Box of Chocolates (HMB Jetty)

"Mama always said life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get." -Forrest Gump

Surf is like a box of chocolates too. Especially when you drive to the beach in the dark, you don't know what you're going to find when you get there. But with the local buoy showing rising NW groundswell, I was pretty sure there would be some waves to play on, big or small, and in that I was not disappointed.

The main peak looked very backwashy on the high tide, and I paddled out alone farther down the beach. Luke had said he'd join me shortly, and as I kooked up my first few waves, I looked to shore hoping he hadn't yet arrived to see them. Finally I got into a nice little left, and my down-to-fumes stoke tank began to refill. 

J-Bird, Jacob and Luke waiting for waves

Luke arrived, followed soon by J-Bird and a little while later by her slower husband Jacob. The only thing better than a solo surf session is a session with just a few buddies. The waves were sloshy, but I didn't get queasy despite having skipped taking Dramamine. I'm hopeful that I'm over my seasick phase.

The waves were variously funky, shifty, backwashy, doubled-up, mushy, steep, open-faced, closed out, kind of every which way, but each of us got a few nice rides. We were amazed to hear die-hard longboarder Jacob say that he needed a shorter board than his usual 9-something-footer, "just in these conditions."

My best wave was a shoulder-high right. With the crest breaking beside me as I popped up, I turned immediately onto the face and made a few tentative turns up and down before it either mushed out too much or I got too high and lost it, probably the later. Then there was a head-high wave that jacked up steep as my feet found my board and I air-dropped - woo! - before crash-landing at the bottom. I wish I could rewind both of those waves for a do-over, but they were still fun. Some sweet chocolates in the box today, and I enjoyed sharing them with my friends!

Surfline: Fresh, new WNW swell moved in overnight and will top out/hold through the day today. The surf is a little slow for the dawn patrol due to an early near 6' high tide but better spots still hit head high+ on sets while standouts go bigger. Expect it to be inconsistent for a bit longer this morning as well. Mostly clean conditions prevail with light morning winds. (Wave) SWELL: 9.2 ft at 17.4 s NW 17 / WIND WAVE: 3.3 ft at 6.2 s NW / WVHT: 9.8 ft / APD: 10.3 s / MWD: 310° (Met) WSPD: 14 kn / GST: 17 kn / WVHT: 9.8 ft / DPD: 17.0 s / WDIR: 320° / ATMP: 51° F / WTMP: 52° F. Tide: 6' falling to 5'.