Monday, December 01, 2014

12 1 14 morning

4am main swell buoy readings:

NW
5.1ft @ 7s from 69° (ENE)
4.8ft @ 18s from 281° (WNW)
4.2ft @ 9s from 78° (ENE)
3.7ft @ 12s from 32° (NE)

Waimea
6.2ft @ 8s from 14° (NNE)
4.3ft @ 12s from 15° (NNE)
1.4ft @ 4s from 31° (NE)
0.9ft @ 22s from 310° (WNW)

Maui north shore (indicative of what's in the water on Maui's north shore)
6.7ft @ 8s from 40° (NE)           
4.5ft @ 12s from 12° (NNE)
0.3ft @ 22s from 34° (NE)

West lanai Maui north shore (indicative of what's in the water on Maui's south shore)
1ft @ 9s from 196° (SSW)
0.9ft @ 11s from 242° (WSW)
0.5ft @ 16s from 208° (SSW)

Still 4.5f 12s from 12, this is a very long stretch of waves out of the north (which I love because they hit some of my favorite spots!) and it is not supposed to end anytime soon!
Actually today a WNW swell will also rise, but Maui will be heavily shadowed.

You can see 5f 18s from 281 at the NW buoy and 1f 22s from 310 at Waimea. Which might bring a question:"why is direction so different?"
The main reason is refraction, which I explain as: the waves bend around islands and land points.
So what we will get in the late afternoon (mostly Hookipa and east of it) is whatever evergy will manage to bend around (in the order):
-
- Kauai
- Oahu
- Molokai
- the west maui mountain
There might also be a bit of angular spreading that explains the two so different directions at the NW and waimea buoys, which I will explain with the help of today's wind map

As you can see, I circled the two fetches generating waves for us today. The one to the NW of the islands, is now not oriented towards us anymore, but will still make waves for us.
The big arrow I drew indicates the main direction of the swell. But waves have the amazing ability of spreading from that both "left" and "right", and I drew two thinner arrows to show that.
Clearly, the energy and specially the consistency of the swell is much higher in a spot that is hit straight by the core of the swell, rather than on the edge of its angular spreading.

Once again, look for spots that like a northerly direction... I had quite a spectacular day in the water yesterday!

Have fun in the sun everyone!

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