Wave Quest (Montara & Casi Miramar)

Church of Surf this Sunday was tentative planned for the Jetty, with potentially Manabu, Perrin, and J-Bird, Jacob, and Chris meeting me there. I left early to beat the MAMIL (middle-aged men in lycra) heading over the hill in a cycling race, and found the Jetty clean with a sideshore breeze, although small and inconsistent. Since I had a little time, I surf-checked Dunes as well; it was bigger there but marginally-shaped with a steady onshore wind, and the weather forecast suggested it would soon be blown out. I drove back to the Jetty, where half-suited Manabu thought Miramar might offer a middle compromise. While he checked it, I suited up. He reported it was better but someone there had suggested a check of Montara. So I phoned J-Bird, who gave an on-the-spot report that Montara looked good and we should drive up there.

Chris, Jacob and J-Bird, with Manabu suggesting "Over there?"

By some bizarre twist of weather and topology, winds at Montara were light. The waves were much bigger, and Chris and I watched as J-Bird, Jacob and Manabu attempted to paddle out through the whitewater. After a few minutes of watching them struggle, I realized I would never make it out that way. Using my brain instead of brawn I don't possess, I used a nearby rip to get outside. Jacob joined via the same path a little later, reporting that they'd been denied at their first entry spot.

Montara, looking easier than it was

The waves were bigger than the estimate J-Bird had proffered in the parking lot, and as I reached the lineup, I saw one of the few other guys out make a nice overhead drop on a right. Beginner Perrin was running late, and I sincerely hoped she wouldn't attempt to come out. I tried for a few waves, but wasn't in the right spot to get into them. Then I got caught inside on a set, ditching my board and diving deep, only to be dragged and spun shoreward by two waves. My wrist, elbows, and out-of-condition-due-to-injury body aren't up to such a bigger-wave thrashing, so when the third one broke outside of me, I rode the whitewater near shore, paddling over the trench to set my feet on the steep beach. Perrin was there, having already prudently decided to stay dry, and sand-encrusted J-Bird said she wanted to go somewhere else after being thoroughly worked on both the outside and inside.

Almost Miramar

So, back to Miramar. Or what we though was Miramar, in front of the beachside restaurant by the same name. Manabu had told me about it, but none of the rest of us had actually surfed there, and he arrived after us to surf the actual Miramar while we made the best of Casi (almost) Miramar.

The waves still packed some power but were under head high. There was a good deal of chop and many closeouts, but I got a few fun lefts on Rocket.

J-Bird and Perrin waiting for waves

The sermon at the Church of Surf was better last Sunday (although Jacob said he liked today's "fire and brimstone" beginning), but it was still fun to surf with my friends and good to be back on my shortboard.

Surfline: NW wind/groundswell mix gradually fades as new South-SSW(175-190) starts to move in late. Onshore Westerly wind prevails with bumpy/crumbly conditions for most areas as surf runs chest-head high+. The tide hit a -1.6' low around 4:30am and climbs to a 4.9' high at 11:30am. Buoy 46012: (Wave) SWELL: 5.3 ft at 12.1 s WNW 41 / WIND WAVE: 1.3 ft at 4.2 s NW 40 / WVHT: 5.6 ft / APD: 7.3 s / MWD: 286° (Met) WSPD: 10 kn / GST: 12 kn / WVHT: 5.6 ft / DPD: 12.0 s / WDIR: 310° / ATMP: 54° F / WTMP: 53° F. Tide: 3' rising to 4.5' high.