HIGH TIDE BLUES, THU 05APRIL2012 MOR

    

Location: HB

Crew: Solo

Time: 0715-0845

Conditions: Inconsistent, high tide, burgery, swampy, offshore, 4-5 FT.

     HB can be excellent on a high tide. I’ve seen it. Francis and I have seen it. During a drastic tide change, we surfed both low and high tide to the point of exhaustion, and it worked the whole time. So even though a high tide was in the morning forecast, I thought it would be a good gamble.

     It’s 0630 when I leave Lawndale and hop on 405S. I’m making good time for a change, but I’m tired as shit, dipping at the steering wheel. When I enter the state parking area, there are only a few cars about. Also, there is zero sign of surf activity: no surfers walking with their boards, dawn patrollers, or other cars pulling in. I tell myself it’s because it’s Thursday morning. Of course it would be empty. I’m already wearing my wetsuit, so I throw on some wax and sunblock then hit the sand. I can see some exploding whitewash in the distance, so it looks promising. There’s a small group at the river jetties and two guys north. Once I reach the water, I’m not sure what to make out of the surf. It’s consistent, but it’s not breaking like classic HB. The lines are long, and the shoulders at the end of them are mooshy. The SS kicks in, and I think I’ll be able to get some rides regardless. 

     I have to duckdive quite a bit of waves, but I still make it out in decent time. My first wave is a right. The drop is steep, but after that the whole shoulder mooshes out. I’ve been watching the Rip Curl Pro, so I try to imitate the pros by staying in the pocket where the power is, but even that part fizzles away. Other surfers paddle out, and they’re not doing any better. The session is a tease: drop in and bog out. Although, there is size. The waves that break on the outside are big, but they reform, break, and moosh out again. I call it quits at 0900. I’ll never come here again during a high tide if the swell’s not big.