Quite often we hear of swims performed in rough seas in large waves. Swimmers in Lake Michigan and the other Great Lakes can face waves over 10 feet as can swimmers crossing the Molokai Channel in Hawaii and other channels around the world.

While those are very challenging swims, I quite enjoy swimming parallel along the Southern California coast when there is large surf.

This morning’s forecast is below with photos of the actual 5-6 foot surf in the morning fog above. The surf is expected to build to 15-18 feet later today in Huntington Beach [where I live and swim] so you can imagine the size and power of the crashing waves.

December 28th 2023 Surf Forecast:

The North Pacific is set to deliver the biggest swell of the winter for the West Coast on Thursday, December 28. The El Niño season of 2023-2024 appears to be living up to the hype with some XXL surf to close out the year.  The swell, which is currently spinning out in the Pacific due west of California, has been recorded by satellite to have 45-foot seas. It will peak in Northern California early Thursday morning with Surfline currently predicting 19 feet with an 18-second interval to hit Maverick’s and the San Francisco area. That will translate to wave faces up to 50 feet at California’s famous big wave. Even the more protected spots, like Santa Cruz, will see big surf as well with Surfline calling for 15 feet at 18 seconds.

This morning, a shoreline swim – just outside the surfline – is good for a smooth, but frothy swirling swim. Newport Beach-raised bodysurfer and swimmer Steve Sutton says, “There is lots of backwash and building power here, but the tub is full.”

What I like is swimming just along the crest of the surfline. The rise and fall of the swells is, frankly, great practice for turbulent swims, focus, and awareness.

As you swim parallel to the shore along the crest of the waves – that come every between 15-20 seconds – the threat of huge waves pounding down on you serves to keep you extraordinarily aware of the ocean conditions and everything around you. Your focus on remaining in the right position is constantly on high alert because getting pounded by the waves is dangerous with a risk of injury. But such a focused kinetic training literally forces your entire body and mind to be in tune with the raging ocean.

As you swim from peak to trough, up and down the cresting swell breaks, your tactile awareness of the power and strength of the ocean is heightened. Of course, this is only advisable for very experienced ocean swimmers who are accustomed to swimming in such conditions.

But for those of you who are, it is somewhere between thrilling and exhilarating.

As I swim from crest to crest along the shore of Huntington Beach (known as Surf City USA), I love looking down at the surfers racing to get over the creast without going over the falls

Sutton agrees, “Yes, as the spray of the offshore wind lifts off the wave and gently lands on your back as you watch all of those young lads on their surfboards ‘clawing for the horizon’ as miles and miles of corduroy stacking up outside preparing for a relentless pounding. That position [on the crest] is a perfect vantage point.”

Then as I drop into the trough on the backside of the waves, it is quite a sight to the lucky surfers poke through the crashing swells and the most unlucky surfers flailing as their boards breach out of the whitewash.

Sutton says, “There is nothing like the look on someone’s face as they realize that they didn’t push hard enough and they’re getting sucked back over the falls backwards straddling their board. That is a look you don’t get anywhere else.”

Be careful. But enjoy if you are comfortable out there.

© 2023 Daily News of Open Water Swimming

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