Snakes, Hogs and Solitude (Hook/Sharks/Privates)

I've worked almost 40 hours this week already through Wednesday, including nearly 15 hours straight yesterday. That earned me a morning off - that, and the fact that I may need to work all night tonight. Cats and trains kept me from sleeping in, and there's swell in the water, so but of course I would go surf. It's powerfully windy all along the San Mateo County coast, so a drive to sheltered Santa Cruz was in order.

The Hook

When I checked the Hook there were only a few surfers on it. 38th Ave had a bigger pack with a bunch of janitors in the mix, and looked less clean. I couldn't pass up uncrowded Hook with fun almost head-high waves rolling through, even if they were a bit sectiony and closing out at times, but by the time I paddled out, a bunch more surfers had filled in the lineup. I caught a few but one shortboarder kept snaking me on nearly every wave, so I started to move east. There were only a couple guys out at Sharks when I headed that way, yet again, by the time I reached the lineup, more had joined. (Don't these people have jobs?!) I caught a few more, but several wave-hog longboarders weren't leaving anything for me farther inside on my 7'0", or for anyone else. I realized I had to make my own space, and stroked eastward to Privates where I found a private peak, just me and the sea. Then I got my wave of the day, a nice chest-high right with a long shoulder that I worked through a reform. The offshore wind picked up, pushing me off the back of an unfortunate number of waves as I tried to get over the lip. Determined, I forced all my weight against the nose of my board to hold it down and got another smaller but nice ride. Stoked!

Surfline: Healthy WNW-NW (280-315) groundswell mix holds steady as new SW (200-215) groundswell builds further this afternoon, with mainly chest-head high plus surf at well exposed spots, while top breaks are going overhead. Rising WNW winds in the early afternoon for a building bump at exposures. Buoy 46012: (Wave) SWELL: 8.5 ft at 13.8 s NW 29 / WIND WAVE: 4.9 ft at 7.1 s NW / WVHT: 9.8 ft / APD: 7.9 s / MWD: 316° (Met) WSPD: 16 kts / GST: 17 kts / WVHT: 9.8 ft / DPD: 14.0 s / WDIR: 320° / ATMP: 48.2° F / WTMP: 51.6°. Tide: 0.5' rising to 1.5".