Surf Report # 21

Location: South of Devil’s Punch Bowl State Park – 8 miles N of Newport, OR
Time: 2:00 pm- 5:30 pm
Air Temp: 55° F
Water Temp: 55° F
Wind: From N 9 mph
Waves: 5-8 ft
Gear: 5/3 wetsuit, 5 mm boots, 3 mm gloves, .5 mm hood

Holy crow, what a diverse and great wave day! The beach near the punch bowl was looking a little light when Dan and I stopped by this afternoon, so we wandered South down the beach a little ways. Started off fairly mellow. The forecast called for cleaner waves than what we experienced, but here and there we scored some super fun glassy head-high sets. The thing we noticed pretty much right off the bat was how “thick” the waves seemed to be. Kind of a depth and power behind each one that I haven’t seen before. Seemed to get lifted up forever when a wave rolled underneath.

After an hour or so, either the waves started to build or we drifted into a heavier zone. Probably both. Regardless, the wave intensity and power really started to rise. Without a doubt this was the day’s highlight. Huge steep thick waves. Just getting pummled and worked over and over again. Lots of hoots and hollers and laughter, but we really did take a beating too. Paddling for waves only to freefall for what seemed like six feet, landing, bowled over by wave impact, curling into a ball in the ensuing maestrom while your board flailed around you, popping up laughing into a mouthful of salt water, smacked again by the next wave. So good.

Finished the day by walking back up the beach back to calmer territory. Another seal poking its head up in the water nearby.