Surfing Santa Cruz - Thanksgiving @ Steamer Lane 11/24/16

[@wrybread]

User friendly big surf. Santa Cruz has it way too good.

[@clarkewi]

Believe me, it ain't user friendly. Not when one of those Middle Peaks dumps on your head. It hurts.

[@stuarthayward2220]

wrybread Compared to what? Where do you surf?

[@on0pe773]

clarkewi haha ikr, went there that same day with a couple friends, took a quick look, straight to cowells 😂

[@Joneshing]

@@clarkewi Compared to OB, this is VERY user friendly big surf. The wave forms slowly from the top and breaks languidly. You surf at OB around the same size, it breaks way more hollow and violently; your pop-up has to be perfect or you'll go over and get pummeled. This place will spoil you, in comparison to OB on 2m+ or 3m+ days.

[@clarkewi]

@@Joneshing OB way heavier for sure. But Santa Cruz offers variety.

[@onebigbrownant]

The body surfer would be me! Thanks for the clip! Unfortunately both my calves cramped up as I caught this wave. Figured it would happen again so I just got out. Ran the Turkey Trot 10K earlier that morning. Not the best activity combo. I wanted to stay out there but with the size that day and my muscles being fatigued, it was for the better that I got out. Redemption will be had soon enough! Again, thanks for the shot!

[@ScottBallard]

That's awesome. Not that you cramped up, but that you watched this video. Thanks for letting me know. Lemme know if you are going out sometime and want some footage. It would be cool to film on a big hollow day .

[@stuarthayward2220]

Brown Ant Farm 408 Props for even attempting to bodysurf the outside peak! 10k run or not, I'll bet getting a cramp would have been less likely if you were riding an outside spot in warmer water's, somewhere in Hawaii.

[@GIF_CANCEL]

Those waves look so fun and easy to ride. Thanks for the footage. It blows my mind how people still make guns with such flat or concaved bottoms or plat shallow vee panels, hard edges, wide point forward, sharp rails, with multiple fins, and low entry rocker, too much tail rocker, and foiled out thin towards the nose and especially the tail. Hard to control, hard to turn, and slower when paddling, catching waves, and at wave riding speed. Surfing that on a Geoff McCoy single fin (gull wing fin) gun or my 7'2" Astron Zot would be so easy and fun.

[@ScottBallard]

I appreciate comment. I have deleted many super negative comments from this and other videos. I'm not quite sure what is wrong with people. I am just getting back in the water the last 2 years after not having surfed since the 90's. It's like starting all over again. Brain remembers, but body doesn't. Anyway, I find the negative comments a bit socially inept, which is ironic being that this is social media. I think people must have forgotten the fun in surfing. Surfing is fun. For most folks whether they are riding 2 foot cowell's, or 15 foot lane, it's still about having fun. So, basically there are a lot of folks about there hating on fun and those having. Sucks for them. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@BradT_Herping]

Gosh how big would you say that is Scott? 10-12 face?

[@ScottBallard]

I suppose. Let's call it a solid 8 ft. One thing I've realized in my hobby experience of sharing footage of the lane. Someone is going to talk shit about it, Most likely they've never surfed there. I've certainly never surfed it in conditions like this. My point is that someone will always have something to say. I've given up on trying to say how big it is. I watch surfline and go to the lane whenever it's supposed to be biggest. I've seen some big waves and got some good footage, but nothing has lived up to the report, or stories and pictures from the past. So, I tend to go to other places now.

[@AmericanTestConstitution]

looks like fun big waves, kinda like Sunset Cliffs in San Diego.

[@GrooveDuude]

Birdshit rock. 🤙🏻

[@henryssurfshowcase]

That looks like good fun!

[@genenovak2717]

How did it get its name steamer lane?

[@ScottBallard]

Well, if you are really asking me that question and not being sarcastic - Without looking it up I don't know particulars off the top of my head. At some point back in the day - after the Hawaiian princes brought surfing here and surfed the rivermouth, dudes were surfing. This area was a steam ship lane. I recall that some folks actually paid steamers to go back and forth to create waves. Maybe that's bullshit. I work at the boardwalk and know just a little about this area from the rm to steamers. How it used to be and such. Nothing beats Richard Schmidt back in the day.

[@justtowatch111]

I used to surf waves that big on a 5'8 twin fin. I guess all the short board riders are in by the cliffs?

[@eddelamarter5123]

Awesome.

[@makemyday2560]

Sweeeeeet rollers..!!

[@halheywood3910]

Way to go nice vid

[@halheywood3910]

Soul patrol .nice

[@dannyhuffman3587]

First part looks like mavs on a small day

[@dannyhuffman3587]

Wait...

[@sleepinglion1192]

Is steamer lane always a mushburger? Does that peak ever hollow out on lower tides?

[@cliffboule8395]

Sleeping Lion. This looks like high tide. It's not usually mushy.

[@cfmunster]

It isn't a classic barrel, can be either mushy at higher tides or has big open faces for carving. There are hollow sections at the right tides and swell directions, but it's a finicky wave and tough to read if you don't have a lot of years logged surfing it. On the positive side, it's relatively safe even at bigger sizes. Head to John St on the right swell for heavy barrels, or out of town to Four Mile for skatepark-like conditions and a classic barreling right-hander. Better yet, head to Moss Landing for classic beach break, rib-cracking waves.

[@hawaiianitedivah]

awe man, those waves look like their for a paipo boarder.

[@halheywood3910]

Reminds me before all of California was taken over . Miss those days

[@cjgamer2140]

Pretty, but mushy. Nice video though.

[@tornadoftworthaintnoff]

I'd like a large mushburger with lettice and sea cucumbers.