for all of us wanting to jump in the pool after we've just eaten the hype? Well, we do have the 4 'projects' in various stages in the greater Palm Springs area. Here's Wave Pool Magazine with a quick rundown this past spring:

As late spring brings hotter temperatures to the desert so does anticipation and interest of the status of four planned wave basins in the Coachella Valley. Of the four projects, two are going to be open to the public and two are going into private communities.

• The Thermal Beach Club is a residential development described as a “private paradise” featuring a beach for club members. The developer is planning to build 326 dwelling units including a 22-acre lagoon with wavemaking technology for surfing and water recreation and 34,400 square feet of clubhouse buildings that include a restaurant and bar. Developers have stated that they intend to allow local schools to utilize the wave pool in a way that gives back to the community. This project has been fully approved by Riverside County and is expected to start construction but no exact date has been announced.

• The Coral Mountain private development slated to be built in La Quinta is still in the process of final approval. If the proposed project receives final approval it will have the Kelly Slater wave technology similar to the existing pool in Lemoore, California which has helped fuel the development of wave basins throughout the world. There has been much opposition to this project and there were two hurdles that needed to be approved before the project could move forward. First is the certification of the environmental impact report and general plan amendment to add tourist commercial status to allow a hotel to be added to the resort along with private residences. As of this writing, the planning commission of La Quinta has approved these changes and the final approval from the city council will take place at the next council meeting. 

• Desert Wave Ventures received final approval for their DSRT Surf Resort in Palm Desert and will have a 5.5-acre lagoon and feature the Wave Garden technology, a 92-room luxury hotel and 83 residential villas. This public development will be built next to the city’s Desert Willow Golf Resort and will have a surf academy for lessons, rentals and all things surf related. DSRT has also addressed the issue of water usage. They are implementing a unique “Surf for Turf” to offset the surf lagoon water by converting 20 acres of turf on the golf courses to drought tolerant landscaping.  Construction is expected to begin this summer with an opening date of the end of 2023.

• The Palm Spring Surf Club got the jump on all the other projects when it purchased and took over the old Wet’N’Wild water park in Palm Springs.  They had the advantage of having an existing pool basin that made little waves for tourists to play in back when it was Wet’n’Wild. They were able to utilize the space to add new equipment and use the old pool to test the new equipment. There have been much-publicized videos, and many of the world’s top surfers have been out to the desert to test their new wave. The old pool footprint has now been removed and a new much larger wave basin is in the process of being built. No date has been given for an opening but it will for sure be the first working wave basin in the Coachella Valley open to the public.

So there you have it. One big and long winded story about the immediate future of wave pools in Southern California. Start booking your hotel rooms! 

PIC OF THE WEEK:

Can't wait to play 18 holes in the desert, surf this in the evening, then grab a steak at Mastro's. Who's in?

Keep Surfing, 

Michael W. Glenn

Overly Confident

I Could Eat Taco Bell Everyday (But My Body Won't Let Me)

Using Candy Corn Now Instead Of Surf Wax So I Can Snack In The Line Up

THE Surf Report

 

I'll Give You A Moment To Catch Your Breath. 

SURF:

If you're reading this, then you must have survived 'Mondo Swell '22' (TM). 

From Chopes, to Freight Trains, and every spot up and down the California coast- it was FIRING. Not every spot was holding mind you, but if you had a step up and a reef with arm's reach, you scored. Today the SW groundswell is just a shell of it's former self but we do have a small reinforcement from Hurricane Estelle giving us chest high sets. For the weekend, both swells from the south will be virtually gone but we will have a slight bump in NW windswell for waist to chest high surf at the good combo spots. And here's the tides, sun, and water temps for the next few days:

• Sunrise and sunset:
• 5:57 AM sunrise 
• 7:53 PM sunset

• Winds have mellowed out the past few days- as well as the upwelling from the solid surf- so water temps are back to a pleasant 70 degrees. 

• And tides are a little funky for the weekend:
• 3' at sunrise
• 3.5' mid-morning
• 2.5' at lunch
• and 5.5' at sunset

FORECAST:

After a small weekend, we have a couple fun SW swells headed our way the next 10 days. 

First up is a moderate size SW filling in on Tuesday for chest high surf into Wednesday and shoulder high sets in the OC. 

That winds down by next weekend then we should see better SW the first few days of August for shoulder high sets in North County SD and head high surf in the OC. The tropics are also in prime season so I'm hoping something flares up next week too...

WEATHER:

Nice July weather continues for the foreseeable future with night/morning low clouds and mostly sunny skies in the afternoons along the coast. Temps should be mid-70s at the beaches, mid-80's inland, and over 110 in the deserts. Monsoon moisture should increase Sunday into most of next week so look for those cool cumulonimbus clouds over the mountains (and hopefully a few will drift our way). If anything changes between now and then, make sure to follow North County Surf on Twitter!

BEST BET:

Tuesday with fun SW or the first couple days of August with better SW. 

NEWS OF THE WEEK:

You all remember the Steven Spielberg classic Jaws, don't you? The 25' behemoth who supposedly weighed 3 tons? It was just a fictionalized movie (47 years ago- that's really the scary part) as great whites usually aren't that big. According to the California Department of Fish and Game, great white sharks can grow up to 21 feet (6 meters) long. However, most great whites are around 12 to 14 feet (3.6 to 4 meters), says Christopher Lowe, a shark biologist at California State University in Long Beach. We may be though entering an era of the 'megashark' as tiger sharks and great whites are taking advantage of protected no-fishing zones and growing to monstrous proportions. Here's a quick Q&A from the Guardian to explain:

Name: Megasharks.

Age: An emerging phenomenon.

Appearance: Like sharks, but bigger.

Are we talking about loan sharks and other dodgy types, or the fish they are named after? Actually, the fish was named after them in the 16th century. “Shark” is a Dutch word meaning predator or scoundrel.

What were sharks called before that? Sea dogs.

So we’re talking about large sea dogs? We’re talking about tiger sharks a third longer than normal, and some of the biggest great whites ever recorded off Hawaii – up to 20ft (six metres). The great white in Jaws was 25ft. The great white in Jaws was a latex puppet – 20ft is a very big shark.

What’s causing them to reach such monstrous proportions? Protected no-fishing zones.

How does that help? The sharks are taking advantage of the newly abundant food sources found in such areas.

But those zones are meant to be protected! The fish are being lied to! The supersizing has also been partly attributed to the creation of new shark protection measures.

Why do sharks need protecting? They’re endangered. But a 16ft tiger shark called Kamakai was recently spotted in a shark sanctuary off the coast of French Polynesia.

A shark sanctuary? “A safe haven,” says the marine biologist Kori Burkhardt, “where a shark like Kamakai can birth a new generation of mega tiger sharks.”

We try to help the sharks, and this is how they repay us? This is good news.

It doesn’t sound like good news- lone megasharks roaming the oceans and eating the legs off hapless female night swimmers (sorry, Jaws reference). The megasharks aren’t so alone, according to a new National Geographic documentary.

What are you talking about? In the documentary, three great whites were filmed eating a single whale carcass.

And that’s unusual? “Finding one white shark and a whale, sure,” says marine biologist Dr Chris Lowe. “Getting three large female sharks on a whale, that’s different.”

OMG – different from what? “These sharks must have been close enough in the vicinity to detect the odor of that whale; then it also might mean that these sharks are traveling together.”

The megasharks are hunting in packs? Is that what he’s saying? “It’s something we’ve never been able to study or understand,” he says.

Oh great. Yes – great news for great whites.

We’re going to need a bigger boat.

BEST OF THE BLOG:

And we're BACK! The NCBM Board Meetings are returning TOMORROW- Friday, July 22nd- to where it all began- George's (just south of the Chart House in Cardiff). Plenty of free parking, plenty of fun waves, and plenty of ways to connect to your community. And new to the group- JS Industries- will be supplying demo boards for the event! So if you're looking to step your game up, see the latest board technology, or just ride something different to get that stoke again, make sure to stop by and check 'em out. We'll also have breakfast sandwiches, bagels, and burritos from our friends at Einstein Bros. Bagels to get your day started. So come on down tomorrow from 7 to 9 AM to network, check out some new boards, stuff your face, and start your weekend off right! Look for the tent as always and hit us up at northcountyboardmeeting@gmail.com with any questions or check out our website here for more info about the North County Board Meeting!

PIC OF THE WEEK:

Normally a photo like this would get me all fired up to surf- but since we just had waves that were as good as it gets- I'm kind of... jaded? Think I'll just finish these 278 emails then get right on that TPS report instead. 

Keep Surfing, 
Michael W. Glenn
Locked In
Laid Back With My Mind On My Money
Starting A Rebel Surf Tour With Bodhi, Spicoli, Tank, Burkhart, and Bear

THE Surf Report

 

Good Things Come To Good People

SURF:

Not much surf the past couple weeks but I know you've been well behaved and patiently waiting for the next swell. No illegal fireworks on the 4th, right? If not, good things come to good people and we finally have more surf filling in this weekend (and beyond). Let's fire up the Emergency Boardriding System! 

For Friday, we have more SW filling in for chest high+ surf in N County SD and overhead sets in the OC by Saturday. Sunday will have leftover SW but still plenty fun. And here's the tides, sun, and water temps for the next few days:

• Sunrise and sunset:
• 5:52 AM sunrise 
• 7:57 PM sunset

• NW winds the past week unfortunately dropped the water temps to the mid 60's BUT... we did have SW wind today- and if it holds the next few days- we could be back to 70 by the end of the weekend.

• And here's the tides for the weekend:
  • -1' at sunset
  • 4.5' around lunch
  • 2' at dinner
  • about 4' at sunset

FORECAST:

Good news- the EBS runs off of solar panels so I'm going to keep it on next week. As you've probably heard by now, Teahupoo went BIG yesterday and that swell is headed our way. Most spots in SD will be head high by late Monday, overhead+ in N County SD, and a few feet overhead (and bigger at the obvious spots like the Wedge). That swell peaks on Tuesday and we'll still see good sets on Wednesday. 

On it's heels, models show Hurricane Estelle taking shape and we could see our first fun hurricane swell of the summer IF.. the models hold true. If so, look for chest high sets in N County SD and head high surf in the OC by Friday. After that, forecast charts show the southern hemisphere taking a small breather but we may still see chest high surf late next weekend from the SW. 

WEATHER:

Slight warmup is on tap for the weekend along the coast and a big warmup for the inland areas/deserts. High pressure is starting to build the next few days and as it does, temps will be mid-70's along the coast, 90+ in the inland strip, and up to 115 in the deserts. Monsoon moisture will also be sucked into the high pressure and the mountains should see some afternoon thunderstorms this weekend- and just increased humidity along the coast. We should also see a little more sun along the coast by midday- hopefully the pesky marine layer will finally burn off by lunch. Temps should cool down slightly by mid-week. If anything changes between now and then, make sure to follow North County Surf on Twitter!

BEST BET:

Holy cow- where do I start? This weekend with fun SW? Or SOLID SW early next week? Or finally some fun hurricane swell late in the week? I don't know- you choose. 

NEWS OF THE WEEK:

We all know there are sharks in the oceans. But the common thought years ago was that they mainly stayed offshore in Southern California and only north of Point Conception was a risky proposition. But in the past 12 years with 3 attacks in San Diego County alone, along with numerous sightings, has that deterred us from paddling out? CBS News investigated:

Swimmers, surfers and businesses in Southern California have adapted to life with juvenile great white sharks. Now, researchers who have studied sharks for years are trying to understand their impact on the local economy.

Chris Lowe, director of the Shark Lab at Cal State Long Beach, told CBS News correspondent Carter Evans that juvenile great white sharks, those under 7-years-old, who live off the Los Angeles County coastline, mostly ignore people – but sometimes, they get curious. "No different than a neighborhood dog, right? You're out walking with somebody and the dog comes over and gives you a sniff," Lowe said.

Evans joined Lowe's team as they entered shark-infested waters. The researchers used a massive fishing net to to capture and tag some of the sea life the sharks might feed on. Lowe said people aren't on the menu. But, on the rare occasion a shark bites a person, it makes national news. The Shark Lab wants to understand how shark bites are impacting local economies – both positively and negatively.

Lowe said that several a couple of years ago, the Huntington Beach City Council revealed there was a $7 million loss in hotel reservations as a result of a shark attack in Camp Pendleton — more than 60 miles away from Huntington Beach. But there is also evidence shark bites can have the opposite effect. A West Virginia University study found an initial increase in hotel bookings three days after an attack, but after that, the bookings drop.

Economist Dede Long is working with the Shark Lab to study the financial impact of the public's reaction to shark attacks. "Some people might think, 'Oh, I take this really seriously, I don't want to go the beach,'" Long said. "But some people might think, 'Oh, this is really exciting. I actually want to pursue this opportunity.'"

Santa Barbara surf shop owner Sam Holcombe said the sharks are not hurting his business. "When I educate the standup paddle board renters about the sharks, very few choose to not go," Holcombe said.

Tourism professor Katie Dudley, who also works with the Shark Lab, said sharks are low on the list of concerns for beachgoers.
When Evans hit the water again with researchers near where the fishing net was placed, they found a great white shark close to 9-feet-long.

"Oh, absolutely," Dudley responded when asked if people are going shark watching. "That's why this team is so great and unique — because we're coming at it at every different angle, so that hopefully, we can make a truly sustainable model to help have a thriving tourism destination right next to a thriving shark population in our oceans."

PIC OF THE WEEK:

I've invented a new game and I'm looking for investors in a worldwide sports league. It's called 'Surfball' and here's the rules: You start with a volleyball and serve to your opponent. If they miss, you get paddle out and get 1 wave which is scored. If you fall, your opponent gets 2 points. But you can call 'Mulligan!' and get an extra wave- but only if it barrels. Your opponent though can claim that barrel if it's bigger than 4' OR... they don't miss on the original serve. If you're not getting all of this, let me know and I'll send you a pitch deck with all the rules. It's going to be huge. Trust me. 

Keep Surfing, 
Michael W. Glenn
En Fuego
I Always Go For It On 4th Down
2023 Surfball MVP