Quantity Not Quality (Linda Mar)

Despite careful evaluation of the forecast and available reports, I wasn't expecting Kelly to be shortboardable this morning. Alas, I'd brought Nemo and not Rocket.

Kelly

The Jetty was sucking sand and breaking near shore, and Montara looked choppy as I drove past.

Jetty

I ended up at Linda Mar. After riding some weak waves at Boatdocks that fell apart in uncomfortably shallow water over seagrass-covered reef, I moved more northward, where I picked up some slightly more energetic lefts and rights.

Linda Mar

Paddling a bit farther north on my way to a different peak (since the next one always looks better), I turned quickly and caught a left, getting a short shoulders. As I came up to a section, the whitewater belatedly revealed a kook bellyboarding on his WaveStorm, perpendicular to my path. I tried to turn up to miss him, but Nemo's Pro Teck fins ran him over, and I was dragged shoreward by my leash entangled with his as he kept on straight toward the beach. First question: Are you OK? Yes. Second question: Did you see me on that wave? No, not at all. I suggested as nicely as I could that it's always a good idea to look both ways before taking off on a wave. Fortunately, no harm was done to either of us or our boards.

That's a contaminated water sign on the right. How nice.

Unlike yesterday's infrequent quality waves in Capitola, today was all about quantity. Few shoulders to play on, but a lot of rides. As I walked back on the beach, some tourists asked to pose with me and my surfboard for photos, and then shook my wet hand. Nemo's going to be famous in Hong Kong.

Surfline: 1-2 ft occ. 3 ft, poor to fair conditions. Crumbly, soft, broken up lines working through this morning as the tide drops. Occasional marginal ends for a big board. Small mid period WNW (300-310) swell slowly eases today, mixing with old NW windswell and Southern Hemi swell. Better breaks are good for knee-waist-chest high surf, with some rare slightly larger sets for top breaks. Winds are light/variable onshore from the WSW-West with some residul texture/warble from yesterdays onshore flow, but there are still some rideable waves to be had. Buoy 46026: (Wave) SWELL: 3.6 ft at 7.1 s WNW 80 / WIND WAVE: 3.6 ft at 5.9 s NW / WVHT: 4.9 ft / APD: 5.2 s / MWD: 302° (Met) WSPD: 14 kn / GST: 16 kn / WVHT: 4.9 ft / DPD: 7.0 s / ATMP: 54° F / WTMP: 55° F. Tide: 3.5' rising to 4.'