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Surf

La JollaSurf

La Jolla Cove Big Surf, Saturday January 14, 2023

La Jolla Cove was breaking with big surf this morning, Saturday January 14, 2023. La Jolla Cove does not break often. It was larger last week but this morning was still big. I photographed until about 11am and then left before the rain arrived.  There were about a thousand people…
January 15, 2023
Surf

Eric’s New Board

My friend Eric had a couple of my wave photos laminated onto his custom new board. Eric brought it by this morning before he waxed it so we could get a look at how the images came out. The board looks awesome. The bottom image will end up being mostly…
March 7, 2014
Surf

Sunrise Color at the Wedge

Today I was fortunate to meet one of the surf world's great filmmakers: Jack McCoy. He introduced himself to me while I was standing on the sand waking up and waiting for the sun to rise before heading out in the water. A tall, quiet man with a quick smile,…
August 20, 2012
IconsSurf

Newport Surf Photos

I tested out my latest Del Mar Surf Housing this morning. I had great light for about 20 minutes right at sunrise, then swam around for a few hours trying to photograph the set waves. I wish I was about 20 years younger, I feel pretty worked over. Thanks for…
August 18, 2012
Beautiful Views of San DiegoSurf

Patience at Dusk

Blood Red Sunset, Surfers waiting for waves, Encinitas, California. These guys were enjoying the last hour of light, waiting around under the deepening red dusky sky, catching a few waves. Encinitas, California. Two surfers at sunset, blood red dusk, Encinitas. Image ID: 27976 Location: Encinitas, California, USA
August 17, 2012
Surf

New Surf Photos?

I've decided to renew my surf photography efforts this year, using the new Canon 5D Mark III camera as the workhorse. I am having my surf housing retooled to work with this camera, along with the 15mm fisheye and 16-35mm f/2.8 zoom, and will have it fitted with flash capability…
June 6, 2012
Surf

The Wedge and Cylinders

A big New Zealand swell is hitting south-facing beaches, including the Wedge in Newport Beach which is seeing 20'+ faces right now. The light was terrible and the waves were sloppy and foamy. I'm glad I did not choose to shoot in the water because it would have been a…
September 2, 2011
Surf

Gift from the Sea

A wave truly is a gift from the sea**. We are baking in a heat wave right now in Southern California, and the only respite is water. I have not been out to photograph waves for a really long time, so I decide to go out this morning since even…
August 30, 2009
CaliforniaSurf

The Wedge Claims a Life

I was saddened to learn that the Wedge claimed a life today. Huge swells rolling in from the south made for a big day at the Wedge. Unfortunately, a bodysurfer was thrown onto the jetty, and after being rescued by lifeguards he died later at Hoag Hospital. My condolences go…
July 24, 2009
CaliforniaCarlsbadSurf

Indian Summer, or, Why We Live Here

Hit the water this morning at 7am. Full sun, deep blue sky, not a cloud, mild warm offshore breezes, glassy sea, small but fun waves. Went for a walk with my daughter at Moonlight Beach at sunset tonight, deep orange-red sky, not a cloud, mild warm offshore breezes, glassy sea,…
November 16, 2008
CaliforniaCarlsbadSurf

Ponto Surf, 11-15-2008

Fun surf at Ponto this morning. Nice offshore wind, shoulder high sets once in a while. It got crowded about 8am, and the high tide softened the waves up so I got out by 9am and off to a soccer game. Wave breaking in early morning sunlight.Image ID: 21779Location: Ponto,…
November 15, 2008
Surf

Fourth of July Surf

A beautiful Independence Day morning at Ponto: sunny, glassed with lots of little peaks rolling by. Too bad all the folks from out of town got there at 6am and blocked the Coast Highway with their mega-RVs, making it nearly impossible for the people who actually live around here to…
July 4, 2008
Surf

Cardiff Morning Glass Redux

I got out early again this morning and swam out at Cardiff just north of Seaside Reef. For the most part the size had dropped off but it was still warm, glassy, not a speck of wind and sunny at 6:30am. Once again I had a huge stretch of water…
June 22, 2008
Surf

For Immediate Release: Summer is Here

Thank you for your patience. This is your official notification: summer is here. You are now free to dive in, a wetsuit is no longer required. Effective until September: casual Friday is expanded to include Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday as well. From this morning: Dawn patrol morning surf, hollow…
June 21, 2008
Surf

Carlsbad Morning Surf

Got out for the first time in a long time this morning for a swim before work. Summer is here. Morning surf.Image ID: 20793Location: Carlsbad, California, USA Morning surf.Image ID: 20795Location: Carlsbad, California, USA
June 19, 2008
Surf

Big Ugly Wednesday

The surf is big today, just as expected. Its big, and continuing to build with projected peak later today, but ... it's NOT CLEAN. I mean that literally (lagoons are still flushing their biohazards from the rain runoff of last weekend) and figuratively (the swell is not groomed right for…
December 5, 2007
CaliforniaSan DiegoSurf

Santa Anas — Good News, Bad News

Santa Anas whipped up strong yesterday, sending offshores out to meet the clean swells coming ashore. Every wave had a rainbow trailing it. Just as each wave was poised to break, the wind would rip the lip off with impressive sound, sending spray aloft only to fall back around me…
October 22, 2007
Surf

Cardiff Surf, Oct 21

Today things lined up in North County for some great surf. I got out shortly after the sun hit the water this morning in Cardiff. The sun was bright, the swell we've had for a few days was peaking, and we got the offshore winds that had the TV weatherman…
October 21, 2007
Surf

Ponto Sunrise Photos

Got to my favorite break at sunrise this morning. It was a short chance to cool off from the weird heat and humidity we've had. At 6:30 a mist was still hanging along the bluffs so that I could not see the sand from the water, just enough sun was…
September 3, 2007
Surf

Ponto Sunset Photos

Finally some surf and I am tied up at soccer games all weekend. I got a short chance to get in the water just before sunset Sunday evening. Click here are a few more. A green wave breaking, with sunset light filtering through.Image ID: 19395Location: Ponto, Carlsbad, California, USA Sunset…
September 2, 2007
Surf

Moonlight Morning Glass

Dropped my daughter off at junior lifeguard class this morning and got in a quick swim before starting work for the day. The skies were overcast and the waves were small, but so glassy. Combination of the flat light and glassy water made it difficult to discern swells coming in…
August 2, 2007
Surf

Tabletop Tiny Afternoon

Got out for a quick swim while my daughter was in soccer practice. Not much going on, surf was tiny, had to get right up on the reef in order to find anything that was remote hollowish. The water was warm, summer is here. Bored photographer takes own pictureImage ID:…
July 2, 2007
Surf

Ponto Morning Solitude

One of my favorite frames from last year. I had South Ponto entirely to myself all morning, and nice hollow waves were firing, pitching up over the sandbars that had set up just north of the cliffs. Breaking wave, Ponto, South Carlsbad, California.Image ID: 17394Location: Ponto, Carlsbad, California, USA More…
June 30, 2007
Surf

Wedge, Newport Beach, April 12

A southern hemi swell kicked up the surf the past couple days. Biggest was in Orange County with it's southern exposure. I could not get up there until this morning and I missed the peak of the swell. I tried Ponto yesterday and got in double-overhead waves with a lens…
April 12, 2007
CaliforniaLa JollaSurf

Boomer Beach Bodysurf

Some heavy surf this morning in La Jolla. It's difficult to get a good shot of this wave as it is crumbly and not particularly attractive, the angle from shore is straight on and the wave is not hollow. Here are a couple guys who took off while I was…
February 2, 2007
Surf

Mavericks Surf Photo

Grant "Twiggy" Baker, on his way to winning the 2006 running of the Mavericks Surf Contest. This was one of my two favorite frames of the day. I hope to get up there again for the 2007 contest. These guys are superb athletes taking on a truly impressive wave in…
February 1, 2007
CaliforniaCarlsbadSurf

Jetties, Carlsbad, December 23

Sunny and offshores, beautiful morning. Got to a spot I have wanted to try for a while but just never got around to it before. There was some size this morning. As I checked the surf from shore it seemed that most of the larger barrels went empty (perhaps they…
December 23, 2006
Surf

Heaving Mini Tubes

Heaving tube-lets in South Carlsbad this morning: Carlsbad morning shorebreak, heaving little 6 tube.Image ID: 17901 Carlsbad morning shorebreak, heaving little 6 tube.Image ID: 17902
December 19, 2006
Surf

Surfline : West Coast Wonderland

Surfline picked up my shot of Carson Smith getting barreled at Ponto for their latest slide show about the swell that hit last week. Carson Smith, Ponto, South Carlsbad, morning surf.Image ID: 17828Location: Ponto, Carlsbad, California, USA
December 18, 2006
Surf

Cardiff, December 14

Another nice morning in North County, surf was still strong and fun. Thanks to the surfers who let me poach some shots on their waves. Cardiff, morning surf.Image ID: 17884Location: Cardiff by the Sea, California, USA Cardiff, morning surf.Image ID: 17883Location: Cardiff by the Sea, California, USA Mike Thomas, Cardiff,…
December 14, 2006