Surf's up!

[SharkDZ]

Anybody check out the beach and dive conditions lately? I've heard from my surf buddies, but no reports from dive sites along the coast. Rumor has it that the swell is from the NW, so possibly south facing might not be affected. Sounds like south SD county is getting some big sets.

Another swell by the weekend?

 

[travelmadness]

4ft+ waves today in Hermosa Beach

 

[SeaWorthy]

... but no reports from dive sites along the coast... Another swell by the weekend?

Actually, Laguna Sea Sports LDS in Laguna Beach posts dive conditions on their website: http://www.lagunaseasports.com/conditions/conditions.asp. Check it out late in the morning for an update. Although Laguna dive sites face south, they still experience higher-than-normal surfs. PV and RB fare worse, with even higher surfs (as travelmadness noted) because their sites face west (swells are from W & NW). High surf advisory is still in effect until later today. But the swell model still shows pretty high surfs through Friday, although not as bad as in the past couple of days.

 

[SharkDZ]

Thanks, I do check Laguna Sea Sports daily. Just wondering what the real stuff is. Nothing like HUMINT.

 

[SeaWorthy]

Thanks, I do check Laguna Sea Sports daily. Just wondering what the real stuff is. Nothing like HUMINT.

On days when there are divers in the water, the dive condition information posted on Laguna Sea Sports comes from actual divers. This LDS is a short block from Shaw's Cove dite site in Laguna. Many divers visit Laguna Sea Sports before and after their dives to rent or refill their tanks. While refilling their tanks and rinsing their gear at Laguna Sea Sports, divers report to the shop the actual dive conditions: surf height, surge, viz, etc. So the posted information is real, from actual divers, and not from a swell model or webcam. Having said that, I don't know if the info in the last few days is real or estimated, simply because I can't imagine any diver being in the water since late Friday to report actual surge and viz. The Laguna Sea Sports guys do go down to the beach to check out the waves for their height, so I think that info should be accurate.

 

[SharkDZ]

Loi,

You missed my point. I frequent their shop often and dive Shaw's. I'm looking for a broader range of dive locations and conditions, as we all do. I guess that's on my wish list. Surfline will have to do for now.

Peace, out.

 

[wetrat]

Shark,

2-3' overhead sets coming in at Tamarack in North San Diego County this morning. Lots of surfers out in the brown gunky water.

John

 

[riguerin]

I surfed Upper Trestles this AM. This last pulse of WNW swell is fading, but we were still pulling in some overhead sets. It was chest to head high on average. Water was murky here too ... viz was less than a foot. Damn I hope my hepatitis shots are up to date

The next two big NPAC systems look like they're forecasted to take more northerly tracks now. The 2nd one (early next week) looks like it's actually tracking more toward the Aleutians. It should lose a little steam in that cold water if it does. Looks like we could get some little windows of opurtunity for shore diving at select spots near term. South facing and/or heavily shadowed beaches are your best bet.

 

[SharkDZ]

Yeah, that's what I'm talkin' about! Thanks, guys!

Guess I'll bring my board, too. :14:

 

[riguerin]

BTW. Unlike the Summer months, you need to look at little more than just swell predictions to try to determine if diving conditions could be worth it. These North Pacific cyclones actually reach the West coast of the US (unlike the Southern-hemi and Tropical storms). Consequently, we can get precipitation ... i.e. RAIN !

If we get enough of it, the run off that gets dumped into the ocean can really muck up the viz ... let alone expose you and your gear to some potentially nasty crud. Best to head for the mountains and hit the fresh pow pow on those days ... live to fight another day