All week long forecasters were calling for moderate windswell to hit the Santa Barbara area over the weekend.  Like everyone else I got a little bit excited and began checking the cams and buoy readings every few hours late in the week, but it seemed like (as usual) not much was happening.  Saturday passed and rather than go paddling, I decided to go check out the Summer Solstice Parade in downtown Santa Barbara.  Funny, but while I was there I ran into several Rincon locals as well as Surfrider Foundation members.  The parade was fun and interesting, but still, I was thinking that I would have rather been surfing.  Oh well, there were some interesting sights to behold nonetheless.  Check it out..

Anna Nicole or Marilyn??







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Sunday Surf Report ~ Rincon

Sunday morning I watched the cams, again hoping to get wet before the weekend was over.  The Campus Pt. cam definitely showed some energy, albeit a bit drained-out from a very low tide.  Unable to muster up the energy for another wasted drive to Rincon I held out and decided to do yardwork through the morning hours.  After lunch I received a voicemail tip from friend who reported that on a drive from Ventura to S.B. it appeared that Rincon was breaking, so I wasted no time and loaded  up my gear and headed South.  Even this early, the traffic on 101 was horrendous, and it took me practically an hour to make to 20-minute drive.  Passing Padaro Ln. I became encouraged by what I was seeing -- definite windswell lines stacking up corduroy.  When I finally reached the Rincon parking lot, there were a fair number of cars, many that were leaving - not usually a good sign.  I figured that at least I would paddle out and observe the "3-wave rule".  At first glimpse that waves were pretty crumbly, and while there still a fair amount of fog and overcast, the piss wind was on it.  Maybe a dozen people were sitting in the cove, so I decided to begin the session up top.  As I walked towards the Rivermouth a solid head-high set rumbled through, and I actually became a bit excited.  Only an handful of surfers were hanging out at Indicator.  Before I paddled out another set rolled through, this one even bigger than the last.  I walked up around the point and paddled down into it.  Almost immediately a juicy set was upon me.  I spun around and took off, making several sections before kicking out down past the Rivermouth.  Damn!  A little out of shape due to the lack of paddling, it took me a while to make it all the way back.  Almost immediately another set came, and again, I got another ride of several hundred yards.  By now the wind quit blowing, the Sun came out, the tide came up, and Rincon was breaking.  Whoa!  The sets were very consistent, a few minutes apart, ranging in the chest- to head-high range.  In 2 hours I probably caught a dozen waves, one that even took me all the way down to the Cove.  THANK YOU (you know who you are) for the tip; you made my week...

Random pics of Rincon

Below are some images taken at Rincon the past Winter for your enjoyment.















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Ya Man.  Support the Santa Barbara chapter of the Surfrider Foundation...