Here is a video a couple of the local guys made last week. The shot of the guy running across the snow at the :10 mark is right down the street from my house. The crazy ice shots are in the bay between the island I live on and the next island north. We’ve had a good run of surf despite the cold.
Most guys will stay out for as long as two hours. You are right about the numb face. Plus, duckdiving takes your breath away when it’s that cold. I have experienced some issues with getting my car door open after a long session due to numb hands. But, where I live no one locks their car during Winter when they are heading out. Hell, I only lock my car if I go into town. My vehicles sit in my driveway unlocked, with the key in the ignition. I live in a very low crime area.
It’s warm in SF, both air and water. Apparently the larger weather patterns are assuming their springtime configuration a month early. Third year of our drought.
My nephew in Boston sent me an article with images of insane amounts of snow:
This Winter has seen a lopsided Eastward tilt in upper level winds over North America. Colder and wetter than normal in the East, drier and warmer in the West.
I used to spend Winters in Santa Cruz because it’s a lot warmer there than it is back here in February.
One of my friends was on this photo expedition with Dick Mezeroll. When they could have gone to the Carribean, these nuts went north to Nova Scotia for the big purple blob swell a couple weeks back:
Water temp has been low to mid 60s. Air temps all over the place in cocoa . Waves have been consistently fair. I usually just wear a spiny suit . 3/2 full on rare occasion.funny to see people here with booties , gloves, and hoods! My hats off to any of the northeasterners,great lakers, and west coasters dealing with cold water!at least the west coast gets good waves!