From tbmaddux@abalone.ucsb.edu Thu Dec 05 00:22:20 1996
Newsgroups: alt.surfing
Subject: Surf Report for Ventura, 12/3
From: tbmaddux@abalone.ucsb.edu (Timothy B. Maddux)
Date: 4 Dec 1996 16:22:20 -0800

Date/Time:	Tuesday, December 3rd, 9:00 am - 11:00 am
Location:	Ventura County
Weather:	Cold and clear skies, light offshore breezes.
Conditions:	Offshore and perfect.
Swell:		Punchy beach peaks from shoulder high to overhead.
Comments:

Lots of peaks up and down the beach, many closeouts and
difficult paddles back out.  Offshore winds slowly shifting 
to sideshore holding the lip back just enough to get into 
the wave before it heaves over.  Fast transitions from a
slowly approaching lump of water to a two-way barrelling
peak, not a good time to be slow to the feet.  I was slow.
Got pitched more than a few times; all part of the training 
for the Hawaii trip.

A typical wave went from a blip on the horizon to a furious
paddle to get to the shifty peak to an attempted quick pop
to the feet to realizing the impending doom to attempting to
punch through the bottom only to be swept up and over and
down and into the thankfully sandy bottom.  Lots of practice
remaining calm and waiting for the whitewater to let up its
hold.

The waves made (let's say 25% of those attempted, which were
only half of those that could have been tried) are little more
than a blur of offshore spray, ducking lips, and fast turns
through the pocket.  Punishing paddleouts.  More often washed
in to dry sand than back out again after a good wave.  Local
guys sitting on their decks, chuckling, as I trudged back to
the road, up a half mile of coast to my car and back out into
the water again.

I wonder if I'll survive the islands...

-- 
       .-``'.       Timothy B. Maddux, Ocean Engineering Lab, UCSB
     .`   .`~  Santa Barbara Surfing - http://www.me.ucsb.edu/~tbmaddux/
 _.-'     '._   Ahooooooooooooooooooooooooooo-Oooooooooooooooooooooooo!