"Stay happy and you'll be perfectly fine" - Jack Norris

Postcard from Cali and a few thoughts about Sydney surf outlook too

Hello Friends, Through a fog of jet lag, your correspondent can report that surf conditions between LA and Ventura were not wildly dissimilar to what your’re seeing in Sydney today. Although there were healthy crowds at places like Malibu and California Street in Ventura, wave faces were in the knee to waist (at best) range. […]

Silver and Gold (The Hook)

Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver, and the other, gold. -Girl Scout songA regular surf buddy enhances a session in many ways. I get to surf lonely spots, or bigger spots, where I wouldn’t have the courage to paddle out alone. A buddy …

Yawn Patrol (Linda Mar)

Yesterday afternoon I had to drive down to westside Santa Cruz to pick up my 7’0″ after Ward Coffey fixed a few dings. I was hoping to get in a surf after, but only the main peak and occasionally the adjacent one were working at Steamer Lane; everywher…

Morning with Magic (HMB Jetty)

Yesterday I dropped off my 7’0″ Emm with shaper Ward Coffey to have a few minor dings repaired. This morning I brought my longboard and low expectations to the coast, and found some clean fun little waves at the Jetty. The lulls were long and it took m…

Rolling with Rocky (HMB Jetty)

Last night when I slid my 7’0″ Emm into the boardbag, I noticed a small ding near the tail rail. I’m guessing it involved an unfortunate encounter with a barely submerged rock when I got knocked down in the shallows at Cowells last week, although I…

Rolling with Rocky (HMB Jetty)

Last night when I slid my 7’0″ Emm into the boardbag, I noticed a small ding near the tail rail. I’m guessing it involved an unfortunate encounter with a barely submerged rock when I got knocked down in the shallows at Cowells last week, although I…

First In (HMB Jetty)

Another weekday session was called for ahead of this weekend’s forecast strong winds. I was the first to paddle out this morning, just before 6 am, but was immediately joined by taciturn Dan. With a mix of swells in the water, the surf was confused, wi…

Welcome Back! Have an Ice Cream Headache (HMB Jetty)

After last week’s tropical surf morsels, I was itching to put on my wetsuit and plunge back into the chilly waters of NorCal. Although I was first in the lot at the Jetty shortly past dawn, a longboarder who came rubberized beat me into the water. Luke…

Beachbreak Fun (Pinetrees)

Disillusioned with the south shore of Kauai, as crowded as Santa Cruz and not half as pretty, I decided to try the north coast since small swells were running toward both the top and the bottom of the island. Hanalei Bay, aka Bali Hai, is one of the mo…

Short and Cold (HMB Jetty)

The surf wasn’t half bad for a dawn desperation session following Sunday’s skunking, although I think I ended up doing more rolling than riding. I made a near head-high drop on one wave but tripped over the nose at the bottom. The ride down…