Winter Surf Log 2023/2024

[Tex]

I figure 12/15/23 is a good date to launch the Winter chapter....thank you Doc for the latest report, glad you got some!

[Major Lazer]

Killed a heavy dose of valley rot over the weekend, 3 Fing weeks dry Did luck into a few floating holidays I had to burn before the year end and put on the calendar without really being able to plan around sarf. Pffft new bosman just dont understand. So opted for 2, 3 day weekends, and last weekend was the 1st. Friday was prob my best sesh, but didn't come together until the last few hours of daylight. Tricky swamp high tides, but once it started sucking out what looked to be mundane turned into something quite fun with just a crowd of 4 or 5. Christened Jah Winter Mid, aka Jah Fun Gun. Was def over gunned, but was able to canoe into the biggest set waves, get in deep, and blast though multiple sections. Don't think I've ever seen this wave throw little barrel sections like it was and saw a guy pull into one of the most legit pits I've ever seen there and even found 3 or 4 peek a boo's myself. Board went well in HHish and even lesser sized walls and quite maneuverable for a 7-2.

Sat drove and hiked around for a bit looking for a channel and something holding a swell that seemed bigger then the buoys were indicating. Jumped out again for the suck out and last few hours light after watching it all afternoon. A bit jumbled but was starting to clean up. 6'-8' and perfect for testing new board. Solo dolo for a bit and was joined by my homie and 2 others. Lotta drops to walled walls, but the ones the went, went for a long way and covered some ground requiring a pretty long paddle back out often taking a few lumps on the head. Another bitching sunset from the water and a damn warm and pleasant night of camping.

Went to bed hoping for clean punchy HH peaks, but new swell on top of another swell made for some typico OR funk-a-lunk esp the SW direction it had. None the less made the best of it, got to, and a buddy and I paddled out to an outer bar and some drifty lefts we were watching from the beach. 6' to 7' wedgy peak, a bit of water moving around, and a nasty current pushing north. Mostly big drops then fizzled out. Had luck on a few kinda backdooring the peak being able to get one turn in. Wind switched from east south east after a bit, peak kinda died out, and called it. All and all stoked on new board. Cant believe I went all last winter without a 7'+ stepish shape selling a couple old bladed out semis, but probably cause it mostly sucked. Fun and well needed 3 day run late fall early winter surf. Fingers Xed La Nina gives us a winter worth remembering and the weekend warriors some love

[Major Lazer]

Snuck out for a Solstice salsa sash..... bossman was gondo and its been slooooow. No need to sit in the high tower twiddling my thumbs, so kept the Teams light green and motored west Figured I just hit Socials, easy peasey and often fun on the low, but don't think I even surfed it recently? Actually once and was meh..... Infamous has been good but crowded at all times of the day now. Yongins dont seem to pound nails like the OGs on NoCo anymore. But I digress..... buddy lured me down to Sands with a report, but shoulda known better. He almost always goes straight here, like most do, unless I scout something better. Typically dont surf there this time of year if no NW winds, but..... wonky, weird, soft, and slow. Had the chonky SB and was still bogging fooking @ss. Found a couple, but after surfing ramped out Centro beachies was frustrating. Oh well..... got a few on the "winter solstice" and was supposed to be "working". Hopefully get at least one more on the surf calendar before the year ends and days only get longer from here.

Edit: still haven't put the gloves on.

[Major Lazer]

Classic "Surf Years" weekend and some memorable waves to cap 2022 and start 2023. Most notably was the 5 @ 15 and east winds New Years day, but an uncrowded window and some rippable waves on the rocks to cap the year was pretty cool too. Was stoked to wake to a sunny clear morning on the Columbia and knew it was going to be a good day. After a slow morning pulled in mid day and jumped out to pretty solid surf. Deep OH rights and put the new board to the test. Had a few solid OH barrels. One I hand dragged stalled into off the drop and got completely covered in. Was big and dry and I don't think I was crouching much. What a view and think Nica Time is paying off. Took some beatings too. Neck is kinda tweaked today. Oh well back to the grind anyways.... can't wait for more winter surf. Happy New Year!

[Tex]

Duuuuude you are slaying it for a strong end of year run!!! Stoked for you bruh.
For some reason, Dec/Jan/Feb do not motivate me to surf, admittedly, college football has been epic for me, been digging the Washington Huskies magical run to the Natty on Monday. My Seahawks are a mediocre team this year, mostly frustrating losses against the Rams and Steelers have made all the long term fans seeking Pete's head. Been traveling up to Seattle a lot over the holidays, spending time with friends and family. Also contemplating a move to Gig Harbor....pretty cool town and only two hours from the holy land up North. Along with 2x per week Pickleball and 1x per week MMA training, I am staying busy. Eyes peeled for high pressure, mild temps and like a five foot swell to slay.

[SlimVest]

Gig Harbor....pretty cool town

Growing up in the 80s and 90s, I would pass through on my way to visit my grandparents in Mason Co. This is not a phrase I would have associated with GH. But now it's sort of Tacoma's Mercer Island, I've heard, so what do I know?

[Major Lazer]

Been lucking out on the winter holidays, 1st NYers day and yesterday MLK. Felt like I was going to WyEast, but was heading west. High and dry once I hit the 101 and another day with east winds and a kine sized LP swell. Busted out the gloves, but wasn't as cold as you would think. Quality waves too and some chubes. Heard Sat was frio and saw a pic of a frozen beard like the one you see of the great lakes surfers. Frozen back in today and glad I got out of Gotham before this ice event.

[Major Lazer]

1st month of 2024 was a surfy one. Weekends and holidays delivered the goods and even got a few "remote day" seshies like this am. Absolutely balmy out there recently and been burning up in a fresh wettie my girls got me for Xmas. Haven't seen many close outs and swell has been plentiful and rarely maxed out. With all the waves contemplating a new addition to the quiver, but I feel like it will be a curse. El Nino has been good. Hopefully Feb continues to deliver and we get that week of HP and easties.

[smithgrind]

Dry January for me. No surfing, windsurfing, paddle boarding, kiteboarding, swimming, or foiling.
Staying high n' dry inside my house. #shutinsurvivor

[Tex]

Yup, dry Jan for ol Tex! Fully admit, never really feel the jones in Jan/Feb anyway.

[Major Lazer]

Prefer #dryjuly myself. Gotham/Valley crew always drops offs this time of year and thankfully so. But a couple Saturdays ago felt like a scene from Malibu. Bootless bros, hoodlees hotties, Mudrafied mongos, and long racey lined up CH-WH rights feathered by an warm offshore wind. High line heaven. Did my best Sarlo and collected quite a few on Jah Winter Mid, which found to be doable in said conditions, then a few beers on the rocks in a T shirt taking in the Vitamin D, Tame Impala playing in my head, enjoying the show and hyped vibes. A not so dry Juneuaery day. But if you're waiting for Spring conditions and those cold north winds and close outs, then Sunday may just be your day to kill that Valley Rot. See you a Sharts

[Tex]

damn, SUN could be a tempter....

[Major Lazer]

I hope so, bro. Don't be such a pusssy. Even saw a few soft topers heading out yest

Yesterday was a beaut of a day. Surfed open beachies and 5-11 SB for the first time in a while and a bit more paddling, duck diving, and shiftyness as of late. Been riding easy channels to defined peaks. Sunny glassy and warm late am CH-WH and a lumpy kinda Spring like swell. Peaky drops to not much wall or walled and closey. Humm I thought, back to this and just when I thought I was on to something, got really weird as tide sucked to almost low. Called it. Lunched and lounged and watched it.

Wind went east and pretty hard. As the tide ebbed and started to fill saw potential, fast peeling offshore rights, but the reward to come was not obvious. Plan was to dub up regardless, sun was out, offshore, and plenty of swell with no one really around. Not that it was crowded but..... guess everyone went home to watch the Grammys? Grabbed the dry backup wettie and jumped out. Couple heads out, one claiming was better then it looked and he was right! First wave locked into a fast pocket ride that put me in the hole, so did the walk around and back out. After that as tide pushed, water filled, and offshores grooming, it was on. Traded waves with the few others and were treated to long running racy rights. The classic double ups were the best with steep drops into these glassy greenish grey bowls that sling shoted you into a rippable wall. Stoke was high and a psychedelic sunset with orange ripples on the water was quite the show from the lineup. Arms were toast, but surfed until dark. Cracked a cold road soda and queued up Ice Cube, Today was a Good Day on the stereo

[Tex]

BRAVO!!! Well done ML!

[smithgrind]

Did my best Sarlo and collected quite a few on Jah Winter MidSee you a Sharts

What's a Sarlo?