Swami's Reef and Surf
The Reef:
The reef at Swami's is a combination of large boulders,
rocks and barnacles. There are 3 or more layers of reef that extends out
into the break which gives Swami's it's sweeping rights that are so
consistent. The reefs are fairly mellow but there are still some rocks and
such that caution needs to be taken around.
One of the very inside Reefs at Swami's
At high tide, the reef is a good
distance below the
surface and shouldn't be a major cause of concern. As always, there are a
few rocks and sections that may be a cause of concern but for the most part,
this is a fairly safe and comfortable reef to surf.
At low tide, depending on the tide, the reef at Swami's
can be very exposed. in fact, this reef can be an attraction for beach goers
that would like to see marine life and collect shells. However, extreme
caution should be taken when surfing Swami's at low tide, the inside
sections can be only a few feet under water and could easily turn a good day
of surfing into a trip to the hospital.
A fairly Low Tide at Swami's
The
overview of the reef's from the bluff
Although most of the reefs are consistent of moss,
grasses and sand, there are barnacles every once in a while that can cause
some pain. My recommendation is to wear booties to alleviate the risk of
these barnacles taking a hold of your foot. I have been surfing Swami's my
whole life and have received about 20 cuts from the barnacles. They are not
too painful but can often be an inconvenience when wearing shoes or sandals
on the way home!
The
Surf:
Best
Tide: Low to Medium is best but a high tide can be
awesome on a big day of surf.
Best
Swell Directing: West and Northwest swells give Swami's
that clean, lined up wave during the Winter months. South
swells can be fun and rampy but not nearly as clean.
Best
Winds: No wind is best but if any, a East wind will do
wonders.
Best
Size: Anywhere from 2 - 15 feet. Swami's can hold it's
own in regards to size but make sure you're ready for a hard
day of surfing.
Best
Months to Catch it Going Off: From September to April
when the Northwest and West swells stop giving us waves!
Swami’s is known for it’s ability to maintain a good
shape from the smallest days to the monster North-West swells that pound the
beach in the winter. Swami’s is a typical reef break with a point break hint
to it. There is an outside section that are usually in charge of the set
waves and do a very nice job of taking care of them. Following one of those
set waves, it continues on to an inside point.
An
amazing day of surf at Swami's surf spot
A set
wave moving on to the inside point
At the inside point, the set waves, coming in from the
outside, usually wall up and
often become a tad bit of a challenge to push across. Depending on the swell
direction and size, the outside point and inside point will either connect
or be nearly impossible to make, you know how it goes, no wave is ever the
same as the wave before. For that reason, a lot of individuals surf the
inside point. This is also an awesome wave that is often very fast and full
of fun sections and shoulders to gain some speed off of. If you have either
surfed through the inside section from an outside set wave or if you just
are taking off from the inside peak, make sure you watch out for the far
inside section. It can get really shallow and really rocky very fast and
could be dangerous if now paid attention too.
I have spent many years surfing the inside point at
Swami's and have to mention that this is one awesome wave. It provides a
huge variety of surfing in one wave. Whether you like long steep walls,
challenging sections or the occasional tube, Swami's can offer it all. mind
you that a strong North-West swell is needed to make this wave break it's
best, Swami's seems to keep a pretty good lineup of waves even on the
smallest days.
Great day of surf at Swami's
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