Depart Encinitas 8:30pm Friday evening: seven hours straight to Eastside Santa Cruz urban camp. Breakfast with Homeboy Eric and Homegirl Rachel then northbound to Ocean Beach, San Francisco to meet up with our buddy Dallas. Sloat St. swim: overhead and super fun. Snagged a couple solid peaks in the strong drift. Dinner and spectating in the Haight. Chat with Child: coffee shop drug dealer representing “Dead Nation.” Vibrant humanity.
Urban camp at the Pacifica Pier. Sunday 6:00am Kelly’s Cove check: not working and no orange swim cap. Back to Sloat: overhead+, catch a rip way outside. Plentiful swimming, as expected at OB. Sets on the head. Luck into a beauty of a right wall: nice speed, sensational feel.
Photo: Rachel Newton
On to FP- too much tide- Crissy Park nap. Awake to dropping tide-rising swell. The Point woke up. Thought it was novelty, discovered a legitimate wave. Head high and incredibly dynamic. Sets swing swiftly into rocks. EJ charges. Once heard a big-wave icon say he can instantly decipher who truly has the proverbial “Right Stuff” by the way they react to an approaching set…EJ is the guy swimming into the guts of It because It “looks fun.”
Photo: Rachel Newton
Say goodbye to dear friends. Stretch out solo. Cruise the Piers and Wharf: clam chowder and people watching. Urban camp Stockton St. downtown San Fran. Next morning to Pier 39 for whale-watching cruise to the mythological Farallon Islands: decomposing granite monoliths 28 miles offshore. Homestead of innumerable seabirds, pinnipeds, intrepid biologists and the largest of great white sharks.
No whales today but more than my money’s worth. The reefs at Indianhead and Mirounga Bay firing with 8-10ft of raw NW Ocean energy. Apparently never ridden…the last California wave frontier. It’s out there, if you want it bad enough.
Our vessel, The Kitty Kat looks like a plague cruise. Seasick zombies stumble to the “Ralph” spot and unload, immobilized by sheer misery. Make new friends: literature teachers from Paris: Ocèane and Aurelie. They didn’t have much fun on the cruise, but we made plans to discuss Rimbaud and Sartè later in the week. Drive over the Golden Gate to the Marin Headlands…overlooking everything. Stunning views abound.
Next morning to Point Reyes National Seashore. San Andreas Fault heartland. Exposed to North Pacific fury like few places in California. Steep blowing sand shorebreak at South Beach. Double overhead+? on the outside…head high warping wedges on the sand. Chilly swim, washed down the beach, exhilarating wompy visions. Cruised the dairy farms way out to the Lighthouse and Chimney Rocks. Fascinating physical oceanography.
Southbound down iconic Route 1 back to the city. Muir Beach sunset. Quick stop back to Fort Point. Dirtbag shower in the bathroom before meeting up with new friends from France. Found them perusing the poetry at a classic Beat bookstore. Intellect and cute French accents make for a late night.
Urban camp Pacifica Pier…rocked to sleep by shorebreak energy. Next morning southbound, hike to the Boneyard and pay homage to Mavericks. On to Santa Cruz. A little nook is working on the Westside- waves bounce off the backside and wedge into fast hollow peaks…super fun. Watch The Point get torn apart by a heavy Westside crew including Flea and Nat Young.
South to Big Sur’s golden sunset light. Camp: Ocean front forest service road. Glorious dark skies…”What’s that glow in the West?” WOW! The Zodiacal Light! First observation, been looking for years. Dust in our solar system reflecting light…beautiful! Morning at head high Big Sur reef.
Southbound: Incredible wave potential everywhere. NW swell lingers. Every turn-out offers dynamic new potential. Epicness awaits the extra hearty. Somewhere: big lefts slab over an abrupt rocky reef…mindsurf. The giant elephant seals swimming on the inside have the best view.
Southward. Cayucos is offshore and amazingly walled down the beach…400 yard cylinders. Swim out but avoid the guy getting barreled on a jetski. Pushing South into Morro Bay: volcanic plug geology and peregrine falcons. Camp: Pismo Beach, Oceano Dunes. Put the Tacoma back on sand where she belongs. Sandy sweet sleep.
Headed South early. Straight to SB: to spy enchanting spinners. Glassy, stomach high turbines roping along the breakwall. Best barrel view in California? SB framed by the Santa Ynez Mountains. Top of the list to score solid. On to the Queen. Glassy, waist to chest and hollow at the Rivermouth. Magic point…everyone should have one in their front yard.
To Oxnard with the wind and fog. Cool town and I didn’t get punched in the face…bonus. Down the 1 through the wave potential of Pt. Mugu. Here the coast changes. No more secret nooks, not much open space…masses of concrete from here to Baja. Stop at Surfrider Beach, fogged in but can see knee high waves peeling across First Point.
Dynamic coast, excellent adventure!
-KS
Swell Lines 
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