So, Saturday morning I was going no matter what, but the forecasts were kinda wonky. Surfine's forecast were non-existent, almost like they lost the data feed to my area. But most other data points showed light onshores all morning. My last check was Friday night just before mid-night. 

I wake up at like 7am, check the buoys, check the cams. Things are looking pretty fucking clean out there, and we HAVE to have high tides here for it to work, so high tide was at 8:15ish.... So, I jump up, run into the boys room. Boy, you coming surf or staying home? He says he wants to stay home. So, I go, load up my shit. Then right before I leave, the boy comes outside. I want to go... Alright. Get your stuff together, I will load your board... 

So, we are walking up to the trail at the beach and I turn around and look at my son. He has socks on. Jordans on. Boardies with no string and he has underwear on... Fuck me I think. Totally should have done an audit on the 8 year old before we left the house, but, whatever....

So, as we get to the beach, I can tell the wind is pretty light. As we see the surf, it's clearly still onshore/sideshore, but not too bumpy. Looks decent. Long lines. Big runners. All sweeping in from the North, with a heavy southern drift to it. To be expected. 

So, it's just big enough that I tell my son he has to stay on the beach and watch while I surf, rather than going into the lineup with me. He will surf after. Buoys are 3.5 @ 13 Saturday....

So, after about 15 minutes, I hit the slack tide (high) and then the wind went from 5mph onshore, to slack wind. Dead calm.... Then about 15 minutes later, I can see the lines and lips tapering off the back. Wow. Wind is offshore....

So, I surfed for about an hour. Then I took the boy out on his fish for about an hour. It was glassy as fuck. Chest high on the sets. Clean as shit. It was strange, because after the wind changed, the drift changed also, and I started drifting North with the offshores...

The only weird thing was that EVERY set was coming back out to sea as surface backwash. It is rare that that happens here. Like, almost never. And it was so glassy, these were legit like backwards sets that were clapping into the approaching waves and doubling up sometimes. So, I warned my son that while going down the face, he is going to experience some turbulence. He fell twice I think because of it. Bucked him right off. But otherwise, he had some really nice right and lefts. And usually, based on how big or small it is, I will either let him paddle into the actual sets from the peak if it's small, or ride the reform/inside if it's bigger out.... Well, Saturday, there was only one choice. No reform. No inside. So, you just had to get into a set wave no matter what....

So, we shredded for a couple of hours, then the boy talked me into taking him for burgers and shakes to the Tiki bar. 

Epic Saturday morning...

Sunday, the forecasts were all fucked up AGAIN. Forecasts calling for FLAT. Some showing .7ft @ 9 or something... But my data is showing me 2ft @12.... Light offshores....

So, me and the boy, AGAIN. Same deal really. This time, as we get onto the beach, there is a PERFECT set coming through. Sheet glass. Dead wind. And just one set of 3 concentrated peaks coming in one after another. Dead flat on either side.... So, you have sheet glass, with occasional perfect sets coming through, A framing in sheet glass.

Uh, yes please. Same deal as the day before. I go out for an hour. I got about 20 good ones. Then it was the boys turn. He normally rides the fish, but my LB is killing it, so I convince him to try the LB. I put the go pro on it... He got maybe 12 waves. A bunch of good rights all the way down the line. And he took a left that turned out to be the longest wave of his life. He took a perfect line all the way from the peak and rode it until his fins hit sand and he jumped off...

Literally though, on his last wave, he took it all the way in, kinda jumped off sideways so the board rolled a bit. When he came back up, I noticed the go pro had fallen off. He was all the way in, in like 2 feet of water. So, we start looking around. It's clear. You can see the bottom, but there were just wave after wave and enough turbulance that even after walking around trying to find this tthing for 20-30 minutes, we had to bail....

So, another go pro sacrificed to mother ocean. And on said go pro is footage of the best wave an 8 year old ever had.... Oh well....

One final note, I am interested to know why this swell was acting the way it did. Last year, we had a couple of hurricane swells that were doubling up on EVERY set and doing some weird shit, so this was a similar effect, but the waves were smaller.

So, I am thinking it has to do with a steep NE angle, as well as a 11-12+ second period. Because all weekend, every set wave would have a pretty long line to it, mostly a closeout on Saturday, but you could feel the undertow ripping back out, but the surface was ripping back out and slapping into the oncoming surf....

And on a fundamental level, I believe the stretch that I was surfing mostly, was creating it's own massive rip while I was there. I assume that was I was experiencing was just the beginning stages of a rip forming around a bar. 

Not sure, but this entire swell acted that same way. Sometimes, it's actually fun, because if you time it right, you can be taking off on decent size set, and you can see the back wash coming, so on the paddle in, you hesitate for a moment, stay locked in before you stand up, then right as the two forces collide and merge, the size of the face almost doubles, giving you more speed and a nice ramp. That happened a lot, but for my son, who wasn't used to it, you would get the bucking bronco effect every now and again. 

So, basically, I got super lucky and on both days happened to show up at the beach during an absolutely perfect wind and tide window. The only few hours each day that had dead-perfect wind and the tide was right...

Also, it was a cool educational experience for my son. We stayed both times long enough that when we left, the tide had pulled out for a couple of hours. And with our 8-10 foot daily tide swings, that is a shit load of water even just in a couple of hours...

So, as we finished up both times and were coming in, we were walking over top of the sand bars. So, while we are out surfing, I am explaining to my son why were are setting up where we are. And that I am standing on the edge of a sandbar and what not. 

So, on the walk in, he was walking from waist and knee deep, then down into pockets where it was neck deep for him, then back up into knee high water on the inside. So, we walked all along the sand bars, and the ones on the inside, so after explaining it all to him, he was like "Oh, so these sand bars on the inside that we are standing on is what we were surfing on top of a couple of hours ago"... Yes, exactly. So, it was cool for him to see the different bars and feel them himself so he had an understanding of what I was talking about all these times.... So, now he gets it. We don't usually spend a lot of time walking along the bottom. He is 8 and obviously not that tall, so we usually walk out a bit and then start paddling. 

But he got a serious education on wind, tides and sand bars this weekend. 

Sunday morning I got a quick solo session in at a South CCB sandbar, couple friends paddled out and then paddled back in after not luck, the incoming high tide was a bit much but there were some runners to be had, so I stayed and grabbed what I could, which I ended up getting a handful of really good rides, and then went to Church, then brunch, then hit it again afterwards for a couple hours at a spot closer to home in Melbourne Beach. Light crowd, sets in the shoulder - head+ range and reeling a good distance on most, a little phat, but workable on the 6'2" QK. 

This morning I hit the popular CCB sandbar with a couple friends and rode the LB, got some really good rides on the incoming high tide, got better the water it seemed, which was weird, but ok. Not the size we have been getting though, thigh - waist or so, glassy and really fast, some close outs, but mostly runners if you had a good line.

I had the day off, so I ran down to the Inlet and hit it again after the high tide went out for a couple hours, high - mid outgoing tide, glassy for the most part but got a little bumpy toward the end, not a great session but I got some rides on the 6'2" QK, the long period energy can be a bit much for those sandbars, but there were some keepers. 

Fun leftovers this morning at the Canaveral sand bar with a couple friends and a bunch of regulars, I rode the LB and had a ball with the 11 sec swell that was lingering in the water, glassy and reeling lefts and rights. About waist high. I paddled in the dark but it lit up before I knew it. Good times!

Another surprisingly fun session at the Canaveral sandbar, under the radar good, me and a couple friends plus a small group of regulars, glassy thigh high with some waist sets, punchy and running to the beach in both directions. I stayed a little extra after the crowd emptied out and it was just me and a few others, I kept getting really good waves so I kept paddling back out, but eventually I was OK how many more do you really need? haha The sky was grey and overcast mostly, didn't get a sunrise really, somewhat lighter toward the end, but nice not being blind looking to the horizon. 😎 

Super mellow session last night at sunset in Delaware.  We are getting the last little leftovers from the big coastal storm over the weekend.  Sandbars are crazy up and down the coast.  Little dribblers breaking on the fresh outer bar.  Pretty evening sky.

We got some ESE short period windswell mixed in with some longish period ENE swell today, a little bit of onshore wind, but the swell combo made for some fun waist - chest peaky bowls, I rode the 6'6" twinny, paddled out while still kinda dark and stayed a little under 2hrs. Me and and two friends plus a small group of regulars, that was it for crowd. Not bad! 

I checked a couple spots close to home, ended up at an empty sandbar in Melbourne Beach with some chunky sets and some sizeable runners for the low - mid incoming tide, wind was light from the South adding a slight bump but overall it was pretty clean and organized considering. I rode the 5'8" twinny, which I thought was a bit of a gamble, but it worked out great I thought, so no complaints there. It's lightning fast when I get a good wave, hard not to like. 😎 

Found some sunday afternoon junky NE windswell.  Ravens and Eagles were BOTH playing, so the mid afternoon chest high waves were pretty empty.  Got one good left hand diamond in the rough.  It was mostly just rough.

rain all wknd. But there were breaks in between, and i stayed busy then. Had to get on Folly, waited til Sunday early afternoon, brought the LB. There was some waist hi sets, some with a few lines. Not overly packed, kinda watching the bouys readings and assuming it's gonna show. Not bad if you didn't mind waiting, and luckily it wasn't raining at the time. Tomorrow should bring the wind to get the juice going midweek, let the shortyz do work. Excited to see what it can do, may stick around this wknd for us

Yesterday moning I hit it early before Church, and got some tasty nuggets on the LB at a spot close to home in Melbourne Beach zone again. Empty as usual (unless it's pumping) just me and a friend trading waves for about 90 minutes. There was more size than it appeared from the beach, so I did NOT need the LB lol BUT, I enjoy the crap out of that board, so I never complain, because the wave count is high, always, and there were some that felt really good and I was able to connect all the way in, where as my buddy on his funshape got sectioned off. I didn't wear a leash and only lost my board one time trying to beat a section but my buddy was in the impact zone and messed my line up (happens), and I lost control and the board went bye bye 🤣 . I needed the go around the foam ball to beat the section so forcing me up the wave to avoid hitting him screwed me, but such as life. Great session overall.

This morning I hit the popular CCB sandbar for some knee - waist on the LB, outgoing tide kinda zapped the energy but there were moments and I got a few that I was stoked about. One left that was legit, solid waist plus, walled up and running a good distance, I cranked some turns and felt the speed. A right that I got was similar, but not quite as long, I got a good bottom turn then found my line and crouched and grabbed rail and got a little head dip, nothing too crazy, but felt good. Not the most exciting morning but fun was had at times. 

I hit up the reef spot this morning on the LB for some early forerunners from the coming swell, it wasn't big but waves were fast and running, a little shorey, had to be on your toes, but there were some outside sets too. Me and a buddy had a peak to ourselves for the most part, two other regulars out, and at the end 4 young bucks tried to hijack our peak but I didn't let that happen, I held my ground and got a bunch despite their entitled kookery, much to their chagrin. 😎 

The incoming swell is a little tardy this morning, the buoy didn't really start coming up until now, and it's not all the way there yet, so maybe this afternoon will produce more size, but I did get a bunch of small glassy runners at the popular CCB sandbar on the LB with a few friends.

We got the goods from Isaias as it passed by to our west today.  Strong south winds blew up a 4-6 foot SE swell and by mid afternoon winds were light.  Lumpy head high a-frames with a pack of familiar faces.  I love it when every body is getting waves, and hooting.  That kind of afternoon.  Rode the 6'2" (gift) Ashton battail.  I'm loving this board is solid sized waves.  It's definitely coming to Florida this winter.  I got a few about this sized.

A dry window popped up Saturday in btwn the melee of rain, and the sets coming in looked rideable. I messaged the surf group and got a call seconds after. It was a go for one of the guys (the wife took the kids out n bout at the right time). Chunky soup, not perfectly organized, but chest to shoulder sets to the west of Folly pier. It was a westernly drift, kinda tough paddle out. Tried the 6'6 Hogan board but it's not a great paddler boart, also wasn't working lately for me so wanted to give it a couple tries before deciding to sell. Still managed to land a handful of runners but mostly dropping in and getting the boot. Those runners were costly too because you could carry yourself pretty down far after getting over another sandbar bump. Did that a couple times before i realized my arms weren't gonna take the paddling out much longer. Had a couple sessions tho, felt like we scored the "golden hour" of Isaias.

Rain stopped early ~noon Sunday. Swell switched directions, started drifting easterly. But even as it was approaching lo tide the scene looked rideable. Had the option of joining a few friends for disc golf or going after another swell window after lo tide. Went for the latter, buddy called at a very opportune time when i just got to Folly. Told him bout it, he showed up bout 15 min after i put in on the other side of Folly pier. Instead of walking it back up like day before, i drifted along with my buddy alll the way to 6th E, close to sunset. Brought the the 6'6 In the Eye. Waves were glassier, size got to where it was Saturday eventually. Had some serious kook slams in the beginning but also had some real fun rides. Plenty of ppl joining around sunset time but didn't get too jumbled up with the crowd. Had to help someone pull in a swimmer who got caught up in a rip current, which was noticeable the whole time being out there. Almost constantly paddling back into shore to stay in the mix. Good wknd of surf all in all, made up for being skunked early in the week

Yeah, Saturday was spotty down here, and with real life shit going on, I never had a decent window. But the wind here was raging onshore side shore in the 20MPH range most of the day. 

9:30am high tide yesterday. I was supposed to meet a buddy at 8. 7:15, I am up and loading. Lightening storm. Thunder booming everywhere. I text my buddy. He is like, yeah, let's delay and hour. So, after an hour, he elected to pack up his kids and head to church, so I went on a solo mission when the lightening finally went away. I got there at 9:30. Right at high tide. The wind died down and was slacking from onshore into offshore. So, it was shoulder high and pretty clean. There were some lumps and drift, but the faces got glassy for about an hour before the tide started dropping out. I had a super tight window. Had to pick my son's friend up at 11 for a play date at our house and stuff, so it was a quick hour long solo mission. 

Not the best swell, or conditions... But shit, during the hurricane-less season, I guess one should take advantage of every shoulder high day that they can. 

What' up everybody!? So this past Thursday I hit up my LLSB close to home for some empty waves on the 6'6" twinny in the afternoon for the outgoing mid - low tide, about waist high with sets up to chest high but inconsistent at times. Friday was the same deal, same spot / board, worked good for about an hour then started getting funky so I called it. Nobody out again. Skipped it on Saturday, volunteered to serve with the Church instead, was exausted by the afternoon, I was out in the sun all morning trimming palm trees. Sunday, I went surfing after Church, tried Spanish House, got a few rides, but the tide needed more time to go out, so I jumped out and ran up to one of the reef spots and the tide had gotten better by then, so I rode the 6'2" Quiver Killer in some glassy and punchy waist / stomach sets, kinda crowded in a small zone but not terrible, I got lots of waves and stayed for a good 90 minutes or so. Yesterday and today I ran up to the Canveral sandbar for some glassy lined up runners on the LB, thigh / waist high or so, crowd was much lighter today and the wave may have been slightly better, I really had a great session.

Delmarva got SO lucky with Isaias. The remnants moved out to sea off New England and the backside of the low had JUST enough N wind fetch to blow down north swell.  This setup usually happens in the winter with snowstorm lows, so having a north swell with 65 degree water was a blessing.  The REAL blessing was scoring super buttery lefts in Ocean City Maryland.  This used to be a reliable spot for lefts but they have really wrecked the sandbars with replenishment.  Paddled out at sunrise even saw the rocked decouple and send out a plume.  6'2" battail quad was perfect for the 3 foot set waves.

My buddy Lee, on the lefts he loves.  He's like 6'3" so this is a decent sized wave.

Sunrise situation