Traditionally, the large surf that we associate with our North Shore winter season peters out in late March. We occasionally get advisory level swells in early April and we even had a rare late season high surf warning over Easter weekend. However, it is exceedingly rare statistically to have a North Shore high surf advisory this late in April. Nonetheless, we just had another late season high surf advisory. The swell peaked around mid day yesterday with waves up to 20 feet on their faces at select outer reefs. The advisory continued through most of today with waves just over the advisory levels of 15 foot faces.
The accompanying trade winds made this swell more conducive to wind surfing than surfing. Nonetheless, I headed out for a little body surfing last evening. While the place where I ventured out was sheltered from the larger waves, there was still a good deal of power in the ocean. I received a drubbing from the waves that I would usually associate with the peak of our winter surf season in January. Needless to say, it was nice to get one good last (or is it?) thumping before the North Shore goes into its summer time slumber.
I am not sure who made the forecast or when, but at some point this winter I read that we should expect a later than usual start to our surf season and a more extended surf season that would extend well into the spring time. Whoever made that forecast deserves some accolades. It appears to have been dead on. For that matter, the long term forecast for a drier and cooler El Nino winter has also shown to be pretty accurate. For all the grief that weathermen get, it is good to tip the cap when their forecasts are accurate.
