Wild West: Biggest Swell in Decades Slams California

[@bradleyjanes2949]

I'm 65 yo and it's the biggest I can recall,great video,thank you👊

[@macscotsman51]

Yes, 1969 is the benchmark used for the last 50 years. For us in So Cal that were there, we will always remember waves breaking over both Newport Harbor jetties. Dana Point closing out across the entire bay, and a reef breaking further out than the end of the San Clemente pier. Fun times.

[@outdoorfreedom9778]

I had to laugh when they said they had their big boards of 9 feet for this. In 64 my favorite board was 9 5 and I ended up with a 10 when I gave it up in 66.

[@erichughes284]

DAM SERIOUSLY?TOO big for me

[@webinarprofessor]

What a great posting! I grew up spending my summers in Balboa. Learned to surf at Zuma & Surf City. Graduated to Surfrider and Killer Dana. Surfed a 10'2" GUN, red-fin surfboard - shaped by Mike Hynson. Also bought a Phil Edwards shaped board from Hobie Alter. It was my favorite board ever. I was in Newport Jetties on my parents 46' cruiser, with the waves breaking over each jetty. The Wedge was beyond description. Another day my buddies and I drove oun chevy surf wagon down (lol) down to Dana Point, when the huge waves were breaking all the way to San Onofre. We jumped off the pier and tried to paddle out (kneeling on our boards in those days) - but had no chance. I'm 76 yo now - and have just a few people within my family and friends....that I can recall these days with. I wish "bitchin times" to all you old guys & gals with smiles on your faces - (from thinking back to your own gremmie memories)!! Rich Muller ps. don't even get my started on the insanities of "Bal Week" - when Marine Ave often had to close - and there were fire pits covering Balboa beach!!

[@olsjohnny5]

Grew up in San Clemente, surf the pier all the time. Hard for me to imagine it breaking out past the pier. Sounds unreal epic! Although the sand has definitely changed, especially in the last several years.

[@williamminyard1952]

Only born in 69.... I dont wish for surf and tide like in 69 but it would of been something to see for sure if I happened to be there.

[@laurenjager297]

Hi Kevin!! I miss your folks.. hug your Mama for me.🌴🌊 Thanks for the epic surf reports. You know if the Goat rerouted his travel path for the year, for this, it's gotta be epic, as well.

[@icysurfer1]

Among many great things, and places I've been, Surfing for over 25 years (and for 1 month a year now) is the best, most pivotal decision I ever made. Started at 29 yrs old, in cold water. Cheers.

[@usernotfound904]

Isnt the pacific cold no matter the time of year?

[@bigredfred33]

I’ve lived and surfed in Hawaii for 40+ years (too old to surf now) and live near Rincon Point now. I saw the huge waves there recently and I also saw all the debris in the water and on the beach, logs, limbs etc from the storms. That’s not something I would like to be tumbling in the whitewater with, lol.

[@stormgetts]

I saw the same thing at Refugio.. branches, and even a truck tire

[@sarahjane4908]

Not to mention bacteria levels…

[@toneroable]

Jelly fish too ?? Euuuuuu......!

[@johnliggett9271]

you forgot about rattlesnakes

[@IrishNattyby27]

@@johnliggett9271 No rattlesnakes in Hawaii, lol.

[@MrSemperfidelis66]

Amazing Todos and swell… props to Greg Longs wave and all that paddled out there. Yah JoJo

[@karenallhoff5086]

I love Surfline! I love being a Californian. Thank you for such a beautiful piece. 🔥💕🤙🏼

[@ralphiewigs2208]

The Greg Long drop was pure artistry.

[@probablypondering1657]

Resident of San Diego here. The swells at Blacks beach these past few days have been absolutely gargantuan

[@cornwallparanormalresearch2378]

Awesome watch thanks for sharing..

[@davidboudreau4054]

Back in the late 1970's I remember going with a few friends down to the Seal Beach Pier. We were in High School and I rode my bike down there from my parents house near Recreation Park golf course and Wilson High. I would cut through the marina to shorten bike ride there, but it was a pretty long ride none-the-less. The waves were the same height as the pier. I had my Boogie Board and I managed to drop in on a few of them. The water was really nasty from all the sea debris being churned up. But it was an awesome day in the waves and I will never forget it.

[@lukerodriguez7908]

Tinha um meio metrão servido na série!

[@mztokyo7630]

@davidboudreau Love that part of Long Beach near Big Rec and Little Rec golf courses. I played a lot of twilight rounds back then. And of course Seal Beach is great. That must have been a heck of a ride.

[@davidboudreau4054]

@@mztokyo7630 I played a few rounds at both big and little rec golf course. I remember one hole on little rec where it seemed like you teed off from a cliff above the green. Or was the big rec? no clue now, that was so long ago...

[@mztokyo7630]

@@davidboudreau4054 Thanks for the reply. Alas, even I am forgetting the correct hole as well. I hit a lot of balls into that lagoon though! Water holes were my achilles heel! Enjoying the memories.

[@theresaheyer537]

OH WOOOOW very adventurous people,lovers of the ocean...great view thank you all!

[@negativemiracle]

"Swells like this rearrange our relationship with where we surf. We think we know the takeoff zone at our local spot, and then all of a sudden it's 100 yards out and to the left. We think waves never break inside that cove or jetty or harbor or river, and then all of a sudden, they do." I'm not crying, you're crying. Poetry.

[@petersterling5334]

Lot of Respect for Greg Long. He's already died once but he is Such a Warrior and Great Surfer he wants to Always Take off on the Biggest Wave! Mahalo Greg for your Spirit

[@hommuside]

Pft. He’s heart stopped for a while, sure it was serious, but he didn’t die.

[@highboostingm3]

@@hommuside Wow guy.🤦‍♂️

[@Keleneki]

Woohoo!!! That is awesome! I saw massive waves twice when I went to Waimea Bay to watch the first two Eddie Aikau surf contests back in the day. I also saw epic waves at Sandy Beach and Makapuu before in the 1980s where it was breaking way outside and massive. I was so happy to see a picture of the huge waves in one video of Sandy Beach and there is a video at Makapuu not long ago where it got epic. I first learned it could get that big when my college professor in Oceanography at the University of Hawaii told us in class about how Makapuu could get epic on extremely rare conditions. He used to go bodysurfing after class at Makapuu and I would see him gliding along the waves in the water when I was swimming back out from the waves I caught. I used to go bodysurfing almost every day for years when I was younger but now I am an old man living on the Mainland. :)

[@michaelj8793]

Wow Thanks for documenting one of the biggest swells of our lifetime Really appreciate what you do Thanks again guys👍🤙

[@conorlauren]

I live in Mendocino. The waves were large but so messy and undefined that it didn’t look majestic. The waves did not look as big as they were because that ocean was just so rough. I’ve seen waves LOOK much bigger here. They just actually weren’t. PS: they ended up damaging the Pt. Cabrillo lighthouse in Caspar. That thing is on a cliff 50’ above sea level.

[@TylerMCollins]

Great job team 🙌 Epic coverage and beautiful production. Shoutout the homies Marcus, Kevin, Marc, Jake 🤙

[@Kevinsurfmore]

Thank you Tyler!

[@genevagarciafilm]

I'm from Ensenada which faces Isla de Todos Santos. And I'd heard about how insane the waves can get on the island. It's so cool to have seen it in this video even if I've never seen it in real life.

[@kc72186]

64 year old Westcoaster here and have seen waves breaking on top of HB pier in the 70s. Never seen Todos that big before 🍻

[@mozdickson]

Thanks from NZ for your comprehensive reportage. Stoked for Long.

[@ekitching]

Amazing. Those people are really brave. I used to boogie board when I was a kid. There were huge waves in 1982-83, does anyone remember this? That was the year a lot of piers were damaged. I was there the day the west end of the Santa Monica pier was severely damaged. There were pieces of wood and debris all over the beach. It was something I will never forget.

[@dennispatrick4999]

It was huge in Malibu too.

[@stevehangen1123]

We had huge waves in san diego at that time. My friends and I went surfing during one storm where the sets were 12 -14 feet. Brutal

[@kimberlyhollingsworth]

Yes I was living in Santa Monica then, I remember when it took the second half of pier off! I remember 12 foot waves at Santa Monica beach…

[@dman030]

I seem to remember Huntington that summer got pretty big, didn't last too long though, few days. We made it down to bodysurf the wedge too.

[@stevemcconnell5864]

I remember has well seal 🦭 beach pier torn up to late 70s to mid 80s epic time I'm 60 now great memories

[@RickarooCarew]

I was living in Mission Beach, San Diego in 69.. hanging out up on Black's Beach in the Torrey Pines park up on the cliffs watching the waves... digging the storm.. those waves didn't come close to what we are seeing the past week or so.. it is, possibly.. because of polar ice sinking... it can get much.. much bigger.. hope everyone has their boards ready

[@RickarooCarew]

the el niño current jumps the equator during solar maximum in the southern hemisphere.. like now... bringing warmer water to the cooler north... bringing large and persistent storms above the warmer water... and.. because we're on a smallish sphere going round and round .. so does the water.. and air... the butterfly effect... times a bazillion

[@RickarooCarew]

brought to you by our friends and fellow travelers on our little Planet.. Big Oil.. global warming is not a joke

[@RickarooCarew]

✌️Peace ✌️

[@BankofAiAgent]

83 was epic as well

[@RickarooCarew]

we were pretty impressed with waves breaking above the rocks in the jetty.. that's not 40 feet y'all from the beach over here in Arizona g'day

[@joeybenoit6269]

Almost been surfing for 60 years grew up in Pacifica Cal! I rode 55 ft North Bird Rock in1975! The monster from New Zealand! I ride a Mike Eaton bonzer! God bless all my surfing Brothers!

[@graveltraveler6631]

This particular swell was legendary for sure, but nothing compares to the destruction of the El Nino storms of 1982-83.

[@marcbourget8891]

Anyone recall the article in Surfer in the late 60's titled "The Day the Islands Came to Newport"? A couple of years later, the City of Huntington was allowing riders to run out the pier and jump onto the top of the swell (just a few feet below the bottom of the pier)

[@WCANO626]

Fantastic. I can’t wait for the next episode of the 2023 Cali winter

[@meyburgh]

Todos looking like huge Mavericks.. That big take-off from Greg Long over that warping face must have been done in faith.

[@dman030]

rad, stoked for you guys. a little Waimea out in Cali! woot! 🤙🏄‍♂

[@therealbeans]

All of Los Angeles came to our little town when they missed the best barrels of all time in LA! They didn't even know where to go in their own town!

[@civilsocietyprivateinteres1711]

Classic valley kooks

[@andrew7202]

Greg long is animal and to be able to still be doing it at his age mad respect to him and the big wave boys

[@helenshubin2469]

Wow amazing footage of the 🌊. Looks like everyone had a great day.

[@victordohleman8061]

Mid 80s I ran into some big ones one fall day in HB at Bolsa Chica State beach. Normally blown out and high tide slop. That day I dropped in on a 25' face and made it. Speed so fast the rail was humming. Riding a 5'10" Randy Lewis tri fin. I was maybe 16. 57 now, and will never forget it

[@Lost765Angel]

Blessed to be able to surf this swell - Seal Beach 🤙🏽

[@afveteran]

How was Seal Beach, it was known for great setups of great lines. Especially around 7-10 feet. Happy for you!

[@truthspeaks6557]

Was soul filling to watch! Thank you for sharing

[@Lightgathering]

Nice segment Epic January to remember for you guys. Enjoy.

[@WatermanSurin]

love it! Good edit Surfline.

[@noangel3652]

Thank you Jeff Specolli I just looked at that wave and said hey dud let’s party😆

[@robnorthrup1]

Every swell is different, and in So Cal the angle is the key. The Channel & Offshore islands make a huge difference in where these swells will hit. I would say this wasn’t the biggest we’ve seen in San Diego, but up north it looks like the swell snuck through the shadow of the islands better. Winds were also a factor - never got right in a lot of spots, but The Cove & Blacks were pretty good! I did my thing at Blacks & The Cove & The Cliffs & Mexico (Todos & other unnamed spots) in the 80’s, 90’s I'm like that grumpy old man now - mid-60’s & too beaten up to do this any longer. I’d like to say "…it was definitely bigger in my day, sonny-boy!...” Well, maybe it was & maybe it wasn’t… We didn’t have digital cameras back then, or digital video. Only some grainy old pictures… And the memories of lifting 20’ to 30’ off the ocean’s surface, and taking that massive drop! So here’s to today’s young-turk chargers. Thanks for allowing us to re-live the moments through your exploits! It was definitely bigger in years past! And the fish are always bigger at the bar! Same thing you’ll say to the new guard in 30 years!

[@CnHPureCaneSugar1]

I remember the 1969 swell well. We surfed "off the end" at Big Corona, then actually in the channel between the jetties because they were more ride-able. I remember the storms that destroyed the HB pier in 1988, Balboa Pier in 1998, but I have never, even seen Black's so big or Todos Santos so big. This has been epic.

[@dongaza6878]

Edwards point right below El Cap had some insane action

[@matiasgibbs251]

Greg Long is a living legend

[@lukerodriguez7908]

Tinha um meio metrão servido na série!

[@yetigonecrazy]

his ride at 4:40 was so insane

[@victorjason2558]

that was great! I used to surf C Street and The Peer. I'd be scared of the size of the waves in this vid.

[@randydewees7338]

Any report about Salt Creek (just south of South Laguna)? Did it break in this swell? In the early seventies I remember a couple days with a big well ordered winter west swell it broke about 1.5 miles off the point in a pretty good left. Hard to get past the shore break and there were only a few of us out there (scared), it was epic.

[@afveteran]

Hey Randy ! Good for you "old surf brother! Now your talking! About the fun times!

[@toddbefield1100]

North end salt creek very solid...bigger than the epic 2/24/08 swell (I was stoked to make surfline on that one...pic #21 under "west coast goes off again") but a little too much straight west in this one with more close outs on the inside.

[@1MNUTZ]

"Its the 50 year storm everything moves in cycles so twice the century the ocean lets us know just how small we really are"

[@delavan9141]

So they got on a boat at 2:30 am from San Diego and reached Todos Santos, which is 1000 miles away, by sunrise?

[@tommyhofer1176]

so january 18th 2018 just wasn't that big of a swell to you guys at surfline?

[@beldendemecilio8219]

Yesterday on Oahu, Da Eddie would go was ON. I is from Hawaii 😎 the island of Oahu and size of The Waves was 30-35 ft. 🌊🏄👣🤙

[@dennymayeda2176]

Darn, I haven't seen Jojo since he was a teenager, he's the spitting image of his Dad!

[@madeline2182]

Jonah Carter on the wave at 1:48 ! Amazing to watch the ocean those days!

[@jesssimpson5959]

I remember going out one day back in the 70s when we had a massive swell hit Southern California, the waves were crashing over the end of the Hermosa pier, my buddy and I were just teenagers and had no business going out in that surf but we did anyways.Once I got in the water fear starting setting in but I didn’t want to admit it, I was actually very relieved when the Coast Guard helicopter flew over and ordered us out of the water lol. I didn’t catch a wave that day unfortunately or maybe fortunately but at least I can say I paddled out in one of the epic swells of my lifetime.

[@seancallahan1312]

As with swell events, different spots will eclipse one another, even on different times of the day. This looks on par with Jan '83 with intensity, if not with longevity. I'm not old enough to comment in person on 1969, though the Renny Yater Rincon photos from '69 look like Rincon was better then. I wonder about Todos in '83? Honorable mention Nov. 76, and was it 93 or 94? in summer California was so huge some of the Mavericks crew almost drowned at Fuller's. I heard Don Curry was rock solid, though. I stayed at the Lane where only me and Tom Powers were out for a good while. Summertime Steamer Lane with only 2 guys out. Tom Powers was heavy. He and Big Bird (Dave Schmidt) were the first 2 guys to surf Mavericks when Jeff decided to show someone else. I was glad someone more serious than me was out to surf with that day at the Lane.

[@mozdickson]

Great historical in-filling bro.

[@Swayzeo]

Seal Beach was 10 times Bigger than this in '83 😎

[@seancallahan1312]

@@Swayzeo Did it get rideable, or was it just nuking out in the clouds? Dudes had it killer the other day, I was looking at multiple vids. I wish I would've got to surf that before I got hurt. Looks soooo fun. Powerful, too. (I was a strictly up-north guy. So I scored incredibly, but missed out on a lot, too. We didn't allow cameras. Looking back, all that was dumb.)

[@seancallahan1312]

@@mozdickson It's all I have left. Old injuries came back worse than ever. Can't surf anymore and even fall in the house sometimes. Sadly, 7 or 8 grand would pay for the surgeries (here in Mexico they're cheap) but I'm barely able to make rent, eat and keep the cats fed. My lifetime of surfing ended by lack of 8 thousand bucks. Plan better than I did, bro.

[@Swayzeo]

@@seancallahan1312 The '82-83 season had many Giant days. Many good and choppy days. The day Island Ester got destroyed I personally witnessed. Many rogue waves pelted the Island, but one giant wave completely destroyed the Island. Boulders were getting knocked out of the jetties. Different pier sections were getting knocked out on numerous days. Many days ridable, some not. I soloed out there many times that season, among many others, I don't mind choppy waves. Hope you heel soon 🙏

[@garyjohnson4575]

Now you can ride it in all the way to the parking lot!

[@hoss6048]

I’m not a surfer but I enjoy the video.

[@dude4173]

Thanks for putting this video together.

[@klaiejah]

What was the stirring sound byte playing during Greg Long’s big wave?

[@andre1987eph]

3:04 Todos Santos MX is 1,000 miles south of San Diego (same todos Santos? ). It would have been nice, for curiosity sake to say how they got down there and how long it took them. That little trawler is not going 1000 miles very fast.

[@andres-vx1mm]

epic swell and so fun to see everyone frothing

[@bereal4peace8]

Superb presentation

[@gomaker1]

Proud to say I was out there

[@michaelbatty2645]

Crazy. Big waves this season

[@bonsummers2657]

Remember Jeff Parker surfing maxing Todos in 1983, on a short board.

[@thecitizenjoan]

Would have loved to see this in real life. Great video I'm sure there's probably 100+ stories from this

[@JohnSmith-js3po]

I surfed todos at 20’ and perfect. I think the big drop is great and scary but I prefer a waves with shape . I just go to Porto Escondido now it must be huge now . I still remember my best wave of my life. Jumped off the pier in Oceanside California because the paddle out was horrendous 15 to 20 foot riding a 6’8 sunset swallow tail single fin . Me and my partner just looked at each other a huge set was looking right at us everyone was tired from paddling out, we were scratching hard I turned around took a steep drop into to a 15 foot barrel I must’ve been in there for 10 seconds came out made the inside section all the way to the life Gaurd tower . I just sat on the bench smiling watching this massive swell

[@mozdickson]

Never start a comment with I.

[@JohnSmith-js3po]

@@mozdickson why

[@mozdickson]

@@JohnSmith-js3po I said so! 😅

[@JohnSmith-js3po]

must have went to UCLA 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂because you said so that’s what a professor would say from that awful institution

[@johnfaris5376]

I can’t believe guys paddle out in this surf. 40 feet and 56 degree water? I’m happy to watch

[@zareh805]

I’ve been in the NICU with my daughter over the past month and have ridden zero waves. I hope to hear some epic stories after we are out of here.

[@happythepitbull7363]

Prayers 🙏 for your baby

[@DakkaSkintabII]

DUDE, I'M TOTALLY GRATEFUL AND BLESSED TO SEE THE OCEAN ON SUCH A BENDER IN THE ZONE, DUDE. DUDE, IT'S TOTALLY TODOS. OUT.

[@charlesv3962]

Winter 1988 at El Porto, Manhattan Beach ca. was Waimea bay at its best day, and I’ve got dozens of pictures to prove it, 50ft 60ft at peak faces, only just a few were brave enough to try, it was huge! It was epic a couple of weeks ago as I compare it to the photos I have, winter 1988 in SoCal was epic, I was down in Todos santos a month ago and only wish I had planned it a month later.

[@AxeOfViolence]

Well, since you say you have proof, we have no choice but to believe you.

[@BigDaddy-hn7oh]

Very nice,lived so cal 61 years .yes this is top 3 depending where u are at up north I heard was massive but unrideable

[@MudmanDH]

Mother nature is so powerful. Amazing waves all over West Coast making thousands very happy.

[@SantaCruzCowboy]

Nice video👍

[@journeyman6752]

Watching from Australia.

[@rdeezer9845]

Baja Waimea

[@Makai77]

Good God! That swell... I'm speechless.

[@Alexander-Kurtz]

If you are looking for big swells, move to Okinawa southern outer islands. Here we have an average of 2 to 3 typhoons a month, from July to end of October.

[@dkilla01]

I’m so stoked

[@sdfswords]

It's been slamming here in Santa Barbara, unbelievable!!!

[@nettwench]

Holy moly, Greg is gonna be up for an XXL!

[@davidbryden7904]

Cheers from Cali !🤙✌️💚🌲🌏☮️

[@condor7782]

Who charged Fish 🐟 Taco 🌮 Island? I got my @ the 7:15 mark 🤙

[@millermark445]

I've never been on a surfboard. But I'm a long-time body-surfer who remembers the swells off Santa Monica in late August of 1973. The waves were nothing like what you see here - I wouldn't have been out there if they had been - but they were much better than anything I'd seen on the Maryland and Jersey shores, and I couldn't get off the beach. They were perfect for body-surfing, not monstrously big, but powerful, shaped just right and breaking far enough from shore where you wouldn't break your neck in a wipe-out. I was disappointed when I returned to California in 1975 (at Zuma Beach), expecting a similar experience I had enjoyed two years earlier. But it was not to be. The waves were anemic, the surf relatively placid. Nature moves on its own time, not ours.

[@godisbollocks]

Where's all the Mavericks footage?

[@djknightla]

Awesome ! Thank you

[@gundolarry]

Well done guys

[@burntreynoldsschilltime7108]

Certainly the most hyped and covered swell of all time . We weren’t allowed to video anywhere when we were kids so hard to say 🤣🤙🏽

[@haveaday1812]

That swell was incredible. We even surfed SunSet cliffs that morning and we saw a few 20ft+ faces. It looked like blacks. I snapped my gun out there and took and hour to get in. I never thought I could say I surfed 20ft waves at sunset freaking cliffs. One for the books for sure!

[@onefodderunit]

How did the boat get on the beach? Navigator error?

[@rawheadrex]

I saw this once in Barbados , the waves trashed beach houses and i got munched by the biggest wave i ve ever seen

[@dunningkruger3774]

"Oh God, thy sea is so great, and my boat is so small" Breton Fisherman's Prayer, posted in Surfer Mag in the early 70's with a huge wave behind it. Vice Admiral Hyman G. Rickover presented a plaque with this prayer on it to President John F. Kennedy and it is in the JFK Library and Museum in Boston Ma.

[@ramseybones2635]

Yeah I was in Hawaii last weak and Waimea bay was pumping super hard

[@coldcrush9]

All I need is some tasty waves, cool buds, and I'm fine. -Jeff Spicoli

[@brennanbets]

So sad i got injured omw to surf. Let's hope more big waves coming soon

[@kimberlykim1265]

I am in awe of these people. It just looks terrifying to me!

[@FredVanAllenRealtor]

Friday the San Pedro SoCal buoy hit 35 feet, its highest on record.

[@LovesOner]

This is a good video.

[@rayellis8343]

Three Days of DOH in the past two weeks . I also turned 61 Sunset Cliffs San Diego

[@chir0pter]

So no Cortes Bank?

[@sammysosa7356]

What of Mavericks... Would live to see photos or videos of Mavericks...

[@MoustacheCloud]

very cool surfline thnk yuo

[@jsurfslammer]

Cool, no tow in footage 😎