SANDinyourPANTS.com 051221 -Big Surf Day in Manhattan.

Big Day in Manhattan.

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Letting the fish come to you.

Yeah, okay it was a "Big Day" at all SoCal beaches, but at least I didn't use "Big Wednesday". Well the suits on TV have been saying since last Friday that a Pacific storm off Hawaii would generate big waves here Wednesday, ...but those are the same guys who need radar to tell it's raining outside. And, my Tuesday a.m. drive-by got me thinking things were calming down, ....good thing I'm not skippering the SS. Minnow (...though Ginger would have known who was captain early on.)

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"Please, let's not fry another camera in the water."

So nature threw a party and everyone came. The pier was pretty busy by the time I rolled outta bed and checked in with Surfline for El Porto. Conditions as they put it:

SURF: 6-10 ft. - head high + to double overhead' fair
WATER SAFETY: DANGEROUS
Powerful W swell will generate strong rip currents.

Not to criticize, but "fair"?! Who's been smoking what? Unless of course that was a public service announcement and Surfline is trying to weed out our overpopulated surf. Anyhow, their cam told me not to bother with the board and a few minutes later my conclusion was proven correct. Lots of dry boards filled lots of racks parked oceanside. I saw sets easily 12-15 ft. which I hope the pix justify. And as far as the "fair" is concerned, perhaps I clicked Surfline's tow-in page by mistake. Here's the point-of-entry I saw:

According to my second-hand, you have nine seconds to duck under and recover before the next wall of white wash hits you. So ahhhhh, that's all you. I've got a camera and an eggnog latte to keep my fingers warm.

That's not to say I didn't see one guy try. But it was all a little contrived for me. This guy all suited up runs for the water just south of the pier. In the mere seconds before the lifeguard truck shows, he gets about 3 feet forward while the drift carries him about 15 feet south. All that came over the lifeguard truck-top speaker was "Not today." Stating the obvious to all around. But imagine this dude, wet and board in hand, ended up minutes later at the end of the pier talking to the TV news van covering the waves. Hmmm, coincidence?! Poser! Too bad the lifeguard stepped in, we'd have been rid of him. (Oops, who said that during the holiday season?)

Naturally, things were a bit different at the point breaks in PV or County Line where the shape allowed longer rides and escape routes, though I wouldn't be anxious for that paddle out either.

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The cavalry was called to clear the pier.

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Isn't that a fine -how-do-ya-do-.

Anyway, most folks were like me, having fun watching or taking pictures. Soon the lifeguards called for the pier closure and loge seating moved to the sand.

It was kinda fun seeing the newcomers walk to the birm's edge and run for dear life after the built-up inside got pushed in. Kinda close to Christmas to be changing your wishes to new shoes don't-u-think? Most were local like this bike dude who took it in stride saying "...afterall, it's a beach cruiser."

I trekked over to El Porto to see some of the farm equipment getting wet and the break easily was the farthest out I've ever seen. As you'd expect, lot's of watchers there too though I think the pictures with the pier give better scale to today's surf.

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Yelling "outside" ain't whistling Dixie.

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There's a board-breaker.

I wonder how that spankin' new Hermosa pier held up?

We've added a couple of these pics to our Wallpapers, and our first video clip to our Rides & Wipes page.

EP.
December 21, 2005