Iceman on a freshly discovered Alaskan slab
This was our second trip with the m/v Milo out to the Gulf of Alaska from Homer. Swell was forecasted to be something between seven and fifteen feet. The first day was windy, the swell was strong but it took us a few hours to discover a break that was sheltered from the wind coming in off the Gulf. No photos of that spot, too much excitement to get on some waves for me and try out the 10ft boardworks SUP on some real waves.
The first wave was a punchy head high left that did its best to lure us into the jagged rocks. Some of us fall for that pretty easy and spent our share of time floundering around in the rocks hoping we would get out with a one piece surfboard. The wave, yet to be named, provided some fun rides for about an hour before the incoming tide took away its juice. We paddled around the area for a while chasing the occasional beauty without much success. Plenty of waves breaking, but the wind was just not working with us. We found a nice spot to drop the Milo’s Anchor for the night and waited patiently for daylight to return. The stars came out and the wind settled down through the night.
At the first sign of light we were back on the hunt, prowling the coastline, binoculars scanning the horizon trying to decide what our best option was. The swell was varying between five and eight feet outside most of the breaks we checked. The decision was made to start out conservatively at a place we had surfed twice before and named Bullwinkles. It’s a pretty mellow break that offers both lefts and rights with an easy paddle out and the occasional barrel. I paddled around on the SUP scouting some nearby breaks and shooting a few quick photos.
Jake Bell making a break for Bullwinkles
A couple hours here and the tide suggested we keep on searching.
A few miles up the coast we saw what we had been dreaming about the night before. Mike pulled the Milo up and I headed in for a close look on the SUP. Wow. Game on. A flat rock ledge was catching the full force of the south swell about 200 yards offshore. The swell easily doubled in height as it lurched over the rock. I paddled into one 12ft wave just to make sure it was everything it promised. . . knees shaking with adrenaline I paddled back to the Milo. We spent the next few hours learning how to surf this wave. The hard way. Mike led the experiments with wipeouts under the lip, getting sucked backwards through the falls, and underwater transportation under the froth. The results were favorable – while it might hold you down for a while, it’s no killer. I managed to get a few photos before ditching the camera. I mean, come on, the light really wasn’t any good.
The biggest waves that came through (after the camera was put away) were about twenty feet on the face. The speed of the SUP helped me score some incredible rides. It was possible to paddle in on the right side of the peak and shoot right through the section that jacked up on the shoal.
One mission for me on this trip was to discover what it felt like to ride a 10ft SUP on a nice big wave. Now I know, and I liked it.
For the last session of the trip we went back to Bullwinkles and I paddled a Boardworks 6’10” Stewart S-rail. It’s a trip going from the standup to a surfboard. No doubt the sup time really pays off, that ‘little board’ was much easier to ride than I remembered. My balance felt better, turns seemed easier than ever and my paddling muscles felt strong.
We have plans to head back out there again on Sunday (1/30/11) and as I type we still have a few spots open if you want to join us on the search.
Oh yeah, we named the new break ‘Pop-ups’.
So you guys travel from Sitka to Homer on a “surf exploration” trip, but post only reports, complete with maps and GPS coordinates, from well known breaks with local crews – who asked you not to reveal specifics – all in the name of sharing AK surf info; but when you discover a new wave you give no indication of its location. Did you find some new breaks on your epic journey but decided to keep them for yourselves, or are you going to “share this dream with you” as you claim in your mission? Sounds like a double standard to me.
John – relax. the sitka breaks have been pretty well documented for years. have you been over run by hords of Outside kooks? I doubt it. maybe if you chill you can get on the milo, find some new waves and get the stoke back you seem to have lost.
Hey fellas looks like a lot of fun, looking foreward to surfing Alaska, your photos and stories got me fired up. See you out there.
Hi John – What are you doing Sunday and Monday? want to come join us?
As far as your frustration about the Sitka surf scene, I’m sorry you feel like this. But glad that despite your frustration with Surf Alaska you are still reading the blog and following along with us. I hope that someday you can join us and see firsthand that we really are sharing the dream. Some just see the photos and read the stories and some come surfing with us.
It would seem that judging by your protective nature of surf info in Alaska you would be very pleased that I didn’t post a map to this slab wave.
If you want to read about a couple waves that we did discover on the trip check this out – http://surfalaska.net/201012/surfing-puget-bay-alaska
Just to clarify for everyone else reading here. . . about the Sitka scene. . . I was asked to not share info about the locals favorite break, so photos and stories from that spot have not been published. I did share information about Sea Lion Cove, a known and difficult to access spot that I was told would not be an issue to share about. It’s a nearly endless beach break with many peaks and a long hike in, after a long boat ride. Fears that it will become crowded seem preposterous. I also posted about Sandy Beach which is in town, well known and certainly no destination surf spot. The day after these posts were made I received a number of enraged emails from Sitka surfers who mostly seemed afraid that my posts would bring crowds to their surf spots and ruin the fun for them. Hindsight I certainly wouldn’t have posted if I’d known that it was going to make these people in Sitka so angry. But once it was done and the comments started posting up I didn’t want to delete the reports since it was really bringing out an interesting side of surfing in Alaska that I had never seen. I certainly learned from the experience and I hope others have as well.
Would be interested in going when you go if you go on a Saturday. I work nights and only have weekends off now. thanks DanO
Oh , on sunday are you coming back sunday or even monday early?? thanks again
Dan – Plan as it stands is to leave noon Sunday and return around 2400 monday night or possibly Tuesday depending on the weather and surf conditions.
Hey Scott I just want to say THANK YOU!!! Im going to school right now at UAS in Juneau and all I can think about is getting back to Yakutat to surf this summer. I love your blog its really amazing especially the photography! I should be studying right now but i keep coming back to this site dreaming! I only get to surf the summers in Yakutat then school for rest of the year…. But this site is definetly reminding me of what is waiting for me! Thanks again for your positive attitude and stoke. It is so easy to get angry with people, but i love how instead of getting mad you invite people to come and surf with you!! Awesome man your making history right now keep it up and good luck with all your adventures! Ohh and so glad I got to see you and your crew surfing thanksgiving in Yakutat awesome to watch!! Cant wait till the next post!!!
I find it borderline hysterical that John is claiming double standard here, when he himself is performing the very thing he is talking about — commenting on a surfing blog about specifics of a spot when he should be out there looking for spots himself. Come on! I mean thats what surfing is all about, exploring new spots, having fun with your friends, and just riding some waves.
I have no idea what the Alaskan surfing scene is like because I live in New Hampshire (which boasts an enormous 13 miles of coastline) but I can tell you that I can usually find a break all to myself (in the winter). Yeah some spots are usually crowded, but if you take the time to do a little research and make an educated guess its pretty much a guarantee to find a spot that is empty.
Also I think Bob makes a valid point, you obviously have had a tough time competing with other locals for waves (albeit I dont even understand how that is even remotely possible given your coastline) but you cant let that get to you, because once you have you have already lost. Just listen to this song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hP3N7QW4Zg0 and let all the stress melt away.
Oh and by the way this is a fantastic site and I have not come across another blog that loves surfing so much. Keep it up guys, I love reading it.
[…] The name is in reference to the bull kelp (seaweed) heads that randomly pop up all around the break as the water level raises and lowers with the passing swells. And the way the wave pops up as the swell pushes over a big flat rocky reef. More info and photos from this spot in these two posts- Yesterday’s Wave & Sleuthing an Alaskan Slab […]
Wow! It must have been freezing out there! Despite your complaints about the light and all, your photos pretty much showcased the wonderful place you went to. It must have been one hell of a ride out there! How long did you stay here to play in the waves?