BIGGER ISN’T ALWAYS BETTER: Oh, the frustration when swells don’t deliver.

Photo courtesy of Hideki Ueha. Check out his website on my blog list. This pic was taken during the Labor Day swell, which didn't hold good shape. 

     When it’s flat out, I wish for size. Anything, even a closeout will do, but sometimes you get what you ask for.

     Now let’s talk recipe. In other words, every surfer has his/her own recipe/break that he goes to, depending on certain conditions. Windswell, I’m glad to stay local in the South Bay, thank you very much. Windswell gets peaky here, scattered, rippable, and I love it. But how about when it’s closed out and racy? Palos Verdes is my local choice. However, the all time, risk-free no brainer for me, my overall go-to spot no matter what is always Churches, basically the Trestles/San Onofre area. Unfortunately, sometimes the recipe doesn’t work.

     During the Labor Day weekend there was a juicy swell on tap at Trestles, but goddam was it section on section with just too much size for it to hold shape. In the South Bay, the weekend before last, the wraparound ground swell from the south even came in too directly. Mind you, yes, I did see guys getting barrels at the Marine Avenue Tower, but most of the waves were still closing out.

So deceiving to pull up seeing this. 09OCT had decent size swell on tap. Frothing in my car, I rushed the surf only to paddle out into closed-out conditions. 

     This morning, even with a new swell on tap, the waves were dumpy on the inside once again. When you check out the surf forecast and see swell on the horizon, you should be stoked. In this case, as of late, I’d be more stoked to see some two-to-three foot days because I know there’ll be better shape.

This morning's lack of shape at 26th Street. 

     At the same time, just because my recipe isn’t working, it doesn’t mean that someone else’s isn’t. I haven’t been to The Cove in a long time. Have those guys been scoring? I never surf north. Has Rincon been working with some of the westerly angled souths we’ve been getting, and then there’s Malibu and County Line. How’s Venice been?

     For me, “bigger” hasn’t been working. I’m desperate and feening for some rippable shoulders, or if the surf’s heavy, how about some caverns that offer room for a scathing exit.

     I’ll just have to be patient. All things pass. Eventually, my recipe will be spot on again. What’s your recipe?

Session Tracker:

Sat, 03OCT, 26^th St.

Thu, 08OCT, 26^th St.

Fri, 09OCT, Churches/Middle Trestles

Sat, 10OCT, 26^th St.

Sun, 11OCT, 26^th St.

Mon, 12OCT, 26^th St.

Wed, 14OCT, 26^th St.

Mon, 19OCT, 26^th St.