September 2017 Surf Sessions
9-30-17 AM Session: 2-3+ ft, Davenport
Time in Water: 1 hr
Miles Driven: 7
Waves Surfed: 11
We had a few hours to kill in the morning before making our way east to San Juan Bautista for the wedding. Gabe and I decided to take advantage of the new wind swell that had filled in and cruised over to Davenport. The wind was side shore, but the faces were clean and peeling on the right over at Shark Bites. We paddled knowing there was no time to waste and right off the bat I was nailing long lines peeling down the reef for as many as ten turns on the good ones. There was a lot of milking and positioning maneuvers, still it was nice to have a longer canvas to work with compared to most of the garbage I had been surfing all month. As the tide began to drop the inside section became full on rip-able. We were bummed we had to call it quits, yet stoked to have been able to sneak in a quickie. From there it was road bound to the east. I got pulled over by a cop on HWY 1 near Aptos for supposedly doing 90. Meanwhile I was barely going 70 since I didn’t know where my exit was thus not about to speed and miss it. I’m guessing he pinged some one going that fast and then pulled me over cause I drive a sports car. Luckily the cop was super chill and let me off with a warning. The wedding was fun set in a beautiful out door setting. We danced for like 2 hours straight leading to sore legs and shoe bites the next morning.
9-29-17 AM Session: 1-3+ ft, Davenport, Santa Cruz
Time in Water: 45 mins
Waves Surfed: 9
Miles Driven: 76 (from where I was staying)
I know I had promised to give updates while up north. Unfortunately I forgot the power cord to my computer at home thus leaving me no way to write. Besides that I was rather busy as well. My girl and I got in rather late the previous night and decided to crash out. Upon waking up the wind was light off shore, but swell down. We headed north on Hwy 1 to Waddell Creek where I hoped the combo swell could be at least surf-able. It was super small and mushy with the am high tide, plus the wind was a bit side shore there messing what was coming in up. From there I took at gamble up to Pescadero, which always has waves, but is also sharky as fuck and very exposed to wind. Though there was some size the wind was rather onshore there. After that it was back to Waddell where I just couldn’t get into the terrible conditions. On the way back to Gabe’s place where I was staying I had a quick look at Davenport. Though small the out going tide was was causing an alright right hander at Shark Bites and the wind was semi side shore/off shore. I basically desperation paddled so I could enjoy the rest of the day with my chick and not be all bummed. The water was freezing and although I brought a new 4/3 with me I wore an older one at the insistence of Gabe that he was wearing a 3/2. Taking into account the cold and how terrible the waves were I got a few and called it a day. From there it was burritos and fun at the amusements by the warf and ice cream on the pier. That section of SC always reminds me of home on the Jersey Shore. Later that night the three of us hit the town, where we experienced quite the culture shock in comparison to Santa Barbara. Still we found good drinks and fun at a place called 515 that if you are ever in Santa Cruz is totally worth a stop.
9-28-17 AM Session: 1-3+ ft, Surfers Knoll
Time in Water: 1 hr 15 mins
Waves Surfed: 20
Miles Driven: 64
The only reason I took a trip south today was for the sole fact I had to pick up a board at the glasser for Gabe. There was a little bit of small mid period SE on the buoy that led me to believe that I would find something at the Harbor. Though small there were some surf-able crossed up peaks at the Knoll with a light crowd on it. The wind was light out of the NW and not sure how long my window would be I paddled. I rode my short board just to compare it to my fish. Sure enough I was correct in my thinking that the fish didn’t do all that much for me. It was pretty terrible out there and the wind slowly crept up with each passing minute making things worse. I got my requisite twenty and called it a day. Then it was on to errand running since I am leaving tonight for a few days up in Santa Cruz where can expect to continue groveling. I chased down some catering money I was owed and met with success and got my car washed. A road trip begun with a dirty car just seems a little low brow to me. I am bringing my lap top so you can look forward to updates on my trip here in the surf log and for pictures and up to the minute updates you can check both my IG and Facebook links to which are on the home page of SurfingRuinedMyLife.net
9-27-17 No Surfing: 1-2 ft
Different day same flatness. Is anyone surfing something larger then waist high in California. Please share your stoke with me. I had a look at the surf report for while I am in Santa Cruz and it doesn’t look all that inviting either. At least I had some catering work to give me something to do and help pay for my lame ass life.
9-26-17 No Surfing: 1-2 ft
More Flatness and some catering work kept me out of the water today. Meanwhile the east coast and even Florida are scoring. What is wrong with the order of the world right now.
9-25-17 No Surfing: 1-2 ft
Well another basically flat day for just about all of southern California. This has become a sad repetition that I would expect from the east coast. They have had over head waves for the past month and then some. Fuck Pacific, wake up!!!! I had work at the Cheese Steak shop where we had another less then thrilling Monday. I think the time has come to consider giving up lunch all together. The forecast for the week looks grim as well. At least I have some Catering work the next two days. If I am not going to surf I may as well make some money.
9-24-17 PM Session: 1-3 ft, Emma Wood
Time in Water: 1.5 hrs
Waves Surfed: 25
Miles Driven: 64
It was a nice sunny day out and with similar readings on the buoy as yesterday I set out to find some waves. The wind was on the light side giving me hope that the Harbor could be fun. There was an NSSA contest at New Jetty and the wind had Knoll and River Mouth all torn up. Back to Emma it was. The crowd was a bit heavy for the inconsistent mushy fat tide peaks coming in. My girl and I went to breakfast and went shoal shopping for this wedding we are attending up North this weekend. I was really hoping to score some surf while up that way in the Santa Cruz area, but now the forecast is looking like absolute shit. One thing I know about that coast is that if you are not afraid of the sharks, driving and a little bit of wind a surf-able wave can be obtained. Anyhow I feel like we have been shopping for her outfit for the past two months. I bought my tux back in May, not for this wedding in particular, but because it was a fly tux and I wanted it. One should always have some show stoppers in his wardrobe just in case after all. On the way home we had another look at Emma Wood. With the lower tide it was mildly better. There were still a few more heads on it then I would have liked, but after watching it for a bit the crowd dissipated and thus I paddled. Really I wanted to have another go at my beach break fish. Since I got it I have not been feeling it and after yesterdays surf I was really getting over the thing. I set it up as a quad. This loosened it up a bit, but still overall the board kept fighting me, was unresponsive and didn’t recover through transitions. To be honest I think I would have had more fun on my short board and that is saying a lot for two foot mush. I guess its back to the drawing board on that one. That is what R&D is all about after all.
9-23-17 AM Session: 1-3 ft, Emma Wood
Time in Water: 1 hr 15 mins
Waves Surfed: 20
Miles Driven: 56
Despite there not being very much out there, the buoy had indicated enough wind swell to allow me to expect to find something to grovel on my fish. Since it had been days since my last surf I really needed to get wet. With the extreme high tide, wind and swell direction and period Emma was my best bet. Though small there were a few mixed peaks up and down the beach. As it turned out the waves were way weaker then I had imagined and the session was like pulling teeth to find a section worth anything. Add some back wash and a rising onshore wind and you had a pretty terrible session. I did manage on front side air that got the line up excited.
9-22-17 No Surfing: 2-3+ ft
The morning brought some left over wind swell. From what I heard it was rather weak and died off pretty fast. I was pretty hung over from dinner and drinks the night before and it was my parents last morning in town.
9-21-17 No Surfing: 2-3 ft
Some fast rising local wind swell filled in for some protected spots in the afternoon. My parents were still in town and my girl took the day off from work. We did some fun tourist things up at Knapps Castle and Lizards Mouth with a quick stop up at painted caves. I had another look at Leads since I had about a two hour window when everyone was resting before dinner. Once again it was far from amazing and I passed on it.
9-20-17 No Surfing: 2-3+ ft
My parents had successfully made it to Santa Barbara for a few days to visit me. Whenever they are in town unless the surf is incredible I don’t bother stressing everyone out with my need to get a fix. As it turned out some solid wind swell did fill in and Strand was about head high and even Rincon had a wave. All this information came a little too late for me to take advantage of. I had look in front of my house at Lead Better, though surf-able the tide was a bit lower then I like for that wave and the quality a bit underwhelming.
9-19-17 No Surfing: 1-2 ft
Hoping to feel better, today I woke up just as bad as Saturday. I wish the state had not canceled my health insurance cause some how I was late on filing a form or something of that effect. If anyone out there is a doctor or in the pharmaceutical field and wants to hook up some antibiotics DM I could us the help. My parents are coming in this evening thus it made sense to rest up and not do me an even worse state by trying to grovel small wind swell. All I can say is being sick sucks, but at least the waves suck and I don’t have to force a paddle or feel bad about missing out.
9-18-17 No Surfing: 1-2 ft
Another day of shitty conditions and actually I woke up still under the weather but feeling slightly better, which was good cause I had to work at 10:30 and after that get my home ready for my parents visit on Tuesday. Toward the late afternoon I began feeling run down again and found myself flat on the couch soon after. I was able to take care of all of my engagements before hand.
9-17-17 No Surfing: 1-2 ft
I was feeling sick as a dog when I woke up on Sunday. Since the surf was absolute shit anyway I decided to make it a sleep all day in the hopes of feeling better.
9-16-17 No Surfing: 1-3+ ft
I wanted to surf or grovel, which is the more appropriate statement. Unfortunately as the day progressed on Friday and then the subsequent work night my health began to steadily deteriorate. By the time I got home at 4 am I was feeling near death. I slept in till mid-day then summoned all of the remaining strength in me to work a Catering charity benefit for some type of brain cancer, where we served an entire Spanish menu. The gig went off with out a hitch. After that I was left with about an hour and half of down time before heading off to the cheese steak stand. It took everything I had and a little extra to make it through.
9-15-17 AM Session: 2-3+ ft, Santa Clara River Mouth
Time in Water: 1.5 hrs
Waves Surfed: 24
Miles Driven: 64
Today was once again another lack luster day of waves. I was short on time impart to catering work and thus just paddled out at River Mouth for lack of a better option. Though nothing earth shattering it was the most peaky the line up had been all week. That being said close outs were still the norm. It was the first morning in three days that I had no real pain down the side of my back. For what ever reason I got in the zone and frothed. It has been at least two weeks since I ripped that hard. The waves may have sucked, but I’ll take that surf to the bank.
9-14-17 AM Session: 2-3+ ft, Santa Clara River Mouth
Time in Water: 1 hr 15 mins
Waves Surfed: 17
Miles Driven: 64
I had a feeling it was going to be a possible day of barrels out at the River Mouth. On the road I fielded a call from Ryan confirming my instincts. Stoked I hauled down there to get a piece of the action. Upon assessing the situation it was still very stretched though a few more corners and there was a light NE wind on it holding the lines up just a bit longer. I almost bailed to LA. I am not one to walk away from River barrels so I paddled. Unfortunately as soon as I paddled out the wind began to shift and the slowly dropping tide turned it off like a light switch. I was able to manage two deep barrels before things really went to shit and one solid front side whack. Besides that the session was a wash. It may have been for the best cause I think I pulled something on my right side making paddling a bit painful and today it was bothering more then ever. Maybe a shorter session was for the best. When I got home I finished the final portion of my bathroom by hanging up a new light fixture I bought. Later this evening I am heading down to my girls museum for her latest gallery opening.
9-13-17 AM Session: 2-3+ ft, C Street
Time in Water: 1.5 hrs
Waves Surfed: 27
Miles Driven: 68
I had a look at River Mouth and it was solid though pretty stretched with the new long period south swell. There seemed to be a few corners. I could have hunted down the occasion open face, while dodging constant close outs and maybe if it had been earlier in the morning I may have. With a threatening onshore wind already rearing its ugly head I decided to have a look around a bit more. Emma was as clean as can be, but very small with the larger sets mushing out on the reef. I just resolved to go back to the Point and fish it again. The crowd was much heavier up a Pipe, but with the wind slowly coming up I had hoped that it would empty out like yesterday. It didn’t, though the peak was very shifty making there plenty of opportunity to get waves. Throw in a few greedy back paddlers and it was definitely a little frustrating at times. Still I got my share and a bit more time on my fish. Still the board has yet to dazzle me. It does have moments of brilliance and I think once I figure it out it could be a good one.
9-12-17 AM Session: 2-3 ft, C Street
Time in Water: 1. hrs
Waves Surfed: 25
Miles Driven: 64
Now that I have a quiver of fishes and short boards there really isn’t any excuse for me not to surf. I got to the Harbor and it was already blown out. I had a catering gig back in SB at 3:30 leaving ample time to surf. Wanting to try my new Pop Fizz I decided to just go to the Point and have a paddle. Though small and windy there were some waist to stomach plus sets up at Pipe and the wind had completely decimated the crowd. For about thirty minutes I had the place to myself and then was jointed by two other guys for the remainder of the session. The board goes alright though I don’t think I have found the sweet spot yet as it is either really fast or really slow depending on where I put it and response times are all over the place as well. Going to need a bit more time on this one to figure out if its me or the board. Considering how deplorable the conditions were I’d say it works in the slop for sure.
9-11-17 PM Session: 2-3+ ft, New Jetty/Surfer’s Knoll
Time in Water: 1.5 hrs
Waves Surfed: 23
Miles Driven: 64
Monday was yet another slow lunch at the Cheese Steak window. We may have over estimated the amount of ease required to break into the downtown Santa Barbara lunch scene. It had proved way more of a challenge then I had initially thought. If you happen to be in downtown on a Monday between 11am-2pm come in and get a sandwich and a cupcake. I would stake my life on the fact that we make the best Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich the Santa Barbara area. Check my Facebook.com or instagram or DM me for details thanks. After work I saw that the winds were on the light side and that there was ample combo to justify the trek down south. Stoked I headed to the Harbor where sure enough there were some solid sets. I almost pulled the trigger on River Mouth for it looked clean enough and peaky enough to warrant a paddle. New Jetty in it’s own right appeared fun and for once the crowd was semi-manageable with only about ten guys spread between the Jetty and Middle peaks. It was an average crowd containing no pros or groms. I decided to paddle with my fish since sets were inconsistent and mushy when they came. Right off the bat I lucked into a few good sets. As the tide dropped, the crowded slowly double and then the wind began to come up making weak. slow inconsistent and crowded. I got one more then walked over and had a gander at the other side of the Jetty. Though windy there were some scattered peaks at the Knoll. I paddled and snagged a few more before the wind got super hard and completely turned it off. Still any afternoon there are some light winds in Ventura is a bonus.
9-10-17 No Surfing: 2-3 ft
Last night was a busy late rush at the Cheese Steak stand leaving me not getting home till well after 4 am. Then upon arriving home my girl and roommate had decided to have an all night dance party thus not allowing me to go to sleep till almost 6 am. As a result I slept in the better half of the day and then was not about to fight off weekend traffic for blown out minor combo swell.
9-9-17 AM Session; 1-3 ft, Surfer’s Knoll
Time in Water: 1 hr
Waves Surfed: 22
Miles Driven: 64
Finally I had a free morning, though that was all I had. When it rains it pours and when money flows it flows. Just as I thought I was going to get back to my usual hustle and grind I got another emergency call that a very respected and highly skilled chef in town need a last minute man to help him at some dinner event he had. For someone of lower esteem I would have most likely said no, but respect is a thing to me that is unparalleled and therefor I took the job. I was not going to miss another day of surf though that was hardly the word I could use for the meager offers that our mother ocean had handed down. New Jetty had a wave that I would have surfed in a minute had it not been for the usual pack of trainee rippers as I would like to call them completely clogging the place. There was a spot for me to mix it up with the pack though the wave hardly warranted the effort. I saw a few scattered combo peaks between Rive Mouth and Knoll. With the higher tide and the swell I decided to just surf out front at the Knoll. It was glassy as I first arrived. As my Saturday luck should always have it or my tardiness to be exact as soon as I hit the water the wind cam up. I had my new beachie fish under my feet, which more then helped me compensate for the weak wind blown fat conditions. After the surf my girl and I went to what was billed as a Sea Glass Festival at the Earl Warren Show Grounds. It was more like a sorry excuse for a bunch of sea glass craftspeople to hock their shit at the expense of $5 per person and $5 to park. How novel an idea to charge people to spend their money, isn’t America grand. The rest of of my hours all the way till 3 am were spent in the service of culinary endeavor.
9-8-17 No Surfing: 2-3 ft
Same wind swell was running. I had to work one last day in the service of catering and by the time I finished the wind was up in Ventura and it was rather small and crowded in front of my home. Also I had to work the cheese steak shop till 3 am leaving little time to the pleasures of knee to waist high surf.
9-7-17 No Surfing: 2-3 ft
Thanks to my accepting yesterdays work it lead to another day of work and another ten hour shift. It appeared there was a little bump up in wind swell and I am sure I could have found a wave if I had the time. God damn catering, every time I think I am out I get pulled back in. I could have even found a wave for my fish at Lead Better before dark, but I had promised my chick I would head over to the Museum for there first Thursday activities. I must say it was a good time and definitely more fun then I would have had surfing.
9-6-17 No Surfing: 2-3 ft
I actually was up an getting ready for my morning surf or grovel as it has been known to become these days when I got a text about some last minute catering work. It was desperation work for my employer which means I can always demand a larger sum. This being the case I was willing to miss a less then average surf to make a bit of coin.
9-5-17 PM Session: 2-3+ ft, Pismo Beach Pier
Time in Water: 1 hr 15 mins
Waves Surfed: 18
Miles Driven: 164
I had to make a trek up to the Pismo area to deliver some boards for Gabe. I figured while in the area it would be shame if I did not surf. My first stop was right near Oceano so I had a look there. It was really foggy and from what I could make out on the small and shitty side. My next stop was near Pismo thus I had a look at the Pier. The north side had about five guys on it and a fun looking left and right bowl coming through. The crew out there were ripping pretty hard, but I noticed a few go by not ridden indicating room for me to join them. Though I was at the bottom of the rotation I did manage a few super fun set waves. Even the smaller insiders were pretty kill-able. Usually when I am in that area the Pier is the last place I consider. Every time I have checked it previously it was nothing but a crumbly mush burger. The guys out there were saying that the sand was really good. I guess every dog has his day. I was lucky enough to get a few.
9-4-17 PM Session: 2-3 ft, Gold Coast
Time in Water: 1.5 hrs
Waves Surfed: 22
Miles Driven: 56
Normally I wouldn’t bother slogging out in traffic after work for a few waves and holiday traffic at that. There was still lots of swell on the buoy and conditions were clean. In addition I thought that I may try for a perfect month this month, though I suppose it is way too early to make that call. Traffic was a night mare getting south. Ryan had said that it was definitely not worth fighting all the Ventura traffic to get to the Harbor. Instead I got off at Emma Wood and figured I would sort something out off Sea Cliff being it was rather drained out low tide for Emma. Up and down the Gold Coast there were south peaks that though small and racy looked like with the incoming tide and my fish it could be an alright time. Since I recently got my new beach break fish it was the first time I could try it out. I jumped in about four hundred yards up the beach from where I parked cause that spot is super drifty on a south swell. I did about three solid drift and caught my share of small fun ones. As far as the board goes it went decent enough though I may have made it tad too big and fishy for the performance I was wanting to get out of it. I am going to need many more sessions on it before I can make that ruling.
9-3-17 AM Session: 2-3+ ft, Santa Clara River Mouth
Time in Water: 1.5 hrs
Waves Surfed: 26
Miles Driven: 64
All good things must come to an end and I suppose a three day super session streak is hard to shake a stick at. In all actuality I think if I had the ability to have gotten there two hours earlier I may have scored once again. I found myself at the tail end of what appeared to be a decent enough window. As per usual River Mouth fashion the wind slowly began to come up out of the NW slowly, but surely deteriorating conditions by the set and was aided by a high paced dropping tide. Add to that the fact that the new longer period south swell showing was a tad stretched and angle a bit steep to the beach to make for really fun corners. Instead it was a race to find any sort of section and a stretch to find the barrel and coming out a feat near to impossible. Oh and couple that with some atomic back wash too. Hey after the past flat spell any day I can get a wave over waist high is still an ok day by me.
9-2-17 AM Session: 2-3+ ft, Santa Clara River Mouth
Time in Water: 3 hrs
Waves Surfed: 60
Miles Driven: 64
What a froth, I don’t remember the last time I got on such a tear in a session. The weekends are tough for me now. Most of the time I am not getting to sleep until 4 am. The earliest I can usually get my act together and get out of the house in after 9:30 leaving me rather vulnerable to the winds and crowds. How can I really complain since I am still getting time to surf, an invaluable commodity to me. After yesterday I was banking on the fire down south to maintain a stillness in the wind. When I got down to the Harbor it was a sheet of glass and still plenty of fun peaks coming through up and down the beach. Crowd was pretty heavy, though expected for a holiday weekend with a heat wave. There were plenty of peaks. Of course as soon as I suited up and walked down to a peak of my choosing the took an obnoxious turn from the SW trashing the once fun looking south swell. Already there I paddled. Yeah it was a bad as it looked and very frustrating. I decided that I would just keep floating with the current catching waves till I got to New Jetty where such wind is semi-protected. On the way I actually found a few choice sections all things considered. As soon as I got around the jetty I found myself ensconced in a crowd easily forty strong. A few guys I knew were out and found a place in the rotation. It was very weak and hardly worth taking a number or scrapping for. Over it I got out and began the trek up the beach to my car. As I was walking I noticed Angers had paddled out. Considering I was the one he told him to come down and surf I felt obligated to paddled back out and get a few shitty ones with him by the Knoll. After about twenty minutes the wind completely backed off and soon after conditions glassed off. What followed was a barrel and rip fest till the tide got too low. I can’t remember the last time I felt so good out in the water. What surf. Thank you September for restoring my faith in surfing.
9-1-17 AM Session: 2-3+ ft, Santa Clara River Mouth
Time in Water: 2 hrs
Waves Surfed: 32
Miles Driven: 64
I wasn’t expecting too much today. There was some lingering south and some weak NW wind swell. Nothing to really get excited about. I cruised to the Harbor figuring it would be a good day to try out my fishes. For a change the ocean was sheet glass. Glassy surf this season has been scarce at best. When I walked up the dune I saw a wave come in, double up, throw over and spit. Needless to say I ran back to my car and suited up. Ryan met me and we walked down to the River Mouth, where a light crowd spread among endless peaks were taking full advantage of the situation. Right off the bat I got a shacker on my first wave. After that it was pretty much wave after wave of barrels. I think I may have done four turns the entire session. Usually my summers are full of draining barrels. This year I think I can count on one had the number of days that were actually true River Mouth tube days. All we can do is hope that the first of the month will set a solid precedent for the rest of the fall. After this shitty summer I think every surfer in California is owed a few.
Surfing Ruined My Life 