January 2015 Surf Sessions
1-31-15 No Surfing: 2-3 ft
Its all a bunch of bullshit. I am tired of making bull shit food, for bull shit customers, with bull shit ingredients, under bullshit management and managing bull shit cooks. Yet I need this shit job to survive. My rent isn’t getting any cheap and my bills are not stopping anytime soon. Is this really what life is all about? FUCK! When did I grow up and become old and lame? I need to jump out the window and fly back to Never Never Land. I was going to go surf this morning, but couldn’t get motivated to brave the weekend crowds for average at best wind swell. I gave it to the weekend warriors and spent the morning in bed with my girl.
1-30-15 No Surfing: 1-3 ft
Smallest conditions I have seen in about two weeks on the buoy had me making the decision to sleep in. I bet Jalama was fun, but I had to work. Rather then go grovel Emma with everyone else I gave it up. Work sucked as we were understaffed and had burrito bar and pasta bar. Whoot!! I hate fucking working.
1-29-15 AM Session: 2-3+ ft, Rincon
Time in Water: 1 hr 20 mins
Waves Surfed: 24
I got up and was feeling decent for a change and decided to head to Rincon for a quick little session before work. Although on the small side the top of the point had some decent waves and it was clean with a light crowd. I sat between low Indicator and River Mouth and just had a full on froth fest. I made the most of the conditions and surfed my brains out. After that my day was all down hill. Chef decided to force me to make the worst risotto I have ever seen in my life. Just bad methodology all around. I almost freaked out and lost it, but Geoffrey calmed me down and told me just to take a step back and let them do what they want. Then dinner was crazy busy. Finally all I wanted to do was come home and chill with my love but instead I got home to Alfie being gone. He had escaped through the bathroom window. Luckily he came home, but not before I threw a gnarly tantrum and messed up my hand punching the coffee table. Wood doesn’t give an inch.
1-28-15 PM Session: 2-4+ ft, Rincon
Time in Water: 2.5 hrs
Waves Surfed: 25
I really didn’t know where to go today. I gave the morning to my girl for moral support with her starting a new job. Ryan called and said the beach breaks were walled and shitty. I was on the fence about going to Jalama for the afternoon high tide. Ultimately I decided to head south since Ryan was paddling Pitas. I got to Pitas and it looked like shit. I saw a few at Rincon when I drove bye and decided to go back there since the crowd was semi-manageable though still way to crowded for the sub-par (by Rincon standards) conditions. I saw a few up top and the crowd there was very light and spread out to paddle. It wasn’t like there was any place else to go since the wind came up pretty stiff out of the NW. Turned out I was in prime form and had a mini super session. I have not surfed Rincon too many times this month because of the crowds. It was nice reminder just how good of a wave it is there and how well I know every section of it. Years of putting my time in has certainly paid off.
1-27-15 PM Session: 3-4+ Naples
Time in Water: 1.5 hrs
Waves Surfed: 24
I really wanted to surf again. The tide and slow drop in the swell completely shut down both Seals and Dead Mans. Ryan bailed to beat traffic home. I decided to stay cause I still saw a few solid sets up by The Crack and Dos Pleblos. I had missed the bulk of the swell and today was my day to shine. Still cold from my first surf I decided to take a walk up to The Crack Peak just to make sure I was not seeing things. As I was walking up the point a rock the size of my head broke off the top of the cliffs and landed about an inch in front of me. I almost fucking died. At that point I had to surf and luckily The Crack was still solid. I paddled and had the whole place to myself. The big sets were a bit walled, but there were plenty of good ones still. I was stoked I hung around for the second surf. By the time I started the walk out the sun had set and it was pretty dark. The coyotes began to howl all around me. I don’t think I have ever made that walk out by myself at night. I kept steady and hoped for the best. Considering I am writing this now one can assume I made it out alive.
1-27-15 AM Session: 3-4+ ft, Naples
Time in Water: 3 hrs
Waves Surfed: 32
The theme of this swell was lully and very spot dependent, which was strange considering how west it was and it’s size. Every point from Malibu to the fucking Ranch should have been all time. There were definitely moments of beauty at many places, but it was all about timing. Time is everything in this life after all. After missing pretty much the entire swell surfing obscure waves to beat the crowd in the small window that had been afforded me I really wanted a good solid day of surfing on my day off. The buoys still looked ripe for a Naples mission and upon checking it from the hill I knew it was going to be fun. Ryan met me in the parking lot and we cruised. I guess from what I heard the county approved the development plans, so this will most likely be the last winter we get to surf there with it being a pristine natural wonderland. It’s a shame that land could not have been given to the public domain so that it’s beauty and experience could be shared for generations to come. Some rich assholes purchased the property and are going to build a few million dollar estates on it ruining the wilderness it was. Sure they are still going to give us access as per California law, but at what cost. It saddens me and makes me feel even worse about America and Americans in general. This once great country is pretty fucked up these days. Dead Man’s had the best wave as far as clean lines and the least amount of walled sets. I love that wave and it so rarely breaks that when it does one must go surf it. The last time for me was four years ago. There was one guy on it, but he got there the same time we did, plus there were multiple waves in a set. We gave him “first rights”, though like I said there were plenty of good ones for all of us. Dude still got a little salty about it, but he got his share. It became a total rip fest with Ryan and I trading sets for over two hours. I stuck a huge full rotation bs air reverse. Then we had a flurry of overhead sets before the tide filled in and a solid 30 minute lull showed up. I paddled up to Seals cause I got cold just sitting there, caught a marginal one and went in to warm up.
1-26-15 No Surfing: 3-4+ ft
I woke up on the couch at around 7ish this morning all fucked up. I guess I took a harder fall when I hit the rocks during yesterday’s surf then I thought. I tweaked I decided to take some Ibuprofen and sleep a little longer. Round 8:30 I got up and feed Alfie and was still hurting and decided to bag it. Then Ryan called and woke me up around 9:30. Unable to go back to sleep I thought I would have a look around town for a wave or two. Mesa Lane was tiny and so was Thousand Steps. Over it I went home and fucked around with my day runners or lack there of. I hate fucking working. I could have scored some sick south county beach break if I didn’t have to work.
1-25-15 AM Session: 2-3+ ft, Thousand Steps
Time in Water: 1 hr 15 mins
Waves Surfed: 22
I didn’t know what to expect this morning. I was feeling a little bit lazy and opted to sleep in a bit till 9:30. Leaving me no time except for a town surf I decided to have a look at some of the Mesa reefs. I was hoping for Light House, but it was not really happening. Thousand Steps looked far from good, but the crowd was right and the left looked boostable as hell. Turns out the right was better then the left and I found a few four to five turn rides. Not a bad surf for a spot I usually discount.
1-24-15 AM Session: 2-3+ ft, Sharks Cove
Time in Water: 1 hr
Waves Surfed: 11
Just another over hyped let down of a swell courtesy of the north pacific. Everything looked right for this WNW to fuck shit up here in town. I was not particularly stoked considering the fact that I had to work all weekend, the Rincon Classic was going down and the crowds were sure to be monstrous. I figured whatever I could find close to home and hope for the best. I had a look around super early, but it was tiny at Sand Spit which was the only spot I was eager to surf at first light. I went home and climbed back into bed for a few more hours. I awoke again around 9 am and checked Hammonds and Sharks. both were comparable so I surfed Sharks since I love that wave. I made the walk and there were a handful of devotes like myself who I always see at all of the obscure waves around here that rarely break. I actually lucked into a two sick ones right off the bat and stuck to big back side full rotations off each. The beauty of Sharks is that after the first section the wave bends 90 degrees around the point and sets up an amazing air section. Since it was small and a bit high for a connection I took full advantage. It could have been a sick little surf. Of course the wind decided to come up hard out of the south and wrecked everything. After about fifteen minutes of hard south it became steadily unsurfable. a somewhat usual occurrence at Sharks. Sorry no photo since its quite a hike to the spot from the where I park.
1-23-15 No Surfing: 1-3 ft
Small scale on the buoys and more high tide. I got lazy and hit the snooze button. When I woke up again it was 9:30. I had a look around town but it was too small yet for any of those spots. I probably could have found waves some where along sea cliffs. What the fuck is wrong with me lately?
1-22-15 No Surfing: 2-3 ft
Tide was super high at 9am and swell was definitely on the down turn. I couldn’t get motivated thus I stayed in bed with my girl till I had to go to work. I just cant get back into surfing bad waves. I need to find some surf motivation and fast.
1-21-15 PM Session: 4-6+ ft, Jalama
Time in Water: 2 hrs
Waves Surfed: 15
You win some and you lose some. Today has to be filed under the loss category for me. If I didn’t go then I definitely would never score. Mike and I headed up to Jalama with hopes of getting Redemption fun. Of course the tide was so high when we got there that we could not even walk to the spot. The ocean was literally up to the cliffs creating a frustrating impasse. We hung out for about an hour and a half in the parking lot waiting till it got low enough. By noon the tide had receded enough and the journey began. We got to the reef and it was far from it’s best days, but it was breaking and since it is always about twice as big as it looks out there I paddled. Sure enough my first wave was well over my head. I don’t know if the swell was too west or period too short, but it just wasn’t hitting the reef right. Then the tide dropped out super fast leaving me out the back with a line up that was borderline not surf-able. I snagged a bomb of a left to get out knowing that the left was all sand after the take off allowing for a safe passage back to shore. I don’t really think it was all that good any place today.
1-20-15 PM Session: 6-8+ ft, Hollywood
Time in Water: 2 hrs
Waves Surfed: 16
I woke up this morning with high hopes of getting an early shoot at Hammonds with Bizarro. Of course it was foggy so shooting was out and when I got to Hammonds it was crowded and barely waist high. Over it I ran some errands, got some bagels then went home where I pissed off for about two hours waiting out the tide. My next hope of the day was to get Naples, but that steadily went out the window when Lead Better was barely waist high. I went south thinking I might be able to get some at Rincon. The wind was bad, swell average, how crowded could it be? Very, apparently. Both lots and the street were full, when that happens unless I luck into a spot in the front lot I bail. Little Rincon was crowded and shitty, Pitas the same. I checked to Solimar outer reet, but that also had like ten guys on it and was small. Ten guys on the Solimar outer reef!!!???! WTF. I got a call from Ryan claiming his boy Bruce said that Hollywood was on. With no other options Oxnard bound I was. I got to Hollywood and it was solid overhead to double overhead at La Brea. I saw a few heads out at Little Sunset and paddled. It was a bit of a goose chase out there and close out dodge, but there were also some real gems. I got some bombs. Jalama tomorrow.
1-19-15 No Surfing: 3-4 ft
I woke up feeling like shit. I was feverish and had a terrible headache. It as all foggy out and the buoys seemed small. Rather then force the issue I slept in so that I could make it to work. I can afford to take any more days off this month. Tomorrow I am off and I hope to kick off a new surfing roll.
1-18-15 No Surfing: 3-4 ft
My girl stayed over again and as a result I overslept and missed my surf time. I heard I didn’t miss much and I enjoyed being entangled with her for a few more hours.
1-17-15 No Surfing: 3-5+ ft
My girl stayed over last night and I decided rather then kick her out early so I could go battle Saturday crowds and get all frustrated I be better off just spending the morning holding her in bed. Things are going really well for us. Its funny how one can really learn to appreciate another despite the past. I am glad she is back in my life and I am sorry I let so many outside influences in my life allow me to feel otherwise. I am going to surf tomorrow and then get back on a roll.
1-16-15 PM Session: 2-3+ ft, Naples
Time in Water: 1.5 hrs
Waves Surfed: 22
I woke up with a fever and muscle aches again this morning. I had the chills, followed by hot flashes it sucked. I called in sick to work for obvious reasons. Around 2 pm I got out of bed and fed a very patient Alfie. Trevor called and said he wanted to surf. I actually wasn’t feeling terrible and thought maybe the sea air would do me some good. Bizarro grabbed his camera and we decided to head out to Naples. I was not in the mood for crowds in my weakened state. It was far from epic and a bit on the inconsistent side. We had the Crack Peak all to ourselves for an hour before another dude joined us. He was super respectful of us having first rights to the spot and there was plenty for all of us anyhow. I was weak but it felt refreshing to get back into the water again.
1-15-15 No Surfing: 3-5+ ft
Still trying to get over the flu I opted to sleep in and try to make it to work. Although dragging I did make it through the day. When I got home I was so exhausted I collapsed. I get the flu once every three years and I always hate it when I do.
1-14-15 No Surfing: 2-3 ft
I actually did make an attempt to surf today. I even drove all the way down to Ventura Harbor to meet Mike. Of course the wind had come onshore hard enough to make River Mouth not surf-able and New Jetty was tiny. The tide was too low for Emma and too small for the points. I noticed that the “tall ships” were in port so I decided I would take a look see. “Tall ships” my ass! My dick was bigger then the TWO two mast schooner replica’s that were hardly replicas in dock. What a fucking let down. I had been reading signs about the “tall ships” coming for the last two weeks. Then they get here and it was literally a boner killer. Don’t waste your time. I could have forced a surf, but still feeling under the weather I opted to go home instead. More swell is coming and I would rather be ready for it in full steed.
1-13-15 No Surfing: 3-4 ft
I was going to try and force a surf today just to get the blood flowing. I called Ryan to see what the deal was. He said it was pretty average and although predicted to stay off shore all day the wind had already switched to onshore. Over it I decided to give myself one more day of healing. Truthfully I still felt really fucking sick. My joints all ached and I had a terrible headache, though my lungs felt better and my fever subsided. Tomorrow I am going to hopefully feel well enough to get a few waves.
1-12-15 No Surfing: 3-4 ft
I don’t really understand how the Cstreet surf report keeps saying 3-4 ft waves. The came looks chest high at best and the buoys certainly don’t indicate anything of the sort. It didn’t mean a rats ass for since I was terribly ill all day yesterday. Fever, cough, head ache, joint aches, the mother fucking works. I hate being sick. At least Bizarro was nice enough to bring me soup.
1-11-54 No Surfing: 3-4 ft
Last night Bizarro and I went to Fancytown and what ensued was the usual shenanigans of drunken debauchery. Bizarro some how ended up in Ventura at an after party and I met a friend and cruised home. Ryan called around 9am and said I wasn’t missing much thus I decided to stay in.
1-10-15 No Surfing: 3-4 ft
It was my first day back at work. I woke up with my girl, it was raining and the wind was south. Over it I decided to get some well deserved sleep and snuggle time in. The first day back at work was more of the same shit. Its a job right?
1-9-15 PM Session: 2-4+ ft, Pitas
Time in Water: 2.5 hrs
Waves Surfed: 30
Perhaps attempting to drink till the sun came up with Bizarro was not the best idea in the world. I guess I passed out around 5am, not before spilling red wine all over my iphone. Lucky for me it still works. Then Bizarro and I got into a scuffle at around 7am cause he was in my bed and I dragged him out by his hair. I woke up at one and headed to the beach. The was a bit too stiff out of the SW to make the beaches all that fun. Ryan and I went up to Pitas where we met up with Gordo for a hope it gets better session. The tide was a bit high and swell still on the small side. I surfed my way down to Faria where I found a some real gems. Unfortunately word got out and it got a tad too crowded for the inconsistent sets on offer. I can scrap with the best of them and definitely got my share.
1-8-15 PM Session: 2-3 ft, Santa Clara River Mouth
Time in Water: 2 hrs
Waves Surfed: 38
Last night we cruised out for Relaspe Wednesday cause well…it was a perfectly good Wednesday, don’t judge. There were lots of other alcoholics there. I slept in knowing the surf was going to be down figuring on either an afternoon Jalama run or Ventura Harbor. I decided to give the apartment a good cleaning. No one has really done that since my girl moved out. It was about time I took matters into my own hands. Bizarro and I rolled to the River Mouth considering all the buoys were reading was south swell. We got there and the tide was a bit high, but there was some cool lighting and I saw a few nuggets on the sand bars. Sure enough there were some solid ones with no one out. We got some crazy shots and it was a fun ass session.
1-7-15 PM Session: 3-4+ ft, Jalama
Time in Water: 2 hrs
Waves Surfed: 25
Bizarro and I decided to pull a Jalama hat trick and were glad we did cause it was on today. The funny thing is the buoys were reading shit and the cam was skeptical as well. With nothing better to do we rolled and what we reaped was pure reward. It was oil glass and solid chest to head high with bigger sets and no one out. I started at Tarantellas, but the left was too soft for my liking and the right was not really doing what it had been previous days. I noticed a sand bar about fifty yards off the reef that was pumping out lefts. Although a tad bit on the shifty side I found some real nuggets. We managed some sick shots and enjoyed quite the beautiful sunset.
1-6-15 PM Session: 2-3+ ft, Jalama
Time in Water: 2 hrs
Waves Surfed: 26
Given the small swell left on tap Bizarro and I rolled to Jalama again in the hopes of finding something to surf. It was a bit smaller then yesterday and more inconsistent, but sets at Tarantellas were still pushing head high with only one guy out. The left was still a bit on the soft side so I focused on the right once again. It was far from epic, but I found a few. The water had some type of sedimentary film on the top of it that was causing the sun glare to be almost unbearable. Overall it was just a really nice day at the beach. The air temps have finally gotten back to where they should be. We did some cliff caving to limited results. Then it was up to Lompoc for a meal at the Jalama Beach Cafe, which once again did not disappoint. Unfortunately when we got home there was evidence that Sean had decided to break into our house. He decided to steal a bottle of Bombay that had less then a drink of gin left in it and Bizarro’s box of Christmas chocolates. So, now for the first time in the history of the Palace we are under lock and key.
1-5-15 PM Session: 3-4+ ft, Jalama
Time in Water: 2.5 hrs
Waves Surfed: 25
Bizarro and I rolled up to the “J” with these two youngsters we have been seeing at the Wild Cat Lately and whom I have been surfing with since they were groms, James and Clay. We got there and it was solid, chest to head plus on set, though a little inconsistent. James and I gave Tarantellas a go, will Clay opted for the beachie. There were a few choice rights and lefts, but the swell was a bit too steep and shifty, coupled with the extreme low tide to make it epic. There were a few too many close outs and sectiony ones for my liking. Still we got a few shots. Then I gave the beach break at Cracks a go just before dark to try and get some cool sunset lighting shots. A day at Jalama is always a good idea. Today’s lineup photo is courtesy of Christopher Dunlea.
1-4-15 No Surfing: 1-2 ft
More small surf and bit too much time in Fancytown had me grateful that my parents are still good Christians and were busy with church till 11 am giving me plenty of extra time to crash. Yesterday I took them up to Jamala and the Guadelupe dunes capping the day off with a fine dinner at the Jalama Beach Cafe in Lompoc. Today we decided to go to the Goleta Freight Train Museum, Lake Carneros and Ellwood Park to see the butterflies. We came home and wanted to watch the film “Chef”, which my parents had gotten for me and I had yet to watch. Sean was watching “Walk the Line” so we joined him. He proceeded to talk through the entire film and be annoying. I was already pissed off with him for making fun of the way my suits fit at Breakfast and we all know you don’t make fun of an Italian man’s clothes. Check out a blog I wrote a few years ago addressing this subject in detail: “Clothes Make the Man“. After movie my parents went off to bed and Bizarro and I were getting ready for the Wild Cat, when Sean decides to insult the club and us for going there all the time. For me this was the last straw. The dude is living on my couch, as a result of my benevolence, I don’t really like him and was just doing him a favor. He should be kissing my feet, not insulting me. I lost it, drew my samurai swoard and kicked his ass out. “You leave now or I take your head”. Good ridden to another piece of human trash. In away one could say I took out the trash.
1-3-15 No Surfing: 1-2 ft
The buoys looked smaller then I have ever seen in my life out here. I mean all the local channel buoys were literally 1 ft all around and Havest was a pathetic 3 ft of combined swell. Couple that with a 6ft high tide at 6 am and I was not about to run down and try to sneak in a session before spending the day with my parents. El Nino needs to wake the fuck up again.
1-2-15 AM Session: 1-3 ft, Santa Clara River Mouth
Time in Water: 1.5 hrs
Waves Surfed: 24
Rinse, wash and repeat. More of the same bar surf. Trevor and I met up and walked to this bank I have been scouting near Mc Grath. Ryan and I scored it a few days ago and I really wanted to see if it was still there. Turns out it was though the wave was running a bit fast and a tad more sectiony today. All that meant for me was that I had an air section to toy with. I had some good ones, though by far it was the weakest day of this small run yet. I found a bunch of awesome sea glass on the walk back that pumped me up. My parents are in town at the moment and staying with me. So awesome…
1-1-15 PM Session: 2-3 ft, Santa Clara River Mouth
Time in Water: 1.5 hrs
Waves Surfed: 29
Well New Years Eve went down about as expected, mostly let down and way too much effort. Still Bizarro and I threw a good party despite the exuberant amount of money it took to make such happen. Whatever, it was the first NYE I have been able to remember in a long time and maybe that is why it is a let down. Things always seem better when your blacked out. I got up around 1 pm and decided to meet Trevor down at River Mouth for a surf. It was more of the same that we have been surfing. Average yet kill-able bar surf. I was in the zone and killing it. Stuck two tweaked out fs air reverses. Bizarro was shooting and I think we got some keepers though we have yet to review them.
How Do you get to naples chris? I am very familiar with the area but never accessed naples by land.
There are three access points to Naples. I feel a little guilty giving them away. I will however give you the general run down. The most obvious is to walk the beach up from Haskells though this is the longest way to get there and access on high tide is impossible. Another way is to park in a sort of illegal ranch access road that is no longer in use. You can find entry off the 101 north bound side. Drive to the northern most part of the road and follow the trail. You will have to run across both sides of the 101 and squeeze through a small hole in the fence. At that point there are many little trails which only two actually lead to the spot. Finally you can park at Dos Pueblos Ranch on the street just off the exit and walk across that property to the cliff then climb down to the beach. That is all the info I am at liberty to give. Good luck
Hey Chris, I found naples and scored it today (3-5 and glassy…. I was the only one out). We have it wired… there is kind of a old weathered down barbed wire fence that you can jump over, and then you walk this road that leads you to the tracks where you hop two more fences and then there is a little eroded area where you can crawl down to the beach through the crack.
It was actually pretty good, I was stoked we were the only ones out… the swell today seemed to be hitting only a few select places. Drove up to Jalama and the wind picked up hard out of the NW right as I parked which sucked. Came back down hoping on that the swell might inch into El Cap or Poison Oak but it didn’t unfortunately. I finally decided to check Naples with a pair of binoculars from Rancho Embarcadero rd. and it looked doable. Really stoked… first good session out there.
Chris you have to make some new posts 😀