Surf updates - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

chris138 · 09-22-2010, 03:21 PM

No matter which site you use, it's nearly impossible to predict for sure the conditions at LJ launch unless it's completely flat. With the canyon that close to shore, all it takes is a little current and wind and all of a sudden a 180deg S groundswell will make a right turn and be macking at the shores. The opposite is also true where sets can be running 10 ft out of the SW, and the launch will be a dead calm eddy. One thing is for sure, in another month when the swell vector comes above 270, there will be prangler carnage and lost gear. Show up and blow up baby.

TCS · 09-22-2010, 07:48 PM

Hate to be disagreeable donkey roper, but a 180 degree long period swell will never get to the launch. No way.

chris138 · 09-23-2010, 01:52 PM

What, no devilslides on a south? Ok perhaps I'm exaggerating... But the point is you don't really know until you go and surf forecasting is inaccurate to say the least.

FARRIER · 09-23-2010, 02:42 PM

Im a kayak fishing rookie but have logged water time on the surfboard since 1987. And remember when surfline was an actual phone number. But I digress. Camzone was controllable for a short time when it first came out. So I would watch the waves for a good twenty to thirty sometimes before making the drive from inland. In all honesty the surf would not reflect what i saw 70 to 80 percent of the time. The camera's altitude is far higher than the sand. And that is really deceptive. The best way to check the surf is to drive to the beach! Bring your boat. Sometimes you just have to commit.

TCS · 09-23-2010, 08:14 PM

Point well taken Chris. Here's another tidbit related to swell intervals. Swell period matters as much as direction at the launch. A four foot northwest swell with a 5 second period will pound the launch. Same swell direction with a 15 second interval will leave the launch virtually untouched. (Usually) This is due to the bathymetry of the ocean floor. The energy in a long period swell reaches much deeper under the surface of the water and the energy can then be funneled into certain areas according to the bottom contours.

For example, on a long period northwest swell, the launch might be flat and scripps overhead. On a short period swell there is not as much difference in size, although scripps will still be bigger.

blackcloud9 · 09-24-2010, 08:12 PM

Here is my take on gauging the launch from buoy readings, since everyone asks this
question at our FastLane Kayak Fishing Seminars ...

http://larryl.com/favorite_kayak_conditions.htm

TCS hit it right on the nose. I would go as far as saying that swell PERIOD matters a
whole lot more than direction at the Shores launch. Any swell, whether its from 195,
210, 270, or 295, with a long swell period (>12 seconds) will have very little effect at
the launch.

Short period "wind swells" (< 8 seconds) are the problem, as they disregard the canyon's
refracting effects and swarm the launch area at very consistent intervals when they
arrive.

At Big Rock, where I launch generally, its precisely the opposite. This weekend will have
excellent launch conditions at both places. Bring the sunhat and sunscreen though,
summer is finally here!

09-23-2010, 02:42 PM	#4
FARRIER Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Cmont [] Posts: 314	Im a kayak fishing rookie but have logged water time on the surfboard since 1987. And remember when surfline was an actual phone number. But I digress. Camzone was controllable for a short time when it first came out. So I would watch the waves for a good twenty to thirty sometimes before making the drive from inland. In all honesty the surf would not reflect what i saw 70 to 80 percent of the time. The camera's altitude is far higher than the sand. And that is really deceptive. The best way to check the surf is to drive to the beach! Bring your boat. Sometimes you just have to commit. __________________ "It depends on what the meaning of the words 'is' is." –Bill Clinton

09-24-2010, 08:12 PM	#6
blackcloud9 Kayaker Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Big Rock, WindanSea, La Jolla Posts: 413	Here is my take on gauging the launch from buoy readings, since everyone asks this question at our FastLane Kayak Fishing Seminars ... http://larryl.com/favorite_kayak_conditions.htm TCS hit it right on the nose. I would go as far as saying that swell PERIOD matters a whole lot more than direction at the Shores launch. Any swell, whether its from 195, 210, 270, or 295, with a long swell period (>12 seconds) will have very little effect at the launch. Short period "wind swells" (< 8 seconds) are the problem, as they disregard the canyon's refracting effects and swarm the launch area at very consistent intervals when they arrive. At Big Rock, where I launch generally, its precisely the opposite. This weekend will have excellent launch conditions at both places. Bring the sunhat and sunscreen though, summer is finally here! __________________ Larry. Hobie Revolution 13. 25 years of kayak fishing La Jolla. https://larryl.com/photos Last edited by blackcloud9; 09-24-2010 at 08:26 PM.

09-22-2010, 03:21 PM	#1
chris138 donkey roper Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Pacific Beach Posts: 968	No matter which site you use, it's nearly impossible to predict for sure the conditions at LJ launch unless it's completely flat. With the canyon that close to shore, all it takes is a little current and wind and all of a sudden a 180deg S groundswell will make a right turn and be macking at the shores. The opposite is also true where sets can be running 10 ft out of the SW, and the launch will be a dead calm eddy. One thing is for sure, in another month when the swell vector comes above 270, there will be prangler carnage and lost gear. Show up and blow up baby.

09-22-2010, 07:48 PM	#2
TCS Senior Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 478	Hate to be disagreeable donkey roper, but a 180 degree long period swell will never get to the launch. No way.

09-23-2010, 01:52 PM	#3
chris138 donkey roper Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Pacific Beach Posts: 968	What, no devilslides on a south? Ok perhaps I'm exaggerating... But the point is you don't really know until you go and surf forecasting is inaccurate to say the least.

09-23-2010, 08:14 PM	#5
TCS Senior Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 478	Point well taken Chris. Here's another tidbit related to swell intervals. Swell period matters as much as direction at the launch. A four foot northwest swell with a 5 second period will pound the launch. Same swell direction with a 15 second interval will leave the launch virtually untouched. (Usually) This is due to the bathymetry of the ocean floor. The energy in a long period swell reaches much deeper under the surface of the water and the energy can then be funneled into certain areas according to the bottom contours. For example, on a long period northwest swell, the launch might be flat and scripps overhead. On a short period swell there is not as much difference in size, although scripps will still be bigger.