President's Day Dispatch

Between an 8:00 high tide, uncertain winds and conflicting swell forecasts, it was difficult to know what to expect for President's Day.  No call went out, but Ghattas and I agreed to meet at 9:00.  

However, even as I was crossing the tracks from the lot, there was definite promise.  A breeze from the SE was combing a shoulder-high set.

Textured outside, the surface was glassy, glossy in the hazy sunlight, inside.  A couple of sticks shared the Main Peak with Casey, who is floating on the right below.

The tide was keeping it a bit fat, but there was a bit of size and the sandbar at the Peak was creating corners to ride.

Check the picture below - best in high-rez by clicking on it.  The bowling effect of the sand bar at the main peak is clear, as the ridge of the swell snakes out in the middle, then back in further south, with another bar jutting out just beyond.  Part of what makes SCSP so consistent.

Mark had arrived and we quickly suited and entered, north of the Peak, with the intent of drifting south as we caught the rights coming in off the NW swell.  It was surprisingly chilly at first, sharpened by the chill wind.  But sets were coming in pretty regularly, chest to head high, and for a while there was little competition in the water.  

Gradually, though, the sticks filled in .  This day, there was a fairly narrow take off zone, so for those of us who are less mobile, sans floatation devices, the pickings were growing slim.  So, after an hour or so, we moved south of the rocks and Mark worked the area in front of LG stand 1, while I roamed between the rocks and Mark.  Perhaps a tad less ideal shape than back at the Peak, that was compensated by the opportunity to pick & chose any wave.

The sun never really broke through the thin cloud cover, and the breeze gradually shifted to the south, but conditions, and swell, held up pretty well through 1-3/4 hours of another more than decent day at the Park.  Afterwards, surf scouts still lingered atop the bluffs above the parking lot as more & more fiberglass joined the growing crowd in the water.