New Northwest Showing.

I was walking around, down by the Hook today. Friend was visiting from out of town and we snacked at Pink Godzilla. New swell is showing in town, almost as much as up at the Miles. The Hook was super clean, and super crowded. About stomach high. Up the point a few head high sets rolled in as we watched from 38th. Nothing huge, but it is showing. A few hours later I surfed up at the Miles and it was about the same. Head high. And there was a crowd there too. Next few days should be fun especially if the wind backs down later in the week. Go out and get some!

The Autumnal Shift.

Morning fog.  South swells.  Full suits.  It must be the middle of summer in Santa Cruz.

Surfer's know it.  So does anyone who makes a life on the sea.  Or in the mountains.  Foliage enthusiast certainly know it.  And yet, so many of us miss the first signals that change is to come.  The fact that I keep my ear tuned to the very first signs of the shift makes me pleased to be a surfer.  I have been noticing it for decades now.  And I can tell you for sure that it is happening now.

It is not too bad.  The Slot delivers a fine wall to carve.

Here in Santa Cruz, summer can be a damp, dreary experience.  Don't get me wrong.  I love the fog.  But my tomatoes don't.  And it can be tiresome at times.  I mean, where else can I get that perfect vitamin D, but from my friend the sun?  I don't fortify, so you can see what I mean.  After spending three weeks on a New England heat spell tour, I can assure you that I also enjoy the idea of going to the beach.  In my board shorts.  But summer here on the Central Coast is a different sort of experience.  It seems to arrive in autumn.  And autumn paid us a visit for about 5 days.  It was pretty nice.  Crisp, clear dawns, followed by warm mornings and hot afternoons.

West Cliff in a shroud.  A perfect morning for the pelican.

And for the surfer, summer can be, well, dull.  Sure, if you are creative, you can surf nearly every day.  This is Santa Cruz after all.  It is rarely truly flat.  Still, you make get reacquainted with a long board after a long winter hiatus.  Every June or so, I pull my Rick out of the shed and lean it against the garage.  And paddle it around a lot.  A few waves are caught as well.  When the winds go slack, you can find surfers scurrying up and down the coast looking for that perfect little set up which will turn a tiny combo into a decent peak.  The diligent, and informed, will find it.  Others wait for a real swell, not bothered by the substandard dribble that fills most summers.  These come from New Zealand, half a world away. They are broadcast a week in advance, so everyone can prepare.  The swell is confirmed a few days in advance from Hawaii and the the day before in San Diego.  And the hordes descend.

Sooner or later, the sun usually breaks through.  Three surfers.  Three different results.

The fog returned a few days ago.  The days before had been glorious.  And a taste of what is to come.  October is the best month.  Sure, the surf was typical small combination of summer wind swell and weak south ground swell.  Barely noticeable.  What set it apart was the weather.  There is nothing quite like standing a top a north coast bluff, looking down on the reef you just sessioned, basking in the warm late morning sun.  And it did not hurt that the winds remained calm through most of the day.  There was something a little different about this swell.  It was a combination of long period south and shorter period north.  It did have the typical wobbly summer wind swell generated just off of Mendocino.  It also had a sign of the shift in it.  Mid period north west swell was mixed in, from a storm that passed through the Gulf of Alaska late last week.  It had a taste of a fall swell.  That storm was followed by another.  As the fog rolled in, so did the first real swell of the season.  In fact, it slammed in.  Call it fog compensation.

The sun can help fill up the line up.  The surf always looks better when it is shining.

In New England, the change is drastic.  The air cools.  It even gets cold.  But it is the leaves that always signal the change.  I often here fellow New England transplants to the Golden State exclaim that the love so many things about California, but that they miss the seasons.  What?  We have seasons here.  There are four.  Wind, Fog, Awesomeness and Rain.  It is not just the sun that makes the fall so awesome around here.  It is everything coming together.  Summer surf is tedious.  The slightest shift in swell angle can mean the difference between head high and flat.  Weeks without any real swell.  Twenty minute waits for two wave sets.  Crowds.  Winds.  Fog.  It is just plain tedious.  With autumn comes the winter swell season.  Consistent big waves with lots of water moving.  No twenty minute waits here.  Hell, sometimes you are just waiting for a lull so that you can paddle out.  Pair that with off shore winds, and the surf options become endless along the Central Coast.  And after you session you can go pick strawberries, apples and plums, all in the same day.  Because it is autumn in California.

While the swell was small last weekend, the autumnal weather brought out the hordes.  Off the top @ the Slot.

The arrival of the first swell is many things to many people.  For the new students in town, it is an eye opener.  For some it is humbling.  For others it is what they came looking for.  Old time locals bark and yell to maintain order in the line up.  For many, it is a signal to put the longboard back in the shed for the winter.  And to pull the guns out and give them a once over before the season shifts into gear.  Some will start riding the 9'0" in head high surf to remember how they trim.  And usually, that first swell will see crowds in town.  What am I saying?  There are always crowds in town.

More sunny day, small swell action fun.  This same location a few days later would be a washing machine.

As is typical, the hype over this current swell perhaps eclipsed the actual impact.  Thursday awoke to some large size.  The better breaks were seeing waves push the double over head range, while the most spots were pushing a few feet over head.  The swell was a bit warbled, but alas, there were waves to be had.  Hundreds flocked to the protected points of Santa Cruz, and the frenzy began.  There was definitely a fair amount of heckling and general noise coming from the Slot lineup.  Just the old guard being sure to let the newbies know who is in control of the point.  But for the most part, the mood was light, and people were stoked to see that the North Pacific had awakened from its long summer slumber.

The first large swell of the season brings out the surfers, gawkers, peanut gallery and photogs.  Middle Peak.

So the shift has come.  We have started to see that fog break away and be replaced by glorious sunshine. We have seen the first of the north swell arrive and make us forget that there is even south swells in the water (yes, there was one hidden under this).  And today we are seeing the first cold front sweep down the coast and brushing us with a chance of rain and drizzle.  Not fog drizzle, but the actual real stuff.  Chances are things will get back to awesomeness real soon and stick around for a while.  Enjoy October.  Enjoy the sun, and enjoy the waves.  Because as we move toward the Thanksgiving holiday, we can expect to make the slow shift to winter.  Still a good time of year, but a whole lot more wet.

The day after the arrival of the swell, things lined up at the Lane.  Traffic was thick at the Slot.

More pics from the last swell here.

North West Swell #1. Steamer Lane, Santa Cruz.

The first swell of the fall/winter season arrived in Santa Cruz on Thursday, September 22.   That is just about on time.  Some may say a little late.  Some may say a little early.  Regardless, the NPAC is open for business and has been sending us waves for days.  And the next week looks good as well.  This first one showed at about 8.5 feet @ 16 seconds from 310 degrees.

Middle Peak eluding everyone.  

Thursday was a bit jumbled.  Waves were hard to pick off, but the few that were caught sure looked like fun.  I did not get a whole lot of pics, as my son had others interests, such as a diaper change, bottle feed and a good long cuddle home.

The rights were short and into the channel, but easier to pick off.  Overhead for sure.

The lefts were a bit harder to find.  This guy taking off just a bit too deep.  Still a fun drop.

The Slot had the most lined up waves.  This was average.  Some were thick.  Solid thick.

By friday morning things had settled down just a bit.  The current mellowed, so people could better hold their position.  At 9:30 the line up looked pretty thin.  By 10:30 it looked like an L.A. freeway.

Lots of folks enjoying the Lane in different ways.  It seems the swell also improved the fishing.

The best waves, and the best surfing, still seemed to be happening at the Point and Slot.

The left at Middles was a bit more manageable.  Still many eluded the crowds.

A few were down by Indicators, but most of the action was further up the point.

A series of out of focus off the tops.  The inside was offering up some nice lips to play with.

More inside action.

People were working the entire wave when they finally picked one off to themselves.

Inside Middles had plenty of fun waves.  It averaged three surfers to the peak.  One right.  One left.  One screwed.

The fog began to roll back in around 11AM, keeping the waves nice and glassy.

And keeping the lineup nice and full.  This was perhaps a 20% of the crowd.

The best action was happening at the Slot, with a well defined wall and an aggressive crew.

Dueling lip crushing.  It was tough to get a wave to yourself.  Or not get snaked if the crew did not know your face.

This guy snuck into a nice one and went looking for a cover up.

Just another day is (cold water) paradise.

Surfers were not the only ones enjoying the swell.

This has been a good start.  I was down in Asilomar over the weekend.  Both days had swell.  Saturday had a bit of bump on it, but really cleaned up for a sunset session at the Dunes.  Sunday morning was oily glassy with some sweet lefts at Asilomar's north end.  More waves on tap for the week ahead.  The first few days will see subsiding swell heights and period, with a nice bump arriving mid week.  I think it is safe to say that our season has opened.

Elizabeth's is now The Point Market

It was just a few days ago that I posted my piece on Pleasure Point in Santa Cruz and mentioned Elizabeth's Market located right on East Cliff Drive near the top of the Point.  You can't miss it, except now it is called The Point Market. The people who made Elizabeth's so great are still involved, but things have gotten even better, so I thought I should post up.

First of all, they are open all day from 7AM to 8PM with a great offering from their kitchen.  If you need to fuel up in the middle of a surf session, this is the place to go.  No need to pack up the gear and get in the car.  They also have a full selection of beer, wine and soda.  24oz PBR, check.  Prefer something a bit more refined - they got that too.  They are also serving up Santa Cruz Roasting Company coffee, so you know the grinds are good.  What else?  A small selection of grocery store type items including snacks, dogs, mustard, produce and more.  Check it out if you forgot something for your barbecue.

They also sell surf accessories.  Forget the wax or snap a leash?  Stop in at The Point Market.  They even have an FCS fin key behind the register that you can borrow if you need to switch out your fins.  And coming soon in the adjacent garage will be a surfboard consignment shop.  Snap your fish and the surf is epic?  No worries - you can head in and buy a new stick.  They even have a ATM inside so you can get the cash.  And if you don't want to buy a new board, ask about the rentals.  Coming soon - restrictions will apply (to keep the locals happy of those really good days).

They have a little of everything, so go check them out.  We love this little place, and it is now better than ever.

Pleasure Point. A Place Well Named.

Looking up Pleasure Point at Sewer, 1st and 2nd Peak from 38th Avenue.

It has been a while since I last spent much time over near Pleasure Point.  I lived there for 5 years, on Palisades Avenue, near Lake Moran and the eucalyptus wind break that marks the western border of the point.  But that was nearly a decade ago, and since then it has been a rare moment that I have found myself over on the east side.  It just seemed so far away, and if I am going to get in my car, I mind as well drive to San Francisco or Tahoe even.  But these past few weeks, I have found my self checking out the surf and riding my Rick out at First Peak on a somewhat regular basis.  I even picked off a few good days at Rockview and Sewer Peak early on.  But, then again, this is not really about the surfing.

Small day at Rockview with a good view of the palm.

I think it was on my third day over there, within a week, that I first felt the tinge of nostalgia.  My 39 week pregnant wife and I had just finished a doctor's appointment and were filling the car up with gas when she asked if the Chill Out served breakfast burritos all day.  They certainly do.  A first she claimed it was silly to go "all the way over there," just to fulfill her urge for a damned good breakfast treat.  See, we don't often find ourselves on the east side, because we live on the west side, and those four miles between us often seem insurmountable.  I mean, we have everything we need over here, with good foods, beautiful walks, downtown to our left, west cliff out front, the mountains at our back and the open coast on our right.  But I thought, well I could drive down the point, check out the waves, and be a great husband all at one time.  Plus, as my wife pointed out, the Verve Coffee shop is right next door.

Sewer Peak and Rockview offering up small, punchy peaks.

One thing that we noticed as we sipped on a decaf latte and some truly robust El Salvadorian French pressed goodness (you do need to check their coffee out), is how active the corner of Portola and 41st were just before noon on a Wednesday.  The West Side commercial zones seem to be quite a bit quieter mid day and just not as vibrant.  It may just be the difference between foot traffic and car traffic.  Over on the east side surfers show up after a session at the Hook or the Point for a cup of joe, a perusal of the surf and skate shops, or to grab some mid day sushi.  And then there are all the locals just cruising to Coffeetopia or Pink Godzilla to support the people who have been serving them the goods for decades.  The new sit down Pleasure Pizza is drawing folks across the intersection from the Point as well.  Regardless of their reasons, there were folks out and about on this mid week morning.  Oh, and I had noticed that the surf looked pretty fun out on the point.

Low tide days expose the inner reef adding some whumpf to the session.  Good lined up walls peel through 1st and 2nd Peak.

On my fourth day, I met up with my buddy Eddie on a Saturday morning.  We were at the end of Rockview checking out the surf, and the weekend crowds.  He was not so sure about getting in.  Seven guys here, six over there, and a bunch more down there.  As we watched the crowds grow, his window of opportunity was shrinking, and he admitted that he was suddenly more interested in eating breakfast instead of surfing.  I can understand that, but we did not think we would have time for the Cliff Cafe.  The food is good, but the seating is tight.  So I told him about Paula's, where a basic breakfast of eggs, potatoes and bread, along with a coffee puts you back about $3.50.  Of course, you can add more on to it than that, but it is really not as much about the food as about the atmosphere.  No cell phones allowed.  A stack of Surfer's Journal dating back years.  An old van out front that has a 70's-esque family camping and dining set up inside of it.  And the fact that you need to wait and hour longer for them to open on days when the swell is pumping.  It truly is a throwback to the days of surfer eats shacks.    And it is the type of joint where someone may ask you about your old school board that is sticking out of the back of your truck.  It was the perfect prelude to a fun day of surf.

Pleasure Point is really just a long series of submerged slabs.  This one still has some sinking to do.  Low tide always exposes the coolest parts of the reef.

While I said that I lived over on the Point for several years a way back, that is only kind of true.  I did reside there.  And I did spend plenty of time in the water.  All up in down the point, but mostly out out Sewers.  And even though I got to know plenty of the folks out in the water, and had several good friends that lived in the area, I was never really part of the greater community.  This community is what I have been noticing recently.  A pair of mothers with their five year olds, spending a low tide day on the beach and taking turns in the surf.  Teenagers having a fun, if not romantic, breakfast together at Paula's.  Families, and groups of families walking along East Cliff Drive, watching the surf.  The houses are packed close together forcing you to know your neighbor and making it easy to go next door to borrow some sugar or the clothes dryer when your's break down.  The guy you see in the line up happens to make the best lattes, or own the place you like to get grab a slice.  This, I realize, is one of the things that I like about Pleasure Point.  So in a sense, I guess, I never really lived there, as my life never really became engrained there.  Rather I spent a few years there getting to know the culture and getting a taste of it.  But I never set my roots in, like so many families have done.

Drive to the end of Rockview Avenue, climb down the embankment and you'll be at the top of the point.  Time to search for sea shells and polished stones.

Day 5.  Wow.  I was not really expecting much.  There was a little bit of north wind swell in the water.  But I did not think any of that would be wrapping all the way down and around the corner of the bay and onto the Point.  There was a little bit of south ground swell, but this was only going to be a foot or, at most, two.  What I did not figure in was the perfect combination of two.  Somehow that wind swell made it to the Point, and wedged with the south, offering up fun shoulder high peaks that had a soft take off followed soon by a steep fast wall.  Simply, it was a fun day on the water.  Perhaps it was the perfect tide, or the fact that the crowd was nearly non existent, but my fifth day sealed the deal.  We were expecting our baby any day, and I did not have time to go searching for waves, driving up and down the coast, not making a decision about where to get in.  I needed to make a quick accurate stab and get my hour of water time.  I learned that perhaps one of the best bets during the summer months is my Rick and the Point.  A perfect combination to ensure a few waves and some good paddling.

Small and clean is the name of the game for longboard days.

This past February, my wife and I somehow found ourselves over around the O'neil House, about half way down the point to 41st Ave and The Hook.  Not sure what our plans where, or why we were in the area, but the rain had seemed to stop, and we thought it would be nice to go for a walk.  The tide was out.  Way out, and plenty of beach sand and reef was exposed.  So we headed down the steps, and I realized I had yet to check out the seawall that went in several years ago.  I recall the debate over this structure starting when I lived on Palisades.  Would it ruin the surf?  Or just look plain ugly?  Was it worth the cost?  Not sure how the dust settled over the whole ordeal, but it went in a few years back.  And it looks great.  Blended well into the natural cliffs, with several new stairways leading to the beach (bet the old school locals hated that).  What really stuck out was all the food holds and access points built into the wall, just like what naturally occurs in the Santa Cruz mud stone.  Brilliant.  And seeing that East Cliff Drive is still there, it must be doing its job.  And another plus I have notices recently is how the cliff is no longer a surf board graveyard.  The engineers figured out how to create an eddy to keep boards just off the cliffs.  So it can't be all bad.

February storm clouds roll in over the bay.

We got a little burst of swell and calm winds a few days after our baby's due date, so I headed down to the beaches with some friends and found fun surf.  It was nice, and a bit more of an active type of surfing than First Peak.  Still, when I checked the beaches the next day, it seemed like the chop was back up.  With time short, knowing my wife could go into labor any time, I headed back to the point for day six.  The tide was very low, exposing the reef.  The surf also looked quite small and a bit drained out.  I decided that I should paddle out regardless, as this might be my last chance for quite some time.  Again I was shocked.  Sewer Peak had a legitimate head high wave.  I thought - too bad I did not grab my short board.  Being on my log, I stayed at First and Second Peak, and had just the right amount of challenge.  The tide was allowing the waves to draw up hard on the reef and throw over with some juice.  Another face of the wave, and a bit more demanding than the slow sliders of my last visit.

The Seawall extends all the way down to the green O'neil house.  At low tide the beach extends all they way beyond 41st Avenue

Some day you may find your self over on Pleasure Point checking out the surf and the scene.  Surf bums checking out the waves and critiquing ever ride.  Families strolling East Cliff Drive working on a cup of coffee.  College kids from the midwest paddling out for their first time at 38th.  There is plenty going on both in and out of the water.  And you may start wanting your own cup of coffee, or a breakfast burrito.  No need to get back in the car, as Elizabeth's Market (edit: now it is The Point Market) has a variety of hot and cold food on offer to tide you over until your next meal.  This small, family owned shack of a shop feels just about right, tucked into the curve of the Point.  They even have board wax for sale.  Just get there early, as these guys like to close up shop in the mid afternoon and go for a surf themselves.

Elizabeth's Market has what you need.  Caffeine, Fuel and Wax.

The day my wife went into labor was pretty amazing.  The day before it was a nice 87F at the Farmer's Market in Santa Cruz.  It never really cooled (well, by SC standards) to much that evening and the day broke sunny.  No fog.  Not one iota.  We had a lazy morning, hanging out, talking about what we though was to come soon..  When she headed acupuncture, I headed east.  With my longboard again.  At 9:30 in the morning it was sunny and warm.  Hot even.  I found myself wondering why I had on booties.  Or a full suit even.  The waves were glassy, and just big enough to getting the glide going.  It was not much, but it certainly was fun.  And toasty.  On the way home I got a call from my wife.  She was headed to yoga.  And she had been have contractions since we parted this morning.  Something was about to change.

The seawall and new stairs at the curve in the point makes for easy access.

Today my son is one week old.  Things are going well, and we really feel confident, especially compared to yesterday.  Actually, I am starting to learn that there are going to be good days and not so good days.  With family in town to cook, clean and generally provide support, my wife turned to me and simply said, "go surf."  After just a bit of deliberation, I did as I was told.  With wind on the open water and little to no surf around, I grabbed my Rick and headed east.  And the magic was undeniable.  What was supposed to be a cool foggy day of paddling around flat water quickly changed to warm water, no breeze, hot air and a fun surf kind of morning.  And any sense of tension, apprehension or concern for my new boy was lifted away as I started the cycle of paddle, stand, cruise, paddle.  It really only took an hour for me to start missing my family at home, so I took a few more waves and headed it.  The day was just stellar.

Getting ready for the long paddle out to the peak.

When I started writing this piece, I thought I was writing about nostalgia for a place, but as I worked through it I realized it was something else.  Perhaps it is nostalgia for being a part of a community.  But that cannot be it, because I am a part of a community.  Perhaps it is a metaphor for the feeling "life is good."  Or just maybe, a sunny day over on the Point with good eats and playful surf is just that.  Life is good.  Regardless, it is certainly a spot worth visiting.  Get on over there and paddle out for a few waves. Walk along the beach under the sea wall at low tide.  Search for sea shells and polished stones in the reef.   Walk the path under the eucalyptus along Lake Moran.  Or just swing in somewhere for some tasty grub and a hot cup of Joe.

38th Avenue.  Beginner friendly and a very short paddle out.

Postscript: 

A peak to share in not the most consistent of breaks around the Point. 

Okay.  So I have been planning to go back and treat this like something I would write.  Review, edit, rewrite, revise, whatever.  To make it read well.  But I've learned another thing about fatherhood.  It takes time.  A whole bunch of it.  So, I am going to let it sit how its written.  Our son is now nearly six weeks old.  A lot has changed.  And  lot has been learned.  Much about parenting and little about life.  I think what I was really trying to get to when I thought about the Point is that is not a bad place to bring up a family or be a member of the community.  It is also not such a bad place to catch some waves.  I've been pretty lucky the past five weeks, getting in some good surf from time to time, and finding a number of days to just get out and paddle around.  Many of those days have been at the point.  When the swell has been running, I have tried to ferret out some less crowded and more powerful surf.  Some days with more luck than others.  But when the waves were expected to be marginal, I grabbed the long board and headed east.  And on average, those have been the best surf sessions.

Getting into the surf zone at 38th Avenue.

Perhaps is just simply this.  It is a comfort zone kind of thing.  Several times in the last month I have made plans in the evening, with a buddy, to go surfing the next day.  Wether it was a first light, late morning or early afternoon thing - it never really mattered.  I have learned that I don't make the plans.  My son does.  And I have to live my life around that.  So if I missed the morning glass, or the tide filled in just a bit too much for the place I planned to go, I needed a fall back plan.  Some where that would make me happy.  Give me a sense that it was worth leaving my boy for a few hours.  A guaranteed hit. It never needed to be epic, just fun.  And it took some visits to remember that this could be one of those places.

2nd Peak offers up some long slow rollers, perfect for working on your nose ride.

Season's First Real South Swells Hits Santa Cruz. Yipee.

The season's first real south lights up Steamers Lane in Santa Cruz.

Every summer, central coast surfers wonder if they will be blessed with a few a consistent period of south swells, or if they will be looking north for any meager wind swell because the groundswells from the other hemisphere are not delivering.  March, April and May had seen a little bit of south energy dribbling into Santa Cruz, but not much bigger than thigh high.  Perhaps a few hours of head high surf during the best periods here and there.  Still, that was to be expected when it is really still the end of the winter season up here.  On May 19th, things turned on and a solid 4'+@20 second swell arrived from due south.

One, Two.  Could not decide which shot better gave a sense for the day.

This was the first real south of this season.  What Stormsurf called #1S.  It sure seemed real to those who got a taste of it.  After what had been weeks, or even a month of mostly small and weaker surf, not too many were going to miss this one.  People were ready, and the buzz on the cliff was high.  One woman kept on giggling from excitement whenever a set passed through.  And if the waves were not enough, a whale decided to head out of the bay just 50 yards outside of the line up.  It was a good morning.

A whale  migrating north for the summer adds some extra action to the lineup.

Steamers Lane was looking pretty fun on Thursday morning, with the better sets pushing a solid six feet.  The pack had not really yet gotten on the swell, so there were only twenty surfers or so vying for the peak. A heavy fog and significant warble may have also kept some out of the water, hoping for fair conditions later in the day.  But by the time the sun broke out, the wind had picked up in full force.

Monday still had some waves in the waist to head high range.

The 20th was the peak of this swell, and a modest north 13 second period swell arrived as well.  Things were pumping and most spots were crowded, as strong northwest winds kept most folks surfing in town.  A few points just out of town had decent windblown surf, but you might have preferred to be using a kite.  Still, if you like surfing with just two other people, this was the call.  Town was crowded.  And good.  Rumor had it that on Pleasure Point, waves were starting around First Peak and wrapping all of the way past the stairs.

Just enough juice for those smaller, lighter, quicker groms to get some lift.

Both swells dropped a bit by Saturday with periods running around 12-14 seconds.  Sunday was even smaller, but at the right spots one could still find a few head high waves.  Not to worry though, as reinforcements arrived from the north early Monday morning with some 5'@17 second swell recorded at the deep water buoy.  Again from a northerly angle, so not much of that was making its way into town.  The Lane was still scoring some fun surf with the better sets pushing about chest to head high.

It was pretty windy across the point, but once around the corner, it got smooth.

More south swell should fill in this evening and stick around for a few more days.  Perhaps another smaller on for the holiday weekend.  Another round or two of north swell will fill in through the week.  Those winds may even die down a bit and allow those of us who like to wander, to head up north.  If that happens, we could see some overhead surf.  Hell, with the north swells expected, one could even find good waves down in the bay.  It is looking that May will end on a good note.

More surf on tap through the week.  Not too bad for later May.  Perhaps this summer will be good.