Any Wave in a Drought (HMB Jetty)

This year hasn't started out well surfwise. It's almost the end of the month, and counting today, I've only surfed 3 times. On the first session I hurt my arm, and the second was likely where I contracted a bacterial infection, Montezuma's Revenge without the Mexican vacation, that laid me low for more than a week. Then California was pounded by "a siege of storms," as the New York Times put it, which made the surf wild and dirty. The rains finally stopped early yesterday and are due to start up again imminently, so I just had to get wet this morning.

The empty Jetty looked hungover, still disorganized and sloppy, and the water had an unhealthy red-brown hue. But there were a few shoulders showing and the wind was light. Plus I hadn't surfed in 15 long days, so it looked good (enough) to me. Walking out, I found the high wave action has rearranged the bottom, exposing rocks, building sandbars and digging trenches. I hadn't realized how weak and unconditioned I am after my illness, but I lacked the strength to fight to the outside. I gave up and caught inside whitewater reforms, riding a couple badly and then nailing a fine right. The current kept sucking me south until I reached a spot with easy outside access, but the shoulders were shifty and elusive, and my strength was about spent. I bodyboarded in to the rock-studded beach with a smile on my face. Ah, I feel much better now!

Surfline: Surf from W swell was still good size today, but definitely down from the past few days. Wind was fairly light out of the S/SE and many breaks picked up at least head high waves, while top breaks were up to double overhad in the morning.