Paipo Gathering - Fall 2015?

[rodndtube]

While I'm there, I'm more than happy to share my site with anyone? I guess the rules say you can't pitch a tent in an RV site...........but if any of you have a truck with a camper shell or a van or a Sprinter or something, I'm sure there's a way to squeeze you in and make it happen.

I might take you up on that offer, pull up my minivan as it will be equipped for primitive camping inside.

[SJB]

Rod...if I am following the thread correctly....
Skiff is departing Sunday...
and you are arriving Sunday....
No?
Skiff....you mentioned you would be moving to an EC day site Sunday. What time do you anticipate departing Sunday?

[rodndtube]

Rod...if I am following the thread correctly....
Skiff is departing Sunday...
and you are arriving Sunday....
No?
Skiff....you mentioned you would be moving to an EC day site Sunday. What time do you anticipate departing Sunday?

SJB: Yes, I have a tent camp site for Sunday and Monday nights. I could sleep in the minivan on Saturday night (arrive during the day) if Skiff has parking room at his RV site.

[skiff]

Yes, I'm not really planning on leaving Sunday until the afternoon, and if there's some decent surf holding forth down along the point below, I can probably re-arrange some of my plans and stay another night. It would be nice to meet as many of you guys coming as possible.

[dr robert]

El Cap is good…Refugio a little more low key when things start firing… love em both,regardless, I'm in too. Emma wood is good as well…bit more urbanized, but close to my favorite wave when it's truly on…Pitas.

[dr robert]

Ok…just saw the entire thread…extremely familiar with all this area, the El Cap site on the East side is a great place to HQ…numerous spots can handle both large and small swells , south winds, not so good, but but there is enough variety in a fairly localized area to ensure something to ride…plus always great to meet up and share theory, lies, and dubious historical background concerning paipo madness.
Wherever, I'm in.
I think Jeff Quam and a couple others will be too…this will be fun!

[rodndtube]

Update: Jeff Quam and I are driving up early Sunday morning and meeting up wherever there is surf in the area. I was told by one of our paipo riders who lives in the Ventura area that some spots down there might be better, maybe some of the little spots that Tomas rides--then again, who knows, it is weather driven events this swell thing. We are breaking camp early on Tuesday morning and heading back south, dropping Jeff off at home, and then I continue my trek homeward bound.

Dr. Robert, it will be good to see you again!

[SJB]

Rod...to quote Surfline on Santa Barbara:
"FALL: This is when you want to be here. Oily glass, long-interval west swells, neoprene-warming sunshine all day -- yeah, it happens, usually in September and October. Autumn is a transitional period, so you should expect the best and the worst. However, the tourist influx subsides dramatically after the Labor Day weekend, so fewer gawkers translates into more quality exploration room for you. Autumn is also the time of year when lower Santa Barbara County awakens from its summer hibernation, and those fabled right points can become downright magical."
Surfline is never the final word....I live in SB...and in the Summer I tend to head South to Ventura (20 minutes to C St.)....and in Winter I stay North (20 minutes to El Cap). Fall/Autumn is truly a transitional period and it can go either way. I will be keeping an eye on it and advise my thoughts on where to go out. Worst case....less than an hour drive South from El Cap to Ventura if need be. In the meantime I will pray to the Surf Gods that there will be swell SOMEWHERE.

[skiff]

And let us not forget...................an hour or less to the north...................The J.

[SJB]

BINGO!

[rodndtube]

Us out of area folks will reply upon our localized knowledge experts!!

[krusher74]

I want to see pics of the look on peoples faces when you all invade a spot on "funny looking little boards"

And a big party wave!

[skiff]

I spent last weekend camping at Ocean Mesa, and I'm here to report that the facility is prepped and ready to meet everyone...! Pool was clean, hot tub was perfect, and the morning coffee is ready at dawn. This year, I'm kind of wondering is we're going to luck into a south swell or a Winter swell; this year is a true anomaly. Water temp is hovering up near 70, so that should put a nice spin on things...

[SJB]

Pes78 and I are confirmed sharing camp site 713. I will arrive Sunday late afternoon. I will bring some dry oak for evening fire pit confab. You gotta stay late Skiff....better yet book Sunday night. Offerings to the surf Gods for El Cap magic....all together now. Barring that I predict worst case there will be something rideable Ventura or Jalama.

[nomastomas]

According to Surfline:

North Pacific Swell: Really nothing of significance currently on the radar through the end of September, with just shorter period NW swell the main source for waves. Note that we are closely monitoring the WPAC tropics for a possible re-curving system (swell on the dashboards for early October) - however, there is considerable spread between the reputable long-range models on this system so confidence is very low on this event happening at this juncture.

[SJB]

Only the Shadow knows. According to Austin Gendron:

There’s still some discrepancies between the different models, but the GFS shows a system forming over the next day or so east of the Philippines. As it strengthens it moves northward towards Japan late in the week, then sucked east into the jet stream by early next week, quite possibly generating some solid fetch with a much better trajectory for California. The NAVGEM shows a much milder solution, holding the system closer to Taiwan through early next week. We’re going to have to wait and see how things work out over the next few days. Hopefully we have a better idea on Thursday, but it could mean some long-period W-WNW (270-290) swell for the end of the first week of October. Stay tuned.

[rodndtube]

Update: Jeff Quam and I are driving up early Sunday morning and meeting up wherever there is surf in the area. I was told by one of our paipo riders who lives in the Ventura area that some spots down there might be better, maybe some of the little spots that Tomas rides--then again, who knows, it is weather driven events this swell thing. We are breaking camp early on Tuesday morning and heading back south, dropping Jeff off at home, and then I continue my trek homeward bound.

Dr. Robert, it will be good to see you again!

Jeff Quam can't make it due to a family commitment but says his spirit will be there. Not the same as his sharing a vast knowledge on board design. I will be up on Saturday or Sunday morning.... keeping an eye on what the swell as that could prompt a Sat arrival parking in Skiff's land slip.

Whatever swell there is will certainly be better than last week's Cape Hatteras swells (NE & SE facing sides) which ranged from 1-2 ft @ 7 secs or 1-3 @ 6 secs. Plenty of sunshine, light winds and otherwise great to be in Hatteras.

[skiff]

It's been a way above average Summer, I couldn't begin to post all of the photos. I'm guessing that the Good Karma train will just keep on revving up, and on top of all that, I'm feeling lucky-

[SJB]

Surfline suggests:

South Pacific Swell activity:
"The first full week in October, starting around the 8th, is looking a little more interesting as longer-range guidance suggests an uptick in storm activity over the South Pacific later this month. We'll keep you posted on the progress of those potential storm/swell systems as they develop."

Not much encouragement on the North Pacific front....but LOLA suggests for 10/11:
5-6 ft Ventura
7-8 ft North SB

Still too early to call...but right now it sounds encouraging for a road trip either an hour North or South from El Cap MAY BE shaping up to be the ticket to ride.

[rodndtube]

Very encouraging, albeit a long-range forecast, but a forecast.

Are the water temps believable (as reported today)?
Ventura, 71-73° F
Rincon, 72° F
Jalama (N. Santa Barbara County), 70° F

I was skunked after two weeks of water temps running 60-62F in Northern Oregon in late July only to arrive to 54F with my 3/2 and light booties/paddling gloves. Most likely it will be toasty since I have packed a shorty, 3/2 and a 4/3