Wild West: Biggest Swell in Decades Slams California

Biggest is not always best. And in the case of last week’s Wild West swell — the biggest in decades to hit California — truth is, it was only actually good at a handful of spots during short windows of tide and wind, and/or at tucked-in nook-and-cranny novelty waves. (It also wreaked 17 different kinds of havoc across the state, washing over roadways, breaking piers and into harbors.) Yeah, it was a historic surf event which’ll be talked about in parking lots and lineups and coffee shops for years, and it rearranged the relationship with where we surf, but it (mostly) ended up being more spectacle than participatory. And above we present the spectacle, including a mad return to Todos Santos. With more on the way, especially Friday and Saturday across Southern California.

-----------------------------------
Subscribe:

Become a Surfline Premium Member:
----------------------------------

MusicBed - MB017G4BC0NM53Q

[bradleyjanes]

I'm 65 yo and it's the biggest I can recall, great video, thank you👊

[karenallhoff]

I love Surfline! I love being a Californian. Thank you for such a beautiful piece. 🔥💕🤙🏼

[MrSemperfidelis]

Amazing Todos and swell… props to Greg Longs wave and all that paddled out there. Yah JoJo

[laurenjager]

Hi Kevin!! I miss your folks.. hug your Mama for me.🌴🌊 Thanks for the epic surf reports. You know if the Goat rerouted his travel path for the year, for this, it's gotta be epic, as well.

[theresaheyer]

OH WOOOOW very adventurous people, lovers of the ocean...great view thank you all!

[icysurfer]

Among many great things, and places I've been, Surfing for over 25 years (and for 1 month a year now) is the best, most pivotal decision I ever made. Started at 29 yrs old, in cold water. Cheers.

[ProbsPondering]

Resident of San Diego here. The swells at Blacks beach these past few days have been absolutely gargantuan

[macscotsman]

Yes, 1969 is the benchmark used for the last 50 years. For us in So Cal that were there, we will always remember waves breaking over both Newport Harbor jetties. Dana Point closing out across the entire bay, and a reef breaking further out than the end of the San Clemente pier. Fun times.

[bigredfred]

I’ve lived and surfed in Hawaii for 40+ years (too old to surf now) and live near Rincon Point now. I saw the huge waves there recently and I also saw all the debris in the water and on the beach, logs, limbs etc from the storms. That’s not something I would like to be tumbling in the whitewater with, lol.

[negativemiracle]

"Swells like this rearrange our relationship with where we surf. We think we know the takeoff zone at our local spot, and then all of a sudden it's 100 yards out and to the left. We think waves never break inside that cove or jetty or harbor or river, and then all of a sudden, they do."

I'm not crying, you're crying. Poetry.

[petersterling]

Lot of Respect for Greg Long. He's already died once but he is Such a Warrior and Great Surfer he wants to Always Take off on the Biggest Wave! Mahalo Greg for your Spirit

[michaelj]

Wow Thanks for documenting one of the biggest swells of our lifetime Really appreciate what you do Thanks again guys👍🤙

[davidboudreau]

Back in the late 1970's I remember going with a few friends down to the Seal Beach Pier. We were in High School and I rode my bike down there from my parents house near Recreation Park golf course and Wilson High. I would cut through the marina to shorten bike ride there, but it was a pretty long ride none-the-less. The waves were the same height as the pier. I had my Boogie Board and I managed to drop in on a few of them. The water was really nasty from all the sea debris being churned up. But it was an awesome day in the waves and I will never forget it.

[mozdickson]

Thanks from NZ for your comprehensive reportage. Stoked for Long.

[Keleneki]

Woohoo!!! That is awesome! I saw massive waves twice when I went to Waimea Bay to watch the first two Eddie Aikau surf contests back in the day. I also saw epic waves at Sandy Beach and Makapuu before in the 1980s where it was breaking way outside and massive. I was so happy to see a picture of the huge waves in one video of Sandy Beach and there is a video at Makapuu not long ago where it got epic. I first learned it could get that big when my college professor in Oceanography at the University of Hawaii told us in class about how Makapuu could get epic on extremely rare conditions. He used to go bodysurfing after class at Makapuu and I would see him gliding along the waves in the water when I was swimming back out from the waves I caught. I used to go bodysurfing almost every day for years when I was younger but now I am an old man living on the Mainland. :)

[WCANO]

Fantastic. I can’t wait for the next episode of the 2023 Cali winter

[genevagarciafilm]

I'm from Ensenada which faces Isla de Todos Santos. And I'd heard about how insane the waves can get on the island. It's so cool to have seen it in this video even if I've never seen it in real life.

[kc]

64 year old Westcoaster here and have seen waves breaking on top of HB pier in the 70s. Never seen Todos that big before 🍻

[dman]

rad, stoked for you guys. a little Waimea out in Cali! woot! 🤙🏄‍♂

[TylerMCollins]

Great job team 🙌 Epic coverage and beautiful production. Shoutout the homies Marcus, Kevin, Marc, Jake 🤙