This first swell may or may not be enough to light this spot up. Photo: Brad Jacobson//Screenshot
Before you yell that I’m “crowding up your spot,” allow me to celebrate too. After a weird end to winter and start to spring as far as waves go, California surfers are set to get a reprieve in the form of the first significant Southern Hemisphere swell of the season. Finally.
After a giant run of waves to start the new year, much of the late winter and spring was dotted with wind and storm swell, accompanied by wet weather. But that all seems to be changing. According to our comrades at Surfline – and if you’ve been in the water, you’ve probably noticed this as well – a small south swell has decorated area beaches this week, crossed up by some northwest. But today (Thursday, April 27), a larger south swell is starting to fill in that should run through at least Sunday.
This from Surfline’s Matt Kibby: “The second, larger (south swell) pulse builds Thursday-Friday and tops out into Saturday, offering slightly larger size. The extra size and longer period (as well as less NW energy) mean that shape favors the reefs and points even more so this time around. If you’re stuck working with a beachbreak, getting to a spot that has a pier or jetty to provide some structure will be your best shot at an open corner.”
If you know, you know. According to Surfline subsidiary, MagicSeaweed, bits and pieces of this south swell should last into at least Tuesday, with perhaps a few scraps even on offer Wednesday.
Exact size is always a crapshoot but favorable tides and morning winds will really help things. Surfers up and down the California coast should be able to get in on this pulse at south-facing exposures. Could be a good weekend.
