Waist-High and Knee-Deep (HMB Jetty)

Spring seems to have arrived early, and I struggled to find a pre- or post-work slot this week with a chance for decent surf conditions. This is the last week before the government messes with our minds by moving the clocks forward an hour so I'd wanted to get in one last dawn patrol, but the morning tides are too low. Today looked like the best shot for a sunset session, with forecast light winds and a little swell in the water. Unfortunately the meteorologists let me down once again, and Dunes was blown out by a NW wind, leaving the Jetty as the only option.

Lots of other folks knew the Jetty would be sheltered too, and there was a good crowd on small surf when I arrived. The waves were only about waist high and generally lackadaisical. I found a less packed peak than the main one, and caught a couple of fun medium-long rides, plus a bunch of meh ones. At the end of one of the better waves, I fell in water that was much shallower than I realized, smacking my knee on the sand. It's a bit sore yet.

Not a great session by any means, but I put a few dollars' worth of stoke in my tank, enough to keep it from running dry. (Although with the current prices, it was probably more like $10 worth.) And it took me away from everyday concerns, forcing me to focus on the here and now and quieting my busy mind, just what I needed.

Surfline: This afternoon there's a modest mix of leftover NW-WNW (260-300+) swell and small South (170-190) swell, for surf mainly in the waist-chest high zone as top exposures see sets up to head high. Light+ onshores in the early afternoon for semi-clean to textured+ conditions. Buoy 46012: (Wave) SWELL: 5.9 ft at 10.8 s NW 21 / WIND WAVE: 1.3 ft at 3.7 s NW / WVHT: 5.9 ft / APD: 8.0 s / MWD: 304° (Met) WSPD: 10 kts / GST: 14 kts / WVHT: 5.9 ft / DPD: 11.0 s / WDIR: 310° / ATMP: 53.8° F / WTMP: 53.8° F . Tide: 3' falling to 2.5'.