This wave hasn't broke for decades

[@ScottAllen5568]

Non surfers (I am one) don't realize just how powerful waves are. I was living in Huntington Beach sometime in the early 90's (it was just before I deployed to Iraq/Desert Storm). The surf was huge. I used to boogie board and thought it a good idea to go out. There were broken surfboards up and down the beach. I paddled out and caught a huge wave and just by dumb luck I was at the right spot at the right time and had one hell of a ride. I could not believe how fun it was and how fast I was going.I was stoked and paddled out for another one, big mistake. I was pummeled by the next wave and barely survived, I thought I was done. I popped up and saw what looked like a 100 foot wave heading straight for me. It seemed silent just waiting for that wave which I was absolutely sure was going to kill me. I really thought I was going to die. That was one of the three times in my life that I really thought I was going to die.

[@ricardodimontagna1284]

Great video! As someone that has lived in Seal Beach- This wave has broken many times within the last decade. Keep up the excellent content!

[@davidgough3512]

Starts like Middle peak Lane, ends like the Wedge.. what a show!

[@davidgough3512]

@nathan quinn okay whatever but both are peaky shore pounds so somewhat prone to comparison .. cool that you rode Wedge. I've ridden outer Middle Peak so i'm just stoking on the whole combo

[@isoulsearch411]

Grown 9 to 5's being groms. How can you not love surfing! Thanks for bringing us along!

[@paulreiter5380]

Thanks Brad! I grew up Surfing Seal Beach south side back in the 80s it only breaks few days in winter. 13th street was the spot we called it pipeline training because you will get slammed!! thanks for all the epic videos this past two weeks

[@longliveavalon]

So it doesn't break at all throughout the year?

[@jamescoleakaericunderwood2503]

@@longliveavalon Seal Beach is known for shorebreak during storms in Mexico.... only during storms is the shorebreak EPIC... huge wedges huge barrells but Short rides.. I'm 59 been going to Seal Beach all my life... never seen it like this before...ever

[@toddshinohara]

I thought your MASSIVE surf pounds San Diego was great, but I think this decade's piece is one of your best from a story, description, and video perspective. You have your finger on the pulse of SoCal surfing. Thank you!

[@livejoyfully6426]

Brad, always love your videos. The ocean makes me so happy and you do a great job of bringing it every single time!

[@barbaraasandoval2551]

Enjoyed this so much, my heart beats with excitement just to hear those waves . I miss the beautiful beaches of California . I could feel the excitement of each surfer and your filming and narration is perfect. Thank you ❤️

[@haraldschlie9500]

Great pictures and thanks so much for not spoiling it with silly music. Love that sounds of waves.

[@Soul-Taker]

Great video Brad. There's nothing better the lucking into a fun novelty wave.

[@ronwitkowski4226]

Love the natural wave sound feels like paddling out and in lineup-great work!

[@BootsEditor11]

Epic session! I've never seen it break, though I've spent many an overhead day at Swami's. I used to be a cook at Walt's Wharf there on Main in SB. 1973-74

[@davidlovett3077]

PHENOMENAL footage!!! Thanks for capturing & sharing!!!

[@joepawling4735]

I’m 61 now but I remember body surfing waves this big on the south side of the pier. What’s funny is I remember a camera guy with a tripod talking pictures. I remember going down the face and a back wave would be coming out and launch me in the air. Best days!! In the summer I would skate board down on my Harbour board with red rider urethane wheels I got from Jax’s at Bellflower & Spring. Spend 8 hours down there everyday, bowl of chowder for $1.06 on the pier. Pizza by slice on occasion. 😂😂 great memories!!

[@Kahuna54]

South side of the Seal Beach Pier, a reverse Wedge, I surfed the big swells there since the late 60s. My friend Dave and I used to surf the jetty by moonlight! I remember catching waves breaking outside the end of the jetties both south and north of the pier.

[@jonahansen]

The narration is a trip - it's like an essay for English class...

[@greggaxiola]

Wow, this was a blast from the past for me. My Huntington Beach buds and myself used to surf there on the rare days that it broke back in the 1970s. We used to call it warm water jetty and it was a long, long paddle out but we were rewarded with the same long shouldered waves that we’d share with sometimes up to four riders at a time.

[@Moondoggy1941]

We used to call the jetty Mini Pipeline. Water so warm you did not need a wetsuit in the winter.

[@stephenlysinger3048]

this is southside seal only breaks on Big winter swell...most broken boards Ive ever seen in my life.. rt on goodtimez warm water is wayyy northside and is a long paddle but worth it

[@Moondoggy1941]

@@stephenlysinger3048 Yeah I used to go there when I was a kid, rare to break good, usually a shore break.

[@EquitySurfer]

\!!! /

[@sbdreamin]

That was nuts. Glad to see such nice BIG rideable waves.

[@SunSeekerHawk]

Great video! When word got out that our little Mayberry by the Sea was getting these monsters, Kelly Slater, Kai Kobayashi and other professional surfers came down to ride them. It was epic. The storm sand berm on the beach was a perfect viewing platform and was lined with people taking in the amazing sights.

[@JoeEscalante33]

It was like a dream. I still can't believe it happened. I could see it all from my window, but I had to go watch on the berm

[@montanamornings8526]

Great Video. Kept catching myself leaning into those beach barrels. Good narration.

[@jeffjenkins1799]

Happened upon this cam same day watching from Florida and couldn’t believe my eyes. What?? Why have I never seen this before? You answered my question.

[@benzo7339]

DUDE! IM THE SECOND GUY! I ATE IT THAT DAY BUT SO WORTH IT! THANK U FOR THE AMAZING VIDEOS!

[@ChronicSurfer]

Great vid! I remember catching a bomb here like 10-years ago, but this swell definitely topped those waves.

[@beeryefpv8212]

We've always called it Cloudbreak. It breaks every few years or so. Not like this, though. Nice footage.

[@G0PN1KB0T]

Surfed it a few times growing up. It's so deep out there.

[@ghraydon]

I grew up learning to surf at the River jetty and Surfside in the 60's and my mom had a crafts shop on Main Street in the 70's called The Cricket. I had two Harbour surfboards, one was a lime green Banana model and the other a 10' Trestle Special, so there's a soft spot in my heart for Seal Beach. Now, I'm an old man watching your video from the Thai jungle. Thanks for the memories. PS I never saw this wave break back then, like it is here. Rare indeed.

[@ghraydon]

@@Felix.Hunger That IS some irony. We went to Phuket recently and will go to Khao Lak in after Songkhran. We're in Mae Taeng, Lanna.

[@cmeride79]

My *main squeeze* board was a 6'11" swallowtail ... Harbour ... made for me - my specs, by my oldest sis who got in touch with a contact of mine from Surfing Mag. An incredible surprise for my 17th birthday. He had an 'in' with Harbour, and I surfed that swallow for - well, I got it when I was 17 and I just sold it a few years back, after my shoulders were replaced in 2018. I was 17 in '74, so .. I adored surfing that board for 44 years. Which also happens to be how long I've had my Harley-Davidson shovelhead ... lol! NEVER sell the Harley, though; they'll pry her out from under my cold, stiff skeleton! ; )

[@kevinmendezphoto]

Love seeing the perspective you got compared to where I was filming from. Such an epic day. So glad we got to see this in person. Been waiting for the last 5 years to see it lol

[@kerryemmerson8954]

Mushball

[@CounterFleche]

Excellent video and narration. If you ever want to experience sand coming out of your ears and tear ducts for three days straight, surf the shorebreak.

[@rvierra7235]

Back in roughly 77-78 (as in 1977-1978) Seal Beach south of the Pier went off just like this!! I was about 13 years old and had been surfing for about 5 years. It only broke 1 day and it was complete mayhem!!!!! So completely cool!! I dont remember Squeal Beach poppin' off like this since then. Could have, but a couple of years after, we were all driving and would have been at the Cliffs (HB) anyhow. Thank you for the post. BTW, this wave looked exactly the same as what it did back in the day.

[@BigDaddy-hn7oh]

I drove up from Laguna to see a girl and caught this place by myself back then earlier maybe 75 76 scary way out there watching these videos, I completely forgot about it,I was like wait a minute old guy moment .classic waves this guy filmed .I think there was more sand back then .I'm not sure if they dredge this place or not

[@silversurfer100]

That was the year the hurricane came farther up the coast than one had in the previous 100 years. All of Seal Beach and most of our southern breaks were firing like few had ever seen. The warm ware river mouth was double over head for almost a full day.

[@rvierra7235]

@@silversurfer100 The good ol days!!👍👍

[@Moondoggy1941]

I was there on New Years Day I cannot remember exactly what year, I thought it was 78 or 79. I had a lot of sand in my wetsuit.

[@mooselea4023]

here's a Movie i made when i was 16 and it had 13th in 78 ,,, the music is off by 4 secs. but i save this 40 year old movie i made kzbin.info/www/bejne/pXaWdnmph6amh7s

[@surf-connection]

Awesome footage and story Brad! Thanks for the share \!!!/ I was lucky to have a job I could schedule my shift for Jan, Feb especially for the low tide at 1330ish ;0 caught it in 82-83, again in '87' 88,1992, 2010 but only off the outside jetty twice. Wow thinking of it know I was fortunate to be so chemically dependent on big Southside Seal Beach. A lot of good surfers out their, Morgan, Sauers, Adler to name a few \!!!/

[@babypapaya8229]

This is amazing content! Your informative narration combined with the capturing of a rare event really made for an intriguing affair. I’m a surfer and still learned a lot from your narration. 🎉🎉

[@EquitySurfer]

ditto BP

[@sacredstonecards9051]

Thank you for showing the Body boards. It was so fun to do but you are right, when the wave sucks all the water back and you land on sand, on a Body board...SMACK! FLAT on your stomach...yikes...been there. Still fun...

[@meesr]

That’s the most exciting thing to happen to Seal Beach since Ben Gravy surfed South Side.

[@bradleyjanes2949]

Great video,top notch 👌

[@margiesplace259]

Brad that was awesome! Once in a lifetime Ive never seen seal beach go off like that!!!

[@RickMonsour09]

That can't be RayBay?? We used to surf between the jettys on the further north part of the beach. climb onto rock and jumped in seeing multiple sting rays under our boards. It never broke big. I learned how to surf there when i was 11-12 years old 1968-69

[@boogieheads]

this is south side

[@reddevil331]

I lived on 2nd street in the 90's and southside waves were hitting the bottom of the oil rig outside. Waves would break from the rig to the peir. Glad to have seen that, because like you said, I think this is the first time since then it's gone off! Great video!

[@sunbutma4285]

I remember those days when they had to shut down access to the pier.

[@reddevil331]

One day of a 2 or 3 day swell waves were breaking outside of the oil rig, people were taking boats to get out there. The river had swells lifting up the bait tank, lefts were breaking across the whole harbor inlet from a couple hundred yards outside the end of the jetty, rights if you didn't get dropped in on would peel.all the way to shore. Seems like the rides were 2 or more minutes long. The paddle back out was a solid hour if you got one. Good memories of those times for sure!

[@scottgorman7166]

Excellent video. Oh the memories. Surfed S Ca for 35 years and only one other time did I see Seal Beach look like that....back in 82-83. You nailed it on the description of the inside break.....slams your butt into the sand if your not careful. Its sure great having such great videos these days, keep up the great work. Try this spot next on a big swell....Indicators south of Paddleboard cove.....beautiful left. Thanks for sharing the passion.

[@carldesserich8509]

I learned to surf just down the coast at Huntington Beach "cliffs" at the end of Goldenwest Ave. Yeah...I've never seen SB break like this except for '78 and '83.

[@chiwalker7325]

I grew up Bodyboarding in the early 80’s at Seal Beach, the waves were massive on the Southside of the pier for sure. Shout out to Harbor.

[@J_Smith7]

Beautiful outside waves. Would love to have been out there on my longboard. Btw, great commentary Brad.

[@EquitySurfer]

ditto on my 9'3" Infinity with a baloney sandwich in a ziplock bag for my mid session 'surf break snack'

[@sunsensational]

The outside would be a great “big wave” for beginners. Super mushy, long rides, and easy to duck dive.

[@marcosmith2501]

Great shoulders!

[@davecannon1523]

They're tricky to catch, though. C Street is really nice when it's big

[@chrisgardner6677]

Great to see average surfers getting sets instead of the ubiquitous pros. Mahalo

[@weatherwatchTX]

great footage!! Some of those guys had zero business being in the water

[@stevenanthony9563]

Just WOW! Looks absolutely MAD, mate!!!!

[@glengrant3884]

GREAT VID BRAD!!💥🙌AUSTRALIA!!💚💛

[@richardelliott8352]

much appreciation for the report. Seal beach is such a fine little town to visit when in the area, but living far away, I had never been in the water there, so I enjoyed the insightful perspective on the nature of the place. I mostly went because they had a bike shop that specialized in beach cruisers, and not just the cheap junk, nice bikes. I had previously seem women jumping into cars as the displayed cars from a car show left town going up main street, and it once happened to me, although I wasn't in the show, just leaving via the main drag. Turned out she was an enjoyable personable lady, so we shared some time and good wishes. She said it was possible to love a man because of his car, and I rejected that opinion completely, that the worth of a man can be judged by his possessions. Perhaps that was why she had a place on the beach and I didn't, but I did find the concept interesting, although wildly mistaken.

[@ocrun6765]

You better have a talk with your doctor. Be careful letting those Main St gold diggers in your car.

[@Terpenesteve]

tamaracks and south ponto was HUGE. suprised there wasnt more people surfing it there! when a decent swell comes through you can expect 10-13ft faces wave after wave...this last epic swell was getting 20+ft faces..and I got a few waves of my life... im also bodysurfing using fins and a food tray from Taco bell lol....tamaracks breaks into shallower water like how the wedge is and you got to be ready! I heard though all over SD breaks were insane! I stopped by blacks to witness the absolute beast waves..there were easy 25-30ft sets rolling through..couldn't believe it! Last swell really that kicked my ass was the Valentines day swell of 2013..man was that some epic surf! Glass conditions with beautiful 15ft faces and a good off shore breeze that kited them up like sheets! Cheers brothers!!!!! P.S Great video Brad! I think i saw you out a few times getting videos! Next time i see you i will be sure to say hello!!!

[@blakewill1933]

Think I surfed this place (SB harbor inlet) a gillion years ago and it was similar if not larger - but soft and mushy... but fun dropping in on bombs.

[@peteguipe6627]

That's nuts! When I was little my mom took me to Seal Beach because of the "lack of waves"!

[@silentnight4]

Seal Beach. Hometown of Robert August, Corky Carroll, Jack Haley, and the Lenahan brothers.

[@colbybrady2187]

Rad vid, rad story. Thanks for sharing.

[@bonniecline5014]

Beautiful🏄🌊

[@jodo1971]

Really nice photography! Definatle a big board day!

[@Ciskokid1970]

Surf Anderson St and The Hole , but I have only heard stories about Cloud Break from old timers.. Thx for sharing 🤙

[@JohnnyChimpo907]

What you’re describing about the waves backing off and then jacking up is typical big wave surfing vibe.. That’s the challenge. Taking off deep enough, and maintaining all the speed and jumping off the sheer cliff that happens right underneath you, just in the nick of time.

[@johnfudge8393]

This place breaks atleast one day a year. Also, you don’t have to paddle all the way out, you can walk out on the jeti and hop in. Seal Beach native here. But you definitely saw it on as big of a day as I’ve ever seen! Usually 15 ft faces at most

[@tobyhale3424]

Surfed with only four friends out in the early 80’s the day the pier lost the middle sections. It was braking out sometimes at the oil rig. One of my biggest days surfing in over 50 years. The water washed over the berm and flooded the homes street all the way to PCH . Great memories.

[@G0PN1KB0T]

The real novelty wave is when the oil rig breaks. I've only seen it break 2 times in 30 years.

[@douglash9364]

Nothign short of amazing...one might say a 20+ year swell is....EPIC!

[@marktimothystudios]

Great shots and editing, you caught Blair Conklin @ 1:35 Nice production!

[@oceansuniii2260]

Great Vid!! LOVE the commentary!!

[@silversurfer100]

The River had to have been equally impressive. A big south or west swell causes it to be a most memorable wave.

[@jeffreyhartwig4965]

When I lived in HB in 2009, I remember there was a big swell and a wave breaking more in the center between the pier and the jetty. It might be called "Cable Cars" not really sure. My buddy paddled out, a bit past my comfort level as it was at least 24+ faces going left towards the pier. Just about outside the end of the pier. Never saw it break like that since. This looks close though... Awesome!

[@surf-connection]

Ditto Jeff it was going off Tim

[@jeffreyhartwig4965]

@@surf-connection Saw the shaper of my board, Matt Bettis catch a freakin bomb left, he rode it to shore past the 13th street shore break. Epic

[@CptShiba]

I learned to surf at Seal Beach in 2018. One of the most underrated spots to surf for sure! I specifically remember President's Day 2020(? maybe it was 2019) being massive (although maybe not this big), but there was practically no one in the water.

[@captainamerica3531]

Truly amazing! Thanks

[@efrainsandoval6480]

Back in 2006 it broke outside by the oil rigs. Guys were towing in

[@nicholasgeorge7825]

So rad. But what a fun left! How can something be so gnarly and mellow at the same time? Dig the electric hydrofoil!

[@Dluv3679]

Great video and excellent commentary you sound like Rick Steves.

[@motovlogremix]

I surfed a huge swell in 82 just like this one with David Sauers, seal beach was my spot!

[@cmeride79]

Seal freakin' Beach? I was BORN in LA in ... well, WAY too long ago - long before *any* of these surfers were even groms of the dreams in their folks' eys .... and I've NEVER even heard of Seal Beach breaking! Oh, yeah - the old rumors, the old stories ... but nothing more than that. Mahalos, Brad, for the awesome footage. Even though we moved to Hawaii in '71 and all my surfing from a few years before that until I came back to go to college in ('75?) ... all my fave breaks were on the south shore of Oahu, still; I managed to surf up & down the coast of CA throughout '75 & '76, 'till I went home for summer break. This is footage "of record', man; should be in the annals at Surfing or Surfer magazine. Not even sure who's up there running those these days, but sure hope they capitalized on these record breaks that only have happened, like, once-in-a-lifetime. Mahalos, again, Brad ... you were there when in counted , giving us the lowdown on how sh*t really is. Ono job, man.

[@girlinthecurl93]

Seal Beach has it moments and when it breaks it's beautiful Live here all my life .

[@CaptainGnarkill]

What did Long Beach look like?

[@Sp4wnK3lla]

South of pier looks fun when it breaks!

[@Thurston.Howell.the.3rd]

You know it’s big when Esther’s is breaking. If you know, you know

[@Thurston.Howell.the.3rd]

Check out Beefs TV for the super shorepound southside barrel footy.

[@JJ-qq8tg]

Excelent filming. Congrats

[@Moondoggy1941]

I was at the Wedge but on the Corona Del Mar side, the waves were actually breaking inside the jetty. Epic.

[@richpopek20]

Yes, I surfed this wave back in the 70's, it was breaking 10-15, way out against the jetty. Labor intensive paddle out, hard to take off with offshores and a unusually hard to catch the wave. I got a few and that was all I could handle. I was the only one out there, always freaky by yourself!!

[@Salamancametalcraft]

It’s called cloud brake. First time I road it was when the first El Niño hit. I grew up hitting southside seal beach. That year particularly I remember being out on cloud break, I bodyboarders looked over and I was well over Rubys dinner.

[@travisguide4516]

I spent my childhood surfing here on the north side of the pier and the jetty and it’s true not once did i see it break. The only reason it does break at all is the way the jetty is angled and sand builds up right next to it coupled with some sort of storm or hurricane in Mexico

[@BootsEditor11]

I recall, I think it was January / February 1983, heavy storms were taking out piers, and the ocean over running streets along 101 in SB closed it to residents only. My sister lived there and I used her ID to get in. We kicked around, no one there and cold / windy with mounds of misshapen sand all about.

[@bluesviewmusic7500]

The swell you're describing is the one that pushed the crane off of the oil island offshore straight out from 13th St. My friends and I sat on beach watching it shake and slide until finally...kerplunk! I lived in Seal for years throughout the 80's...best day ever for me was December 4th 1985...massive 13th street with offshore wind...barrels in the morning followed by the birth of my second daughter later that afternoon.

[@BootsEditor11]

@@bluesviewmusic7500 I moved down to Encinitas in 1982 and caught Swamis on many a good day. I did live in Seal in 73-74 and worked at Walt’s Wharf as a cook. Good memories! Been in So Utah for 29 years tho.

[@doctalksdude651]

That was rad Brad

[@bretz9276]

Great work 📷

[@KurbzGarage]

is that just the surfing in between the jettys at seal beach? I have surfed it in the 80s

[@Goldenvibesss]

Seal Beach Cloudbreak went off in 2013. Hurricane Marie

[@davidgerlach1132]

2:42 LOL ... I'm from Venice Beach/County-LIne and it's obvious these boys haven't seen swells this well before, ever. 🙂 Reminds me of California people trying to navigate heavy rain on the freeway.

[@ScoutSniper3124]

I learned my lesson at Hale'iwa, Hawaii. I had just learned to surf using the easier waves at Populars (Wakiki) and on our last weekend on the island a couple buddies and I decided to try our hand at Big Wave surfing. We got to Hale'iwa and I noticed photographers with huge camera lens on the beach. Should have been my 1st clue I was out of my depth. It took a while to battle through the shore break to get to the waves. By the time I got there I realized just how big these monsters were up close (10'-12' by Hawaiian standards). I was intending on duck-diving under the crest of one like I'd done many times before at Populars, but my long board and this bigger wave had other plans for me. Before I knew it I was holding onto my board on the front of the wave and when it came over me I was upside-down staring at those big camera lens on the beach. It's my fervent hope I at least managed a smile before the wave crushed me into the coral heads bouncing around like I was in a washing machine. When I finally reached the surface and caught a breath of air, the next wave was nearly on top of me and I repeated my upside-down ride to the crowds. Since then, I've steered clear of any place where telescopic lens are in use. 🙂 Sure wish I had gotten a few pictures of my ride that day, missed opportunities.

[@scottpinegar1199]

It breaks every winter... When the North, NW swells come, every year, it's on . I I grew up there and surfed Seal Beach since 64 ... Southside SB Pier to Navy Jeddy cranks in the winter... San Gabriel River mouth, "The River" with Crabs Jeddy at the north side of Seal takes a South Swell during the summer months . Greats pixs . Thanks . Homesick.. 😂😮❤.

[@RTphotoandvideo]

Epic lens and great footage! Selling any lenses?

[@ciscosebanes]

What asplendid gift indeed.

[@johnnybravo5962]

Is this near The Wedge?

[@jimsuley4667]

Wow, what a fun wave....

[@oceansuniii2260]

Keep it up bro...like your style..

[@JohnnyChimpo907]

Orange board guy put a smile on my face haha

[@ShmooyShmoo]

As a guy who focuses on these kinds of waves, the best board to use is an old school windsurf board. I use an old 10ft F2, Massive volume. Impossible to duck dive, but bc it’s so fast you can plow head onto whitewash where everyone else duck dives. The only problem is you go to fast at times, easy way to adjust to these boards is lean reaaaallly far back. Got the idea from watching 8 year old kids rip on adult shortboard…

[@georgebutt8297]

Is that Blair on the foamie?

[@sunbutma4285]

I really miss south side seal. Spent some amazing memorable times there.

[@Existmusiccloud]

Thumbs up to all the Brave surfers and excellent videomaker👏

[@OnelastrideLA]

I had no idea seal beach could get like that.

[@mikewalters836]

So is this the south jetty south of the pier

[@rubberducky9925]

Epic!! 👍🤙🦆🌊

[@MikeV671]

When it comes to breaks like this best to try and surf it at the lowest tides. As the tide rises that’s what makes the waves all stuffy and backs off, making it harder to get into.

[@ericott7045]

You know nothing of this wave. Every break is different. There is no rule that governs every break.

[@MikeV671]

@@ericott7045who says it’s a rule? That’s just basic physics my guy… and YOU’RE wrong, because tides play a very big roll in how a waves break, especially sandbars like this, look how far out off shore the point is. And look at how the lip just folds on itself, not throwing out further onto the flats. Clearly it’s you who knows nothing of the anatomy of waves… go back to surf camp kook

[@ericott7045]

@@MikeV671 my reply is valid. Why didn't this wave break the week before during the "Biggest Swell In Decades"? I know why. And I know when this wave breaks. And many other unicorn breaks around OC. Because I put in the time, both in the water and on land driving around checking as many spots as possible, on pretty much EVERY large swell for over 25yrs Mr. WaterMan.

[@ericott7045]

@@MikeV671 Have you ever surfed here? Or are you just thinking that every wave will be hollower on a lower tide? Do all waves get hollow enough to get barreled on? Have you ever seen anyone get barreled on this sandbar? Keep up the name calling, makes you sound smarter.