Surfing Ruined My Life

December 2025 Surf Sessions

12-31-25 No Surfing: 0-1 ft,
Miles Driven: 12
The flat spell continued.  I really wanted to surf this morning.  I hate not ending the year with a surf. Hueneme was not even breaking in the morning. I gave Hollywood a look around noon and it was barely ankle high.  My not surfing was definitely not from want of trying.  My wife and I decided to attend the New Year’s Eve bash at the Regan Library for the third straight year in a row.  It’s a fun decadent party.  We left Adagio home with grandma.   I never really appreciated the gravity of going out like I do now that we have a kid.  My wife and I used to get dressed up all the time.  Once you become a parent there just isn’t a moment for such luxury between all the chores, feedings, entertaining etc.  When you get a chance to be free as a couple it’s incredible.  We had blast.  As an added bonus we got a hotel for the night.  It was a rainy NYE, of course I wore a silver velvet tuxedo. I got soaked to trying to get our Lyft drivers attention at the end of the night. Luckily the outfit faired ok after it dried out.

12-30-25 No surfing: 0-1+ ft
Another day of flat seas with perfect conditions was even harder to endure than the previous.  It was pouring out thus forcing me to be cooped up inside with my sick wife and  sick baby.  We all snuggled up by the fire and watched movies.  Looks like there isn’t much swell on tap either.

12-29-25 No surfing: 0-1+ ft
Talk about another flat day with absolutely perfect conditions.  There is nothing more frustrating than having the perfect tide window and offshore winds but no surf to speak of.  If I couldn’t find any surf within my sphere of influence than you know it was bad.  I did some glassing work in the time that my surf would have been.  In the afternoon my wife really wanted to check out the remnants of the Palisades Fire.  I’ve been through there a number of times since the PCH re-opened but she hadn’t.  We took the drive south to Will Rodger’s Beach and back. She was quite emotional about the devastation.

12-28-25 AM Session: 2-4+ ft, Hollywood
Time in Water: 1 hr
Waves Surfed: 12
Miles Driven: 10
With the fast dropping low tide and leftover WNW swell I decided to head to Hollywood.  I was greeted by nicely groomed A-frames up and down the beach with light offshore winds and only a few guys out.  As soon as I hit the water the wind turned onshore.  Between the chop and the weak conditions my session was short.  I did managed a few fun rides.  Later that afternoon my wife and I took Adagio up to the Hueneme beach front for a walk.  We put him on the swings for the first time and he absolutely loved it. 

12-27-25 PM Session: 2-3+ ft, County Line
Time in Water: 1.5 hrs
Waves Surfed: 20
Miles Driven: 44
Adagio developed a cold Christmas night and he was still having issues this morning so wife and I being first time neurotic parents took him to the walk-in clinic in Santa Barbara.   Of course it was the morning I was waiting for all week of surf.  The SE/WNW combo had cleaned up with nicely groomed light offshore winds.  My kids health had to come first.  Not to mention if I went surfing and something were to happen because of him being sick I would never hear the end of it.  Of course there was a  Fatal accident on the north bound 101 that caused us over an hour delay.   Then we waited two hours at the walk in clinic in Santa Barbara only to be laughed at by the doctor who proclaimed nonchalantly “that he was the healthiest patient she would probably see all day”.  At least they were playing National Lampoons Vegas Vacation in the waiting room.  I love that movie.  My wife was starving and since we were up that way we decided to stop off at Hugo’s in Carpinteria for breakfast.  By the time I got back to Ventura the wind had came up blowing out all the beaches.  I had to head down south to LA in order to salvage my session.  I paddled marginal weak wonky County Line that was way too drained out with the negative low tide.  I made the most of it and managed a few decent turns.  Welcome to life juggling parenthood and surfing.

12-26-25 PM Session: 4-6+ ft, County Line
Time in Water: 1.5 hrs
Waves Surfed: 19
Miles Driven: 48
Once again the day started out pretty stormy leading me to believe I was going to get skunked like yesterday.  I had a look at Hueneme in morning just to see what was happening and it was too messy.  I went home and got some breakfast with my wife and baby.  Around 1pm CC and I went on a mission to find surf since the wind backed off.   We started at Hueneme and though it had potential I felt it was too walled.  Thus the two of us headed south down the PCH and looked at everything to Trancas, which Zach was claiming.  I don’t know what he saw that we didn’t but the surf there definitely wasn’t calling us. Ultimately we paddled County Line where there were overhead right hand bombs coming in off the reef.  It was a little all over the place due to the short period stormy nature of the swell.  This made surfing somewhat tricky.  If CC and I were struggling on a right then you know it was difficult.  Despite our gripes we both got a few really decent rides.  It was fun to be surfing solid waves out at a spot like County with no one out but us. I even got a clip on George Clouts Instagram report, even if it was just of me kicking out.  Tomorrow morning should be on.

12-25-25 No Surfing: 3-4+ ft
Miles Driven: 22
I have surfed every Christmas for the last ten years but this year it just wasn’t in the cards.  Hard south wind coupled with torrential downpour created a stormy mess and less than desirable conditions. Everywhere including the protected spot looked terrible.  I had a look at Hollywood twice and was constantly perusing the Surfline cams all day.  The conditions never really panned out to motivate a paddled.  I suppose it worked out for the best since it was Adagio’s first Christmas.  With lousy surf I was able to spent the entire day with him and my wife instead of chasing waves. I got him a cute plushie Octopus.  Hopefully there is a cleaner window to surf tomorrow.

12-24-25 PM Session: 5-7+ ft, Hollywood
Time in Water: 2 hrs
Waves Surfed: 20
Miles Driven: 12
Merry Christmas Eve to every surfer in Ventura and Oxnard.  The heavy stormy conditions that was victory at sea this morning cleaned up mid day and turned into a near epic afternoon of surfing.  My day started out looking at absolute crap conditions at Hueneme.  I went home and made my Christmas lasagna.  If you’re Italian you understand the gravity of the Christmas Lasagna.  I keep the tradition alive if only to share it with my Mexican In-laws where we enjoy Lasagna and tamales. Around noon I saw the wind had switched offshore which provoked me to drive over to Hollywood.  It looked solid head high plus with clean A frames up and down the beach with no one out except for at Little Sunset.  I jumped in by myself and instantly realized the surf was well over head with bigger bombs.  Once again I found myself very under gunned.  That being said I sucked it up and charged.  There were some decent tubes to be had courtesy of the SE wind swell crossing up the WNW lines.  I had some real screamers.  As a result of this epic session I surfed so long I almost missed Christmas Eve dinner at my wife’s family’s home in Goleta.  Talk about the best Christmas gift a surfer could receive.

12-23-25 PM Session: 1-3 ft, Hollywood
Time in Water: 1 hr
Waves Surfed: 20
Miles Driven: 20
The morning high tide left everywhere not surf-able including Hueneme which was flat.  As usual I waited till the last minute to do all my Christmas shopping.  Thus I did the last minute scramble with all the other procrastinators.  Luckily I managed to find everything I was looking for.  Around 2pm I got word that harbor was fun.  Upon having look the waves appeared stretched and shitty to me.  I did get to see a sizable commercial fishing boat that washed up on shore so I guess that was worth the drive.  The life guards were actually boarding the ship to rescue the crew.  Nothing like a little Bay Watch action.  Ultimately I paddled side shore offshore Hollywood at low tide.  It was meager but there were a few though half way into my session the wind went more south and killed it.  Hopefully the swell picks up over the next few days.

12-22-25 No Surfing: 1-2+ ft,
Miles Driven: 12
It’s been feast or famine around here these days.  After a fairly consistent fall we have moved into a pattern of solid swell followed by flatness.  So flat that not even I have paddled.  Considering I surf just about anything that’s saying a lot.  I looked at Hueneme early and it was way too small. I got into some ding repair work.  Around 3pm I had a look at Hollywood on the low tide.  There were some surf-able waves to be had but the shape was poor and I just couldn’t get motivated to do another grovel.

12-21-25 AM Session: 0-1 ft, Port Hueneme
Time in Water: 1 hr 15 min
Waves Surfed: 26
Miles Driven: 2
When I taught surf lessons I always would tell my students to make sure to watch the waves for at least  a couple of sets to properly assess the situation before paddling out.  Today I failed to heed my own advice.  As soon as I walked up the pier I saw a fun set of waist high peelers.  Not wanting to waste time I bolted back to my car and up to the beach.  I never saw that set again.  It was cold, foggy, the water was black from the dredge and the surf was without a doubt worse than yesterday. After lunch my wife and I decided to see if we could take Adagio with us for a round of golf.  We rigged up the stroller so it could hold a few of my wife’s key clubs.  The three of us managed to play five holes and only quit cause my wife was tired.  I think the kid could have made nine. The photo below is the mystery set I never saw again.

12-20-25 AM Session: 1-2 ft, Port Hueneme
Time in Water: 1 hr
Waves Surfed: 21
Miles Driven: 14
The swell was super small.  The pier had a knee to thigh high wave that was just about breaking on the beach. Hoping for a miracle I had a look at Hollywood. Though there was swell the tide was just too high.  The place had potential but not in my surf window.  I drove back to Hueneme and just groveled the tiny offering at the pier.  It was hardly worth my effort. After the surf I grinded out some ding repair.  In the evening my wife Bizarro and I attended a Christmas gathering at our nanny’s residence where she prepared a taste of Columbia.

12-19-25 AM Session: 2-3+ ft, Port Hueneme
Time in Water: 1 hr
Waves Surfed: 22
Miles Driven: 2
Yesterday’s wind swell cleaned up but had also dropped a tad.   That being said there were still some nice chest high lines coming off the south side of the pier.  I jumped in and went to town.  Though smaller the waves were super rip-able offering plenty of ramps.  I hit my share of airs.  As per usual in Hueneme the low tide completely turned it off. In the afternoon my wife and I battled the masses while handling the bulk of our Christmas shopping.  There’s nothing more entertaining than watching people do the last minute holiday shopping scramble.

12-18-25 AM Session: 2-4+ ft, Port Hueneme
Time in Water: 1 hr
Waves Surfed: 19
Miles Driven: 2
There must have been some heavy winds out in the channel cause although there was no wind at the beach the ocean was all torn up with lots of short period windswell resembling something one might encounter in Florida.  I wasn’t super amped on it but my boys AJ and Mitch were paddling thus I was compelled to join them.  Once out there the waves ended up being super fun.  If you picked the right ones they ran all the way to the second life guard tower.  I even found a drainer right hand barrel.  What a pleasant to surprise on a day I was about to write off.  The window was short as the steadily dropping tide killed it.  Later that evening I had my last catering gig of the year.  That marks 82 events in 2025.  2026 is filling up fast as well.

12-17-25 AM Session: 3-5+ ft, Hollywood
Time in Water: 1 hr 15 min
Waves Surfed: 20
Miles Driven: 12
The new NW swell showed with light offshore winds and head high plus waves.  It was a little stretchy but there were definitely some worthy corners to chase down.  The waves were wonky but killable.  I for whatever reason couldn’t get into a rhythm and took some shitty wipe outs that left me feeling tweaked.  After the surf my wife and I took Adagio for his six month check up.  He had to get a few vaccines but overall the doctor was pleased with his progress.   The kid is doing alright.

12-16-25 AM Session: 1-3+ ft, Hollywood
Time in Water: 1.5 hrs
Waves Surfed: 26
Miles Driven: 12
Today had similar size as yesterday but maybe a tad bit more stretched and consistent.  The waist plus sw/nw combo was fun enough to get me going and it appeared the new swell was slowly filling in.  South wind coupled with the low tide killed it.  My afternoon was spent glassing in the worlds most narrow work space.  Only I could make this crazy shipping  trailer passable as a glass shop.

12-15-25 AM Session: 1-3 ft, Hollywood
Time in Water: 1 hr
Waves Surfed: 20
Miles Driven: 12
There was some small waist high plus background swell.  With a morning low tide I found a few meager peaks to myself out at Hollywood.  Though tiny there were some kill-able crossed up peaks to the be had.  I made the most out of what was on offer.  My afternoon was spent glassing surfboards.

12-14-25 No Surfing: 1-2 ft
Miles Driven: 2
After a month long run of swell it seems like the pacific has taken a break.  This morning was super small and my time very limited as I had to be in Santa Barbara by noon for a catering gig.  I had a look at Hueneme but tide was already too low and it was barely knee high.  Im sure I could have sorted something to grovel if more time was afforded to me but that wasn’t the case thus I bagged it and went home to spend a little bit of time with my wife and baby. Up in Santa Barbara I was responsible for two Christmas parties starting at 12:15 and running till 10pm. Both events went superbly.  Only one more party to go and I’m finished catering for the year.

12-13-25 AM Session: 3-4+ ft, Hollywood
Time in Water: 1 hr 15 min
Waves Surfed: 20
Miles Driven: 10
The surf was a little smaller than yesterday and also little more stretched.  There were still plenty of corners to track down plus maybe a few more tubes of which most were closed out.  My window was super short and though I got on a froth I couldn’t stick anything of consequence to save my life.  More south wind came up making it easier for me to leave to go to work. I got home and had to finish a board for a customer who was in town from up in Pismo.  He was stoked as was I not having to make a trip up north in my already crazy busy schedule.  That l evening I had to work a gnarly 200 guest count Xmas party in Carpinteria featuring an extensive and somewhat demanding French menu.  I must say it was definitely a bear of a job.  We nailed it.

12-12-25 AM Session: 3-5+ ft, Hollywood
Time in Water: 1 hr
Waves Surfed: 19
Miles Driven: 10
A slight uptick in WNW swell energy coupled with low tide took me to Hollywood.  My window was short luckily it was pretty consistent with lefts and rights up and down the beach.  There was even the odd ball tube to be had.  Little Sunset was packed as has become the norm over there.  Unfortunately the south wind came up and steadily trashed the surf.  I can’t get over how much south wind we have had to endure this season.  I had a Christmas party to work for Direct relief in the afternoon into the evening.  My wife had to attend her Museum’s member appreciation party.  Poor Adagio was left with the nanny for ten hours.  When we got home he was super appreciative of us.  Maybe we should leave him more often so he doesn’t take us for granted. 

12-11-25 AM Session: 1-2+ ft, Port Hueneme
Time in Water: 1 hr
Waves Surfed: 21
Miles Driven: 2
The tide was extremely low early with just a little bit of swell getting in.  I decided to do some glass work early and let tide fill in hoping that the pier would get fun on incoming.  The surf was still pretty small when I looked around 11am.  Though tiny the waves looked rip-able enough and it was oil glassy conditions.  The look was too beautiful to pass up.  I have a knack for making the smallest of surf fun.  My afternoon was spent sanding surf boards.

12-10-25 AM Session: 1-3 ft, Port Hueneme
Time in Water: 1.5 hrs
Waves Surfed: 26
Miles Driven: 2
This morning was almost an exactly copy of yesterday except maybe a tad bit more stretched.  Unfortunately the sand from the dredge project is filling in fast and has moved down to the pier.  Currently the inner bar is completely exposed even on high tide leaving a deep water to shallow shelf sort of thing happening, which is mostly causing the waves to be dumpy.  The days of the fun pier bar may be over for a while.  I guess I’ll have to go back to strand. My afternoon was spent sanding the boards that I had just glassed.

12-9-25 AM Session: 1-3+ ft, Port Hueneme
Time in Water: 1 hr 15 mins
Waves Surfed: 21
Miles Driven: 2
One thing you can count on at Hueneme is that if it’s small and high tide it will be at the very least surf-able.  This morning was a bonus being that it was also super rip-able.  I got on an absolute froth on the south side of the Pier.  My afternoon was spent glassing surfboards.  

12-8-25 No Surfing: 2-3 ft
When I woke up this morning something was really off.  My head was spinning, I was nauseous and had a pounding headache.  If I didn’t know any better I would have thought I was either hung over or hit my head really hard.  The latter I knew wasn’t true cause I haven’t gotten drunk in over two years.  The former could have happened but if that was the case then I must have hit my head so hard I didn’t remember the incident.  Whatever was going on I was in no shape to surf or do anything.  I slept till about 11am.  I still wasn’t feeling all that great but forced myself to get out of bed.  Bizarro was in the kitchen and gave me some of his migraine medication upon which I felt better though I still took it easy for the rest of the day.  I heard the pier had some small but fun waves.  Hopefully I feel better tomorrow.  Photo from the Ventura Point cam.

12-7-25 AM Session: 2-3+ ft, Port Hueneme
Time in Water: 1 hr 15 mins
Waves Surfed: 23
Miles Driven: 2
Lately thanks to Rockside being completely filled in with sand courtesy of the dredging project the only places to surf in Hueneme are both sides of the Pier, the bars south of Tower 6 and the slew bars to the southern most border of Hueneme.  As a result to my dismay the pier has gotten rather busy on the weekends.  I started on the north side where the crowd was less intense than the south side.  It was also a bit more stretched.  I figured I would wait the crowd out and catch some racy chest high rights and lefts then paddle over to the south side as the morning crowd dropped off. I managed one incredible backside barrel that was like pulling a rabbit out of a hat.  I have no idea how I threaded the needle to come out.  After my surf my wife and I took Adagio to breakfast with Santa put on by the Port Hueneme recreation center.  Breakfast was two stale pancakes and a glass of orange juice.  It was a free event.  They had real reindeer borrowed from a ranch out in Santa Clara the specializes in training movie animals.  According to the trainer anytime you see reindeer in a movie or commercial it was most likely one of theirs.  Adagio surprisingly didn’t cry on Santa’s lap.  He laughed instead leaving me to wonder if the kid is brave or just deranged.   My evening was spent working a catering job for the opening of a Bentley dealership in Santa Barbara.

12-6-25 AM Session: 2-3+ ft, Port Hueneme
Time in Water: 1 hr 15 mins
Waves Surfed: 26
Miles Driven: 2
All the reports claimed flat and after perusing all the cams I was satisfied that there was nothing to surf out there.  Instead I went up to the beach here at Hueneme with my wife and baby, for a walk.  Once up there I saw a number of fun looking waves off the Pier.  You can never discount Hueneme.  My buddy Pat used to call it the “wild card”.  When everywhere is flat it will be chest high then on the other hand when everywhere is firing Hueneme will be flat.  You can only guess that the walk was cut short as I scrambled to get home and get my stuff. The south side of the pier was super fun chest high and  rip-able with just CC and I trading waves.  We had a blast.  My afternoon was spent decorating the entire house inside and out for Christmas.  Every year I’m amazed at all the holiday crap we have.  T’is the season. 

12-5-25 No Surfing: 1-2+ ft
How we lost all that swell over night is beyond me, but this morning it was barely knee high with a 7ft kind tide.  It worked out for me since I had to work a lunch for 300 people in Santa Barbara.  I was hoping to fit a grovel session in before dark but I got a call from my wife that Mazda of Oxnard was willing to work with us on the bum Toyota RAV4 they sold us.  Ultimately they let us take the money we put down on the RAV4 and put it towards a new Mazda.  We got a white CX-30.  We got there at 5:30 and didn’t leave till almost 10pm.  Car buying is exhausting, especially this time around.  I’m just happy we got the whole thing sorted out and we now have a safe car to transport my son in. Photo from the Ventura Point Cam.

12-4-25 AM Session: 3-5+ ft, Hollywood
Time in Water: 2 hrs
Waves Surfed: 26
Miles Driven: 10
The reports were claiming that the swell was down today, yet I found myself looking at solid head to overhead offshore lines at Hollywood. Stoked I jumped in and immediately started packing barrels.  Unfortunately the majority of the waves were pretty stretched so you had to be choosy.  That being said I definitely got my share of deep draining barrels.  It was refreshing to surf waves that weren’t in the life threatening realm.  My afternoon was spent glassing surfboards.  Any day glassing you are able to walk away not being asphyxiated is a successful day.

12-3-25 AM Session: 5-7+ ft, Hollywood
Time in Water: 1.5 hrs
Waves Surfed: 14
Miles Driven: 10
The rule at Hollywood is however big you think it is it’s probably bigger.  Something about how far out the waves break or the vastness of the beach, but it’s nearly impossible to gauge even when people are out.  The wind was offshore and it looked like there was the possibility to get some amazing barrels.  Once out there I realized I was completely under gunned as I attempted to drop into a left bomb that would have been the barrel of the day if I had more foam under my feet.  Instead I airdropped to the bottom and got clobbered by the white water.  I did manage to get a few decent ones before the south wind came up and trashed it.  After today and yesterday I think I am going to have to get my act together and make myself a step up.  My afternoon was spent glassing.

12-2-25 AM Session: 6-8+ ft, Ventura Point
Time in Water: 2 hrs
Waves Surfed: 11
Miles Driven: 48
There was some really solid NW swell showing this morning.  The Ventura point cam was easily pushing double overhead on sets.  I was hoping Hueneme was going to be fun but with the steadily dropping tide I could tell I had already missed the window at the pier.  I decided to head up to the points figuring they were going to be solid.  Rincon was packed and an inconsistent head high.  Little Rincon and Pitas were crowded and terrible.  Jeffrey and I decided to just suck it up and go surf Ventura Point.  All I had was my 5’9 because I sold my Step Up last winter to get some cash flow to buy blanks.  Despite being under gunned I still managed a handful of bombs.  My best wave was way overhead and I rode it from where the stadium at the Fairgrounds starts all the way to the top of the Cove.  It was hell of a ride, maybe the longest, largest wave I have ever caught out there.  Unfortunately the wind came up out of the south adding way more bump on the face than I would have liked.  On my last wave I managed to get one from Stables to the stairs just before the pier.  My legs were done and since conditions were no longer ideal I called it day.  My afternoon was spent glassing surfboards.  Later that evening my wife and I took Adagio to the Port Hueneme town tree lighting at the Police Station.  I’m not super into such activities but when I saw the little guy’s face when they lit the tree it was totally worth it.  Then a few seconds later he threw a fit and we took him home.

12-1-25 AM Session: 2-3+ ft, Malibu
Time in Water: 45 mins
Waves Surfed: 9
Miles Driven: 70
There was SW/NW combo with a fast draining low tide.  I heard the north points had waves as did the south PCH spots.  CC thought County Line was the call and I decided to jump in with him and head that way.   When we got there nothing was really coming in.  It looked like the draining negative tide had already taken its toll.  We had a look at Zeros but it was crowded for what was coming in.  Upon review it looked as though there were some chest plus waves down at Malibu on the Third Point cam thus we made our final attempt to surf there.  My first few waves were fun with three to four turns on them.  As the tide dropped the sets got more and more inconsistent, stretched and small.  We borderline had to paddle in.  What a bust.  I hate these days where the tide changes are extreme. I did some ding work in the afternoon.  When my wife got home we went out and bought our Christmas tree.