April Fools Day Cali-style, 16' to 23' foot surf predicted for Sunday at my local beach break.
HOLY FARGING SHNIT!!! There is no way I'm fool enough to paddle out in that kind of surf. Alley wants to check out El Porto's waves going off when I get back from Malibu so I will try to post a picture with something in the frame for scale.
The surf will be big all along the southern California coast, but here in the Los Angeles area, El Porto usually has the larger surf. The reason is an underwater canyon that leads up to the north section of Manhattan Beach know as El Porto. The underwater canyon allows swell energy to arrive at the beach before the lower swell energy is diffused by the sea bottom.
There is a small reef just outside the usual outside surf break in front of the Chevron refinery called Hammer Land. This reef will only break if the swell is approaching the 10 foot range. If the surf breaks at or near 23 feet I'm guessing that's where it will go-off super sized.
My buddy and I try to paddle out at least once per weekend, and if possible, one mid-week morning. Because of Mrs buddy's hair appointment on Saturday, he's got baby sitting duty and our surf day has been moved to Sunday.
Our safety valve is the world famous Malibu Surf Rider Beach which until an hour or so ago had a 3-4 foot surf prediction. That prediction was upped to 4-6 foot in the last couple of hours. 6 foot surf is doable for us, but if it gets much bigger we are going to have to sit this one out.
