latigo
8-10
3-5ft
super clean
fish


latigo
4-6:30
2-4ft
breezy
longboard

Another 5 hours...

Summary
I'm not going to talk about the morning. The morning was not fun for me at all. No good reason, I was just off. Alot.
Waves
Good size at all the breaks. Best shape was Latigo for sure. Leo was a little too closeouty, County was just painfully inconsistent. Overall there is swell, and for that I am thankful.
Crowds
Leo was as crowded as it can get. County was about as crowded as it gets for not being summer. Latigo was just beautiful and spectacular and not crowded by any means.
Weather
Chilly morning, light offshores keeping the faces as open as they could get, but certainly far from warm. The afternoon had a stiff NW breeze which (surprisingly) was cross at the protected Latigo.
Forecast
Looks good tomorrow, beyond that is up in the air, but is not looking so spectacular.
Eventful Stuff
Point Dume key didn't work. Effing joys. Oh well, not the end of the world. I have another friend who lives there this summer so I'm hopeful. Oh, and the 30 minutes of straight 6ft+sets at Latigo? That was memorable.
Wave of the Day
One of the amazing ones that Latigo offered. Dang, those are long rides. A quad fish would be a little better for the spot, but I manage just fine, just a little more pumping than I'd like. I had probably a 6ft face holding up for 45+seconds. A little mushy (damn wind) but I think I'm falling in love with this spot. Seriously awesome and not crowded at all.

Summary:
Failed Point Dume

Leo Carrillo, Malibu
6'1" Al Merrick MX
7:00-8:15
4-6ft
1+/5
Mia/Eric B.

County Line
6'1" Al Merrick MX
8:30-9:45
4-6ft inconsistent
1+/5
Mia/Eric B.

Latigo Point, Malibu
5'10" Southpoint
4:00PM-6:30PM
4-6ft w/ 8ft+ monster sets --- too consistent
4/5
Eric B.

Five hours of surfing in one day is a lot

Summary
Surfrider was a bit mushy. Latigo was mad legit sick super fun. Not perfect, but certainly very promising given the ridiculous crowds here in Malibu. Fun waves all around! Good thing I brought the fishy...
Waves
Decent sized, not huge. Surfrider was certainly smaller than expected. Latigo was bigger than expected. Both had decent shape, though Latigo was hands down tiers above Surfrider. I'm really optimistic.
Crowds
Surfrider was packed given the mediocre nature of the waves. 2nd had probably 75 or 100, 1st I don't evcn want to think about.
Weather
A little chilly, not too memorible. Windy afternoons, clear throughout. Crisp, but warm water. (almost 60!)
Forecast
Looks pretty good!
Eventful Stuff
Latigo!
Wave of the Day
One of those Latigo waves. I'm not sure which one exactly, but there were two or three 30+second waves with two or three slowish turns. Surprisingly few people dropping in.

Summary:
Surfrider 2/3, Malibu
6'1" Al Merrick MX
6:00AM-8:45AM
2-4ft w/ 4+ft sets
2/5
Eric B.

Latigo Point, Malibu
5'10" Southpoint
4:45PM-7:00PM
3-5 w/ legit 6ft sets
3+/5
Steve & Mia

This water is effing cold

Summary
Not a waste, but certainly not what I generally like to get up to. So friggen cold I don't even know how it's bearable. Boo on local wind! Icebox duckdives boo!!!
Waves
Lots and lots of them. Local windswell. Cleaned up by the early morning offshores. Pretty closeouty, lots and lots of pretty painful slaps-on-the-face.
Crowds
Not. No one else out.
Weather
Sunny. Super friggen cold. Lots and lots of wind (initially offshore, later dying off, also killing the wave faces...)
Forecast
Looks dead. Looks flat. Looks like there won't be any surfing for a week.
Eventful Stuff
Holy crap this water is ice cold. Seriously, I would say low low 50's for sure, but I'd almost argue it's colder than the water up North in the wintertime.
Wave of the Day
Nothing spectacular but certainly one of the fun rights. Steep drop followed by one or two turns.

Summary:
Zuma, Malibu
5'10" Southpoint
7:00-8:20
2-4ft closeouty short period windswell
1+/5
Eric B

Beach camping!

Summary
It's loads easier to go surfing in the morning if you slept on the beach overnight. That does not make cold water any more pleasurable, however. It is mighty cold. Damn cold.
Waves
Generally poor shape, decent sized and decent power, but pretty closeouty and difficult to get a good shoulder. That said there were enough waves that enough dedication to paddling left quite a few decent rides.
Crowds
Not. I was first, a few more came out later. Not a lot, but all on logs.
Weather
Sunny, clear, crisp, beautiful. God damn cold. Breezy like a mofo. Initially it was straight offshore, pretty powerful, but that shifted after about an hour to cross/on.
Forecast
Looks mediocre. Windy, cold. Eventually warm.
Eventful Stuff
Well I slept on the beach with some friends/people I don't know very well. Totally down to do it again.
Wave of the Day
Legit left. Good sized just over 4ft drop, bottom turn, cutback up top, a few pumps, wraparound, then cutback into the wish wash. Not inspiring but super fun.

Summary:
County Line
6'1" Al Merrick MX
6:15-7:45AM
3-4ft w/ 5ft sets --- short period windswell
2/5

A little mushy but still pretty fun!

Summary
Decent size, decent shape, decent conditions, not spectacular but certainly not poor. Tons of waves all over the place, rights and lefts. I would argue not super shreddable, but pretty shredable.
Waves
OK all around the board. A little funky shape, a little difficult to pull into, but size is significantly smaller than yesterday, and conditions certainly more marginal.
Crowds
There were a handful out for sure. Early on maybe 20 out between 2nd/3rd, upwards of 60 later on. Not crowded but there are some mighty fine surfers out today.
Weather
A little funk---a little warbly because of the overnight winds. Not bad, but certainly a little imperfect. Certainly cold, overcast, etc. Winds should pick up (cross/on) in the afternoon.
Forecast
Looks mediocre---windy for awhile, then warm!
Eventful Stuff
Super early morning surf session. I'm tired because I didn't sleep much. My hand hurts because it has a bunch of sea urchin crap stuck in it still, and because it's pretty cold out still.
Wave of the Day
I was sitting super far outside, thinking and hoping that decent size set would come so I would have no competition for a wave. One came, I was still far inside but I managed. Seriously the best left I've ever seen at Surfrider. Shoulder high, straight drop, super bowly very quick, but I dug my rails as hard as they could go without the tail slipping out, and made it. No cutbacks or turns, just a as-close-to-getting-barreled-as-you-can-going-left-but-not-closeout wave at a right pointbreak. Damn it was exhilarating.
The first wave of the day I got a nice 3sec chest high barrel. That was a good way to start the day off...

Summary:
Surfrider 2/3, Malibu
6'1" Al Merrick MX
6:15-9:00
3-4ft w/ 5ft sets 16-18sec
3/5
Mia/Steve

What an absolute blast

Summary
Good! It was good! It was great! The best Surfrider session I've had all semester for sure, probably surf session all semester. Size, shape, consistency, lack of crowds, beautiful weather, and relative painlessness of waves---that and a super easy paddle.
Waves
Good size, good shape, super fast. Offshores all morning, early on strong enough to keep every face open enough to let it barrel. Chest + consistently, a lot of shoulder high sets, and a few head high sets. Pretty awesome, we need more!
Crowds
Not really. There were about five people at 2nd when I first got out, 30 by the time I left. Honestly not crowded given the relative consistency and good size of the waves.
Weather
Chilly, offshores, but beautiful and perfect. Spectacular sunrise, Socal perfection in every way (if that's possible...)
Forecast
There's swell. It's not spectacular, but it should be fun. Great conditions all week I predict. I'm optimistic, but God owes us some waves so.
Eventful Stuff
Lance came to the beach with me. Absolutely beautiful day to come too. When we got to the beach he was like, "Holy shit no way I'm going body surfing in those monsters..."
I pushed up off the ocean floor on one wave and my hand got smashed by purple spikey things. I got most of them out while in the water but I actually had to take my pocket knife and cut a little opening to get the parts that broke off in my hand later on in the afternoon. Regardless, well worth it.
Wave of the Day
This one's easy. When I first paddled out I was giddy. Super fast clean rights all the way up and down 2nd. Easily chest high, most shoulder, super consistent, super amazing barrels every wave. That only lasted for about ten minutes but damn, I had a good ten minutes. In and of itself worth getting up for.


Summary:
Surfrider 2, Malibu
6'1" Al Merrick MX
6:30-9:00
3-5ft Groundswell 16-18sec
4+/5
Lance

Dolphins are crazy sons of guns

Summary
Ouch. My head hurts. Moderately fun surf. There are actually some photos of Eric and I at Westwards on one of the surf report sites. Pretty sick.
Waves
Westwards was decent size 2-4ft quick shoulders, fast, rather hollow, surprisingly fun. As suspected, a little too steep for a twin fin. Everyone needs a little reality check every now and then, and this reality check hurt pretty bad. The board whacked me in the head pretty hard.
Zuma was much smaller, much slower, but still surprisingly fun. Both of us had better waves at Zuma, although the conditions were significantly better at Westwards. Must have been the dolphin pals.
Crowds
Not. There was one guy getting shacked hardcore at Westwards, no one else out at Zuma.
Weather
Chilly, cold, spring time early morning session. To be expected.
Forecast
Looks poor. Storm incoming. Plus my head hurts pretty bad so I'm going to say I'll pass.
Eventful Stuff
Dolphins. Lots of dolphins. Paddling back out after some mediocre wave, about to duck dive under the oncoming wave, there were three dolphins swimming right towards me, surfing the wave. Eric who was farther inside screamed something unintelligible, I was scared and bailed (not wanting to get pwned by half ton dolphins), but they swam right under me then disappeared.
Wave of the Day
Lefts at Zuma. Both Eric and I had sick ones right after one another. Super long ride (relatively) with a steep drop and a few turns, probably almost chest high wave. Eric's was better though.


Summary:
Westwards / Zuma
5'10" Southpoint
6:30-8:45
2-4ft
2/5
Eric B

"You get covered up on like every wave."

Summary
Fun birthday sessions! Both had plenty of waves and fun shoulders. Not perfect weather but certainly a blast and loads of fun.
Waves
Overall rather closeouty at both places. Decent size and power, certainly fun, but a little difficult to find the shoulders. When you find a good one, though, they're mighty fine. Surfrider is an absolute blast. I wish there were a little more power in it, and I alwalys leave feeling my fish is better suited to the slow-ish takeoffs there, but still an absolute blast.
Crowds
Surfrider was not. There were a handful of others but not bad at all. County was certainly more busy but still plenty of workable room.
Weather
Slightly overcast (but beautiful sunrise) at Surfrider, County was very overcast and it actually started to rain.
Forecast
Looks mediocre. Weather is sub par and I have a sinus infection so we'll see how much surfing I get in the next few days.
Eventful Stuff
Nothing too special. No dolphins or anything, just fun waves, shoulders, lots of coverups. Not so many turns but meh, still not bad.
Wave of the Day
County Line shined for about 20 minutes. The inside provided some bowly shoulders, and a few surprisingly nice barrels. A beautiful, unexpected chest+ high right, beautiful drop, clean shoulder, just a bottom turn and nice barrel. It spit me out and beat me up.j


Summary:
Surfrider 2, Malibu / County Line
6'1" Al Merrick MX
6:20-9:00 / 4:00-5:30
3-4ft / 3-5ft groundswell
3/5 / 3/5
Eric/Mia

Umm...uncrowded Surfrider?

Summary
I guess people should stop looking at Surfline reports and start reading buoys. Surfrider was firing, amazing waves, decent breaks between sets, good shape, great quick sections. Not perfect, not spectacular, but overall pretty dang fun.
Waves
Good sized chest+ waves for the most part, though I would argue some pushing shoulder high. I would argue the best shaped waves were the average sized set waves, the bigger they got the more closeouty the sections were (and there were lots of them...) Groundswell waves mixed with a stiff offshore breeze? Workable sections, tons of barrels (honestly almost every wave, which I find ridiculous...), super fast and not a lot of turning, but adrenaline pumping fun for sure.
Crowds
Not. I was seriously alone at 2nd for almost 30 minutes, I had one sick right with a few turns, a wrap around, all that jazz, then a few people from first moved over. There were a few others off and on at 2nd, but maybe 2 waves I didn't go for because of other people (before it started getting busy and crappy by the time I left...)
Weather
Sunny. Cold. Breezy. The day ended up being beautiful in Malibu, the offshores probably continued throughout the day, but I got super chilled because of the imperfections in my perfect wet suit and the fact that I left the hood in my car.
Forecast
Looks good. Looks pretty damn good. This week might be mediocre (the weather turns south...) but there will be some lingering south swell for the whole week. It will be fishy time pretty quick...it's getting lonely sitting in my apartment...
Eventful Stuff
Pretty much la vie est parfait. Je veux rien...seulment des vagues. Plus vagues et plus belle soleil.
Wave of the Day
Well, this is an easy one. Pretty much the sickest drop I've ever had at Surfrider. Super deep super late ~5ft right. I was positive I was too deep but I figured I'd get destroied either way, so might as well go for it. I do, on the drop I'm like "oh snap, if I turn now I can make it" so I do. It's a completely vertical drop, super high up on the face of the wave, but getting shacked as best one can at Surfrider, probably four or five seconds. Absolutely sick drop, I wish I had some pics of it.


Summary:
Surfrider 2, Malibu
6'1" Al Merrick MX
6:45-8:45
3-5ft groundswell
3/5

G'damn Alex, wake up earlier!

Summary
Early on was absolutely awe-inspiring amazing. Beautiful shoulders, barrels galore, and lots and lots of waves. Things died down almost right after Steve/Mia arrived, but it was still loads of fun, just a few more closeouts...
Waves
Good sized, I would argue a few head high sets for sure. Most were probably waist-chest high, but quite a few shoulder high and above. Mix of windswell and groundswell, West and South, so pretty much everywhere was beautiful, though Westwards was tromps bigger than anywhere else (according to a few other surfers and Mia/Steve who checked the others out...)
Crowds
Not crowded, but there were a few others out. Most came out after the quality had died, but whatever. There were pretty much only two guys out ripping early on, both were surfing right next to me (and inspiring me!)
Weather
Sunny, crisp cool offshore breeze.
Forecast
Looks...mediocre, but perhaps doable. We shall see, I am optimistic.
Eventful Stuff
Lots and lots of dolphins. No dolphin hugs unfortunately, but I tried.
Wave of the Day
Sitting super far outside, I had this feeling that a big set was coming. So I sat and waited for almost twenty minutes (while the inside was still pretty good...) Then I saw it---a head high outside wave lining up perfectly for me, both position on the beach and back from the beach. I'm a little far inside, but that's ok, I know I'm pretty good at late drops and can't let this jewel right pass me by. So I paddle, I get it, quick little dont-even-do-a-bottom-turn-it's-so-steep "drop", and make it. It pretty much instantly jacked up when moving over the (steep Westwards) sandbar. Maybe four seconds after making the drop, me surfing completely parallel to the beach, it gives me a completely overhead I-don't-have-to-duck-at-all sized barrel. Not only was this a nice barrel, it was a perfect barrel, covering me head to toe (I was super deep) for at least four or five seconds. Once it really hit the inside sandbar (aka shorepound) it rocked me.
I was done. That wave just made not only the day of surfing complete, but also the week, the month. As I'm paddling back out to utter contentness, the guy who missed the wave because he was sitting too far inside recounted what he saw to me and was pretty much like, "Holy shit, that was the nicest wave of the entire day hands down. Huge effing barrel that held up forever. I'm jealous." That's not verbatum but I think it pretty much recounts the jist of it. Dammnnn I'm so content with life right now, holy shit I feel great.

Summary:
Westwards, Malibu
6'1" Al Merrick MX
7:20-9:45
3-5ft (inconsistent) windswell, groundswell mix
4/5
Mia, Steve

Surfing For Cancer

Summary
Since I got like four hours of sleep and am doing Relay For Life for the rest of the day...that's what I'm surfing for today. And let me say, my surfing was on fire. Thank you for your inspiration.
Waves
High tide shorepound. Good size, powerful, workable (though quick) shoulders generally. Not great shape for the most part (since it's mostly windswell) but there certainly was some true potential with the right attitude, board, and physical fitness.
Crowds
Not. Literally, I was the first guy to go out. A handful more came out once the sun reached over the cliffs, but completely uncrowded. I had my own personal photographer for about 30 minutes too =)
Weather
Crisp cool breeze out of the North/NE, pretty much straight offshore, keeping faces super open.
Forecast
Looks mediocre, but we know what potential exists...
Eventful Stuff
Relay for Life til 1:30AM the night before so I didn't sleep much at all (mostly because I didn't feel like taking the laundry off my bed so I just slept on the couch...)
Wave of the Day
Oh shit, the best barrel I've had in SoCal in...mabye ever? Well, recent history for sure. Pretty much right after the camera man set up right infront of me (since no one else was out...) a sick shoulder+ high barrel set up perfectly, three or four second completely sick coverup. I paddle back out and see another wave coming in so I paddle for it, get it, and get three or four good turns in on it. When I get back out the guy is looking straight at me with his camera and I think to myself, "fuck yea, my sick board is going to be on some surf site somewhere I gurantee it..."

Summary:
Westwards, Malibu
6'1" Al Merrick MX
6:15-7:35
3-5ft windswell (and groundswell mixed in)
4/5

Well...it's certainly not spectacular

Summary
But it is a heck of a lot better than the other surf spots today, which was marginal in every respect... Fun waves, honestly, but pretty fast, a little mushier than I prefer.
Waves
Quick (but pretty good size) peaks up and down the beachbreak. The point seemed pretty craptastic, not liking the windswell at all. Not super workable, but certainly carvable on the face, had some pretty awesome wrap arounds on some good sized faces. Pretty hard to pull in to but once you're on them they hold up pretty well. Not hollow, a little soft, but dang fun nonetheless.
Crowds
None. There was a kneeboarder (curse you) a sponger (curse you too) and a surfer or two. One guy out when I went out, he went in and I was solo.
Weather
Chilly. Cold. I was wearing a hood and I needed every mm of it. Windswell updwelling really sucks, the water gets so cold.
Forecast
Not. Doesn't look great---windswell, but who knows? Weather looks beautiful the next few days, so we'll see.
Eventful Stuff
Sucky current, but it's decent sized windswell so that shouldn't be a surprise.
Wave of the Day
Lefts. All lefts. Sick chest+ left, steep drop in, no real bottom turn more just a sideish drop, two wraparounds. Not really able to do cutbacks because the power in most of these waves (it's hard to describe) isn't at the top of the wave. Basically fun rides, decently long, but not super rippable waves.

Summary:
County Line, Ventura County
6'1" Al Merrick MX
7:00-8:20
3-5ft (inconsistent scattered peaks...) windswell
2+/5

...more Westwards fun

Summary
Fun waves! Certainly better than average session. Started off strong, quality of the waves and session slowly dropped as the morning progressed.
Waves
Fun rights and lefts, though mostly rights. Pretty powerful given the imperfect quality of the swell. Generally short shoulders, but occasionally they would hold up into the bowly inside sections. Effing fun, pretty workable, good little rides!
Crowds
There were a few others out! Not busy but there were a handfull scattered up and down the beach. Far less than most Westwards-surfable mornings.
Weather
Crisp cool morning. Not cold, but certainly a little chilly. Offshores early, slightly onshore/mushed up a bit later.
Forecast
Windswell, windswell, and more windswell. It looks like there's a little bit of potential for size, but the quality is in question. Hopefully mother nature will be kind, you never know!
Eventful Stuff
There was a little sea lion that found me absolutely fascinating. Apparently he was chasing me on a few waves I had. Other than that a nasty current (and a nice little brown rip) was all that was going on.
Wave of the Day
I want an air to finish up my breaking-in-the-board. For about the last 15 minutes I was really gunning for an air section. The last wave I went for I saw one, it looked perfect, a nice little 3+ft punt up, but just as I do my bottom turn the backwash from shore pops the wave up and completely kills it. Two fricken seconds.
Other than that I would have to say all the rights, probably three or four that were a handfull of turns each, all the way to the (nasty current) shorepound. Bowly fun sections! More more!

Summary:
Westwards, Malibu
6'1" Al Merrick MX
7:15-9:00
3-4ft, 5ft sets early3/5
Eric Burdullis
3/5

Oh Westwards, you will claim no more!

Summary
I'm not even going to talk about County Line because, truth be told, it was above average but certainly not spectacular. Westwards was firing. Westwards was beautiful. Westwards had barrels. Westwards was full of chicks in bikinis.
Waves
Bomb! Good size, good fast shoulders. Faces held up by the light offshores. Not tons of barrels but there certainly were some scattered beauties. Surprisingly the swell had filled in quite a lot since the morning, and it was leaps and bounds cleaner and more consistent. My board loves these waves. There were no bonks, no misses, no mistakes, no nothing bad. Just bomb side drops and sick cutbacks. No airs, but there will be.
Crowds
There were a few out, but it was certainly not crowded. I had one "hoot"er, but as a whole I missed only a handful of mediocre waves because of other people out there. It was not dangerous because of boards all over the place, just from the beautiful fast I-will-pop-your-board-in-half waves.
Weather
Sunny, warm, offshore. G'damn this day was absolutely glorious. If only I didn't have class well into the afternoon I would have been able to bask in its glory for even longer.
Forecast
Looks bad, but hey today looked bad too. We'll see.
Eventful Stuff
Thank Eric Burd for telling me to go surfing---he came back with Ed just before I left with nothing but praise for the sick surf.
Wave of the Day
Goddamn, which one? Quite simply I don't think I can nail it down to any one. There were a few 2+sec barrels, a handfull of cutbacks on every wave, some sick side drops, some sick straight drops with nasty cutbacks right away. Pretty much the best surfing afternoon I've had since Carmel last summer. No question in my mind. Goddamn sick.

Summary:
County Line, Ventura County / Westwards, Malibu
5'10" Southpoint / 6'1" Al Merrick MX
7:30-9:30 / 6:00-7:45
2-4ft / 3-5ft, + sets
2+/5 / 4/5