Swell Check

Got a beautiful northeast swell this past Tuesday, January 29th, offering nice open lefts, some rights, all around shoulder high to a foot or more overhead. Checked it in Nags Head at one of my favorite beach accesses in the morning. A low pressure system passed to the northeast along the coast Sunday night and Monday, a raggy but sizable swell appeared, then the wind switched to west and "voila"!

The water was around 42 degrees so everybody was wrapped up tight. The best waves were lefts, open and long. Tim Nolte was killing it with his 10-foot paddle board. I stood on the access boardwalk with a few longtime locals, Dan Corbin, Eric Cleaver, and Edward Tupper. Eric was shooting some video and snapping some photos while his dog stalked the top of the boardwalk railing.

This is the first swell I've seen which resembled the Thanksgiving week swell of 2007, albeit a smaller version. The other differences? Hoods and gloves are out now cause the water temperature is about 14 degrees colder. This day I had to go back to work. I'm also still recovering from recent surgery, so I can't surf anyway, and I don't really care for water that cold. I couldn't think of any more excuses. I decided to turn away and leave my local water brothers to their uncrowded waves. I'll soon have my chance again.