THE Surf Report

This seems like an eternity.

SURF:
Boy has it been flat around here lately. Had some fun surf last weekend then it steadily dropped all week. By Tuesday it was pretty darn small and yesterday was just plain flat. How small was it? Even a SUP wouldn't paddle out.

Today is no different. Just one big flat ocean out there. Good news is that the weather is perfect. Makes those 30 degree temperature readings earlier in the week seem like eons ago. The flat spell will last another couple days unfortunately but we do have some swell showing up for Sunday. And maybe if your lucky, some inconsistent sets towards sunset on Saturday. But don't hold your breath. This new swell was made by a big storm off Japan earlier in the week but it broke apart about 1/2 way out in the Pacific. So we'll get swell from it albeit inconsistent. Look for some overhead sets on Sunday and holding into Monday. South SD should be a few feet overhead. And the OC will mostly be blocked by the offshore islands. Sorry. The great weather will hold though for everyone. Back to the new swell though- it's a long period swell and will be lined up- best bet is a reef or point. All in all though some fun surf on Sunday and great weather. Water temps are still a chilly 54 degrees.

Tides the next few days are 3' at sunrise, going down to 1' mid-morning, then back up to 3' mid-afternoon, then down to 1' again at sunset- pretty mellow.  Make sure to keep up to date on the waves/weather at Twitter/North County Surf.

FORECAST:

After some solid long period swell on Sunday, the waves keep rolling into Monday. By Tuesday it drops off into the shoulder high range in south SD. Wednesday morning looks small but another long period swell shows for Thursday morning. We should see some shoulder high sets around town and head high+ waves in south SD. And the weather will continue to be decent. More on that below...

WEATHER:

Been an interesting 'rainy' season so far. Had a little rain in October/November then the 2nd half of December into January  have been pretty dry. Then you throw in the unbelievably cold air temps last week and it's been unique around here to say the least. Models show just minor fluctuations in our high pressure for the coming 7-10 days which means... nice weather for the foreseeable future... and no rain. Look for great beach weather this weekend- in January no less- with air temps in the low 70's. That should last into the middle of the work week then high pressure may start to weaken slightly for some clouds next weekend- and beyond that (towards the end of the month) we may be setting up for a rainy period again.

BEST BET:
Beach temps in the low 70's and new solid NW groundswell- can't beat Sunday. Next Thursday is looking pretty good though too with another good SW swell (not as big though) and mild weather.

NEWS OF THE WEEK:

Australia is a pretty amazing place- the beauty of the Great Barrier Reef, world class waves, Parko's style, heck- they even have kangaroos as pets. One small downside though- no, make that one major downside- is the box jellyfish. They may not look dangerous, but the sting from a box jellyfish could be enough to send you to Davy Jones's locker. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have put together a cool little piece on these buggers showing just how deadly these creatures are:

Box jellyfish, named for their body shape, have tentacles covered in biological booby traps known as nematocysts—tiny darts loaded with poison. People and animals unfortunate enough to be injected with this poison may experience paralysis, cardiac arrest, and even death, all within a few minutes of being stung. But don’t choose the mountains over the ocean just yet. Of the 50 or so species of box jellyfish, also called sea wasps, only a few have venom that can be lethal to humans. While box jellyfish are found in warm coastal waters around the world, the lethal varieties are found primarily in the Indo-Pacific region and northern Australia. This includes the Australian box jellyfish (Chironex fleckeri), considered the most venomous marine animal. Chironex fleckeri is the largest of the box jellyfish, with body sizes reaching up to one foot in diameter and thick, bootlace-like tentacles up to 10 feet long. Box jellyfish have traits that set them apart from other jellyfish. Most notably, box jellyfish can swim—at maximum speeds approaching four knots—whereas most species of jellyfish float wherever the current takes them, with little control over their direction. Box jellyfish can also see. They have clusters of eyes on each side of the box. Some of these eyes are surprisingly sophisticated, with a lens and cornea, an iris that can contract in bright light, and a retina. Their speed and vision leads some researchers to believe that box jellyfish actively hunt their prey, mainly shrimp and small fish.

In conclusion- they are one of the most deadly animals on earth, they can see you, and they can swim. Great.

BEST OF THE BLOG:

What to do when the surf is flat? Watch surf videos of course. Nothing like getting you amped for nothing. The North County Surf blog this week has been keep tracking of the pros in the 'offseason' with clips of John John, Dane, Taj, Parko, and Julian. And since we have surf coming, you better have your stick, fullsuit, and accessories ready- so check out the deals on new 4/3's from Xcel, Channel Islands on the cheap, and inexpensive Creatures of Leisure's accessories. And of course a mid-week Surf Check and an in-depth THE Surf Report - all of that and more in the blog below!  

PIC OF THE WEEK:

Do you paddle out? Or do you sit in your warm car with a hot cup of java in your hand and mindsurf it? Of course you paddle out! Just make sure you have good health care coverage for your frostbite.

Keep Surfing,

Michael W. Glenn
Conqueror
The Real Manti Te'o
Alternate to the Eddie Alternates