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Session: The Perfect Wave

Written by DrC123

Saturday May 3 2008 08:33:08 PM

Surf spot: Seal Beach, United States of America

Surf Trip: Spring Break ( 28 March 2008 - 28 March 2008)

Session's Rate:

Wind direction: No wind

Wind Strength: Glassy

Nb waves ridden: lots

Length of the surf session: 3 hours

Surfboard ridden: 9'2'

Fins: 2 plus 1

Weather and water temp: 65F 59F

Waves height: 1.5m / 5ft

Waves Quality:
- Fast
- Hollow

Waves Shape:
- Walls
- Multipeaks
- Bowl

Description:

This week at Seal Beach: After a clean early morning session Tuesday, Wednesday we had "Victory at Sea" windblown chop compliments of Mr. Catalina Eddy. This morning (Thursday) clean glassy conditions with a mix of NW/SSE and SW southern hemi swells in the water. After a slow start due to a dawn high tide we had classic conditions lasting for over an hour before the outgoing tide took the swell size with it. A mix of chest to shoulder high "Harvey Wallbanger" pier bowls refracting off the sea wall and big middle peaks, into the pier, "suicide rights".

Only a hand full of us out there taking it in turns (Los Alamitos High School team gets out of the water at 8 AM) getting some really nice waves, riding my 9'2" Jean Luc Roberts performance (2 plus 1) longboard. Then I saw it, a dark mountain of a swell lit up the end of the pier ... quick look around ... I was further outside, in the right spot, started paddling out to sea as fast as I could ... yeah it was a big peak all right, a couple of feet overhead at least and clean! A combination of swells from the far NW in the Gulf of Alaska and the deep Southern Ocean meeting on the west coast of California.

How many times have you been out in great conditions, slicing and dicing chest to shoulder sized sets, everything dialed in, just having a blast and wishing for that one rogue wave ... that wave of the day ... that perfect wave.

"The Perfect Wave"

Spun around and took the drop, like stepping off a roof, hit the bottom, launched out and up the wall, staying high, couple of small pumps through the bowl, really moving now, barreling down the wall, the wave grinding over the inside sandbar and my board going so fast it was vibrating ... spat me a 100 yards down the line, all the way into the surf school floundering in the shore break. (You know you got a good one when the beginners, eyes as big as tea cups, say "Wow Sir that one was huge!")

Friday my buddy and I went back for more Pier Bowls but unfortunately so did half of Orange County. The takeoff spot by the sea wall can only handle a few people, you really got to take it in turns, this morning was cutthroat, everybody jockeying for position and yelled at each other ... only got one screamer by myself across the inside sandbar pumping my SuperFish like crazy with the foam ball nipping at my heels!

"The Big Easy"

Saturday the swell had built up with just a light onshore and the "River" San Gabriel river mouth Los Alamitos Bay (Ray Bay), Seal Beach was actually breaking great at "Cuda's" over by the north wall and not too crowded. "The Big Easy" head high big green roller peaks with warm water flowing from the Power Grid upstream . You fade into, run out in front of, then crank off the bottom ... Easy up, then snap off the top.

Fun Fun Fun!