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After a stormy last week, a better surf window should temporarily open up this week for parts of California. Unfortunately, not a whole lot of swell down in Southern California, yet clean morning conditions will setup plenty of options especially after the recent rains (come on, sandbars...).

WEDNESDAY: 3-4'+ sets at winter standouts. AM conditions cleanest. Tuesday's WNW-NW swell-mix decreases some, but still providing sets up to chest-shoulder high at well exposed breaks (strongest overall in Ventura and South San Diego). Likely decent shape, even the beachbreaks with a variety of periods to break it up. Light offshore wind in the AM for most areas, then just a light to moderate onshore breeze developing by the PM. Note a 5.5' high tide peaking mid-morning, which incoming tide early may be a good window for many spots. Poor water quality due to rainfall.

THURSDAY: 2-3'+ sets at winter standouts. AM conditions cleanest. The WNW-NW swell-mix eases down another click from Wednesday. Primarily inconsistent WNW sets around waist-belly maybe chest high for top exposed breaks, which will be most prominent around the best tides - Strongest overall through Ventura and South San Diego. Similar conditions to Wednesday - Light offshore wind in the AM for most areas, then just a light to moderate onshore beeze developing in the PM. 5'+ high tide mid-morning. Poor water quality due to rainfall.
Red Bull‘s WallRide contest will be held in lovely Venice Beach on Saturday, March 9. Weather has been a thorn in this contest’s side, which was originally scheduled for December and then moved to February. Let’s keep our fingers crossed for a sunny day!

Pros and ams will be invited to get creative on different wall designs, and there will be opportunities for an open class of skaters to get in via a “wild card” selection. The contest will be held at the handball courts, known primarily for OG skate antics from some beloved Venice locals back in the day.

Skateboarders 16 years or older ranging from amateurs to professionals are invited to participate, but space is limited! The competition will be judged in ten-minute jam format heats. Registration will start at 10:00 a.m. and will be on a first-come-first-serve basis. Details below:

Venice Beach Handball Courts
1800 Ocean Front Walk
Venice Beach, CA 90291

Saturday, March 9
Registration On-Site and Open Skate: 10 AM
Wild Card Qualifiers: 11 AM
Contest Begins: 1 PM
Contest Finals: 4 PM

From Surfrider LA :
As expected following heavy rain, the level of enterococcus bacteria in water samples obtained from Tower 15 at Will Rogers and in front of the Pico Kenter storm drain (in front of Shutters Hotel in Santa Monica) far exceeded the recommended EPA safe level. It's a good bet that there is widespread contamination of the water at all of our LA-based beaches near storm drains or run-off locations.

Surfrider LA advises beach-goers to stay out of the water for 72 hours following heavy rains as your risk of contracting illness from enterococcus bacteria is significantly increased during this period. Heavy rains are expected in the LA area thru Tuesday so your best chance of avoiding illness is to stay out of the water until Friday.
Check Out Torren Martyn’s New Surf Film, “Thank You Mother”. It will be screening at The Waterfront, Venice, CA, on Friday, February 8th at 8:00 pm



If you’re into cinematic surf films, have a nostalgic love of the 1970s mind-bender “Morning of the Earth” or you just simply enjoy watching beautifully crafted boards slice through flawless right-hand points, then you’d be wise to check out Torren Martyn’s new film, “Thank You Mother”.

Martyn, as you might know, has made a name for himself riding an extensive range of twin-finned boards–everything from 5’4″ to 7’9″–with enviable style and grace. The man who’s crafted each one of Martyn’s twinnies is none other than Simon Jones of Morning of the Earth Surfboards. After watching Falzon’s seminal film back in the ’70s, Jones was heavily influenced by the boards the surfers were riding in the film and remains so to this day. Jones and Falzon are now good friends and kindred spirits in a way, living lives that Martyn has always been inspired by.

Martyn explains that “Thank You Mother” is primarily an all-action surf film, but it hints at the relationship between himself, Jones and Falzon in subtle ways. According to Martyn, Jones shaped four unique boards for him which Martyn test-drives on the long points of J-Bay and Desert Point alongside Jones and his son, Dash. Falzon makes a cameo too–well, sort of. While Martyn and his filmmaker Ishka Folkwell sat down to interview Falzon, Falzon reflected on surfing and what’s important in life. Since Falzon has quite a way with words, Martyn and Folkwell decided to use his interview as narration throughout the entire film–layered beautifully over Martyn’s fancy footwork.

Join Surfrider LA for their February cleanup at Sunset Point. Sunday, February 24, 2019 at 2 PM – 5 PM. During the last session at Sunset Surfrider LA removed 440.5 lbs of trash from the beach and after the recent rains there's sure to be even more this month.

Park for free in the Gladstone's parking lot, just tell the attendant that you're a badass Surfrider activist there to save the beach!

Visit the Surfrider Event Page for details.
At Santa Monica High we enjoy the privilege of the beach being a short four blocks away. With this luxury comes amazing opportunities where students can easily get the incredible ocean experience that others cannot. One of these opportunities is our Samo surf team.
By Sophia Falk
Samo surf shreds into season

At Santa Monica High we enjoy the privilege of the beach being a short four blocks away. With this luxury comes amazing opportunities where students can easily get the incredible ocean experience that others cannot. One of these opportunities is our Samo surf team.

While most students can be found sleeping in on late start Wednesdays, Samo surfers are up bright and early, ready to jump into the freezing cold water to get in their extra morning practices. They also have additional competitions on the weekends.

The team is completely inclusive, and zero prior experience is required to join. Many come to surf competitively, learn a new skill or simply explore their love of the ocean. The Samo surf community even extends beyond high school, with a lot of past team members coming back to coach the next line of Samo surfers. Either way, all are welcome.

Along with competitions the team is also involved with community service, and they plan to host five “Urban Luau’s” for Los Angeles Parks and Recreation (who are affiliated with The Surf Bus, a non profit organization in Santa Monica). They are also hosting five Santa Monica “Surf Days”.

In order to expand the program, the team added a junior varsity division in the South Bay Scholastic Surf Association (SBSSA), and they continue to grow every year. Coach Marion Clark said that the team’s goal is to win their division in the SBSSA, where they have previously done very well, winning four out of five events last year.

“We want to show the Westside surf community the meaning of Aloha by how we take care of the ocean and of each other,” Clark said.

Surf team captains Tess Goddard (’19) and Gabriel Ramirez (’19), seniors who have been part of the surf team since middle school, are very familiar with that incredible community. Both feel that the surf team has been a very significant part of their high school experience.

“I met one of my absolute best friends on the team in ninth grade, so I would say it’s had a pretty big impact on my high school experience,” Goddard said.

Ramirez also loves the surf team, and says that even the struggle of waking up at 5 a.m. is bettered by getting to watch the sun rise and jump into the ocean.

“I’m on surf team because I love spending time in the ocean and surfing with friends. It brings me to a place where I can truly relax doing something I love,” Ramirez said.

On Saturday, February 16, 2019 at 10 AM – 1 PM, Surfrider LA will be posting up on the north side of the Venice Pier to clean between the lifeguard headquarters and Ballona Creek. Come clean the beach and reward yourself with a bite and beverage at The Whaler afterwards!

Visit the Surfrider Event Page for details.


All weekend, Bay Street Boards is having a sale in store, and then on their website if you use the promo code: GoRAMS

Bay Street Boards
🌴☀️Santa Monica ☀️🌴
Surf & Skate Shop
3216 Santa Monica Blvd
310.310.2485
Mon-Fri 10a-8p Sat 10a-7p Sun 10a-5p