A big south swell originating in a storm off the Cook Islands arrived right on schedule Friday afternoon up and down the California coast. Open ocean beaches south from Point Conception saw six- to 10-foot breakers from the much hyped storm. Locally, the bigger waves were mostly blocked by the Channel Islands. But for those in the know, certain beaches have a small swell window allowing for some of the waves to reach shore. Some of these places, like backside Rincon and Shoreline Park, were packed with local surfers and tourists alike.
I was able to catch a short session in the four- to five-foot Rincon lefts early in the day, before the water got too crowded. Then I took my big wave gun to an unnamed outside reef in Ventura for a two-hour solitary session in big six- to eight-foot breakers. Well, almost solitary, as I was joined by one stand-up paddle boarder, two baby seals and a dolphin. The paddle boarder wasn’t having much luck between the thick kelp and the unpredictable outside breakers exploding on the reef. But I was in my own private heaven surfing large thunderous peaks, which exploded into great balls of white water before reforming into perfect long walls, then surged more than 600 yards to the pounding shore break.
I returned for the late afternoon sweet light at Rincon to do a photo session of the waves. Nearly ever local surfer I know darted in and out of the break in an endless shift of ecstatic wave riders. The swell is expected to last until Monday. I hope I am not too sore to move Saturday.
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— L. Paul Mann is a Noozhawk contributor.