Tuesday 3 7 17 morning call

My first two sessions yesterday were both disappointing yesterday, but fortunately I managed to squeeze a third one in before going to work at 2, where finally I got three or four good waves. Both the first two spots were good either after I surfed them or before, timing is everything.

This is Dave Kalama foiling in the harbor. Sorry if it's blurred, my old camera only works with a particular set of settings that's not the best for sport shots, but hopefully today I'll receive the new one.


I haven't seen this one yet. That looks like a regular laydown board (unless he threw the paddle away after catching the wave) with footstraps (of which he's only using the front one). Years ago I tried to put a front footstrap on my surfboard (like Rush Randle used to do), but not only the front footstrap was quite uncomfortable under my chest, but it also created an instability when paddling for the waves. I was missing the sturdy contact with the ribs on the deck of the board and my board was all wobbly when paddling. Those straps didn't last long at all.


4am significant buoy readings
South shore
Lanai
2.6ft @ 10s from 266° (W)

2.4ft @ 13s from 259° (WSW)

1.5ft @ 11s from 267° (W)

Wow, those are some westerly readings at Lanai! Kihei will have waves again. There have been waves in Lahaina too, probably westerly energy squeezing between Lanai and Molokai (280 to 290 degrees to get into that narrow corridor).

North shore
NW101

5.2ft @ 12s from 335° (NNW)

3.9ft @ 10s from 348° (NNW)

Waimea
7.2ft @ 13s from 322° (NW)

4.8ft @ 11s from 325° (NW)

Pauwela

7.1ft @ 13s from 345° (NNW)

2.9ft @ 9s from 18° (NNE)

 

Below is the graph of the three reported buoys. The two red arrows show a decline of 2 feet at the NW101 buoy that started happening at noon yesterday. Period was already down to 12s and that, according to GP's rule of thumb (16h@16s +1 - 1 and viceversa for other periods), means that we should experience the same after 20h, i.e. 8am.

Last thing you guys should be worried though is the lack of size. 7f 13s is still a healthy size to start with, and more than the size I'm afraid that also today the main problem will be the mix of energies from different directions/periods. If you guys remember the fetches of the last 3-4 days (if not, just scroll down to the previous calls), there were a bunch of remote and nearby sources and that is reflected in the spectrum graph at Pauwela below, that once again appears extremely widely spread.

I'm really glad blog reader Chico sent me the link to this page (the ones I had found before weren't as clear as this one), because it really shows how the buoy readings should be taken with a grain of salt. It's not only what it's indicated at the buoys. It's a lot more than that. That's also why I prefer webcams over buoys.

Interestingly, today's Pauwela main energy at the buoy (7.1ft @ 13s from 345°) is not what the diagram below suggests instead (more like 315). For that, I don't have an explanation.


Another issue today could be the light NE flow. Below is the NAM3km map at 2pm.


Unfortunately, the iWindsurf.com readings at 5.19am seem to suggest a stronger onshore flow than that.



4am satellite picture.


Current wind map shows:
1) distant and a bit rarefied WNW fetch
2) near NW fetch. Proximity will play a big role in this swell, which will be very powerful. 12f 15s from 329 on Thursday predicted by Surfline, wax your guns.
3) windswell fetch
4) small crooked fetch down under