Winter Blues. November 2020

Winter came early this year and the season is off to a good start. Light to moderate offshores accompanied with a solid drop in air temps and pumping swell created the classic blue green hues of winter at Ocean Beach. It’s one of those days where I can’t stop staring at the waves, watching peak after peak, surfers maneuver the closeout sections and occasionally make it out of a barrel. The A-frames were groomed all day and peeling into the night, and as a cherry on top, the local dolphin pod appeared unexpectedly and ecstatically claimed the set of the day.

Today’s conditions brought me back to winter of 2012, a day consisting of heavy rain and barrels. The forecast called for overcast clouds, rain, and moderate ESE wind. I prepared my foul weather gear in case I still had to be out there shooting if conditions were good enough. The NWS issued a beach hazard warning in advance of an incoming swell that took effect Christmas morning, but contradicted the forecast on Surfline, which said the swell wasn’t moving in til the evening. Nevertheless, it really cleaned up as the tide dropped late morning. The offshores gained momentum and layers of clouds started to appear. What was fascinating was how fast the clouds were changing, morphing into different shapes and forms by the minute. There was plenty of barrels to be had, a green room almost every wave. The lefts were peeling, the rights were draining. The sun almost poked through the thick layer of Nimbostratus clouds at times, giving the waves a classic dark green look with a dark blue background. The forerunners did not show up until right before dark, and amazingly, I was spared the rain for the day.

Merry Christmas.

I’m always on the lookout for barrels, even when there are none.

Happy Holidays to all.