tMo
The Fall of 2024 had a few small swells come through, but nothing too exciting. And unlike the two previous years, the rain had yet to start.
But Goleta surfers are a resilient bunch, and we can make the most out of very little. Around mid December, talk started of a long line of powerful storms spinning wildly just to the north of us. Northern California would be battered, but none of the rain and foul weather would get down to us. Just the by-product of those storms would reach Goleta.
That by-product was known as Surf. Large, long period swells that would be unlike any waves ever seen by human eyes…..OK, well, that’s a little exaggeration, but talking to surfers, that’s the impression you’d get. And it was due right around Christmas.
As day broke on December 22nd, it was clear that the forecast was accurate. But the unusual thing was that it basically appeared overnight. The previous days were very small, and some folks were skeptical the swell would show up as predicted.
But show up it did. Big, lumbering beasts, slowly making their way to the beach to end their long journey in one last tremendous splash. (Those little specks are humans.)
And the faithful were there, before the sun rose, waiting for it. Hundreds of hungry surfers, anxious to see just how big and powerful this long anticipated series of waves would be.
And as the sun rose, so did the number of people, pouring down to the beaches from near and far.
And they were not disappointed.
Calm, glassy conditions with large sets.
In fact, some sets might have been considered a little too large, clearing out the whole lineup.
But there was no shortage of brave young men, ready to take the drop.
“Hmm…..you going out….?”
Up and down the coast, the beaches were filling up with eager surfers and curious onlookers.
A nice thing about the timing, UCSB was on break, making things less crowded than normal. Additionally, a lot of local surfers that had moved away were home for the holidays! So the majority of the folks around were locals, all happy to see one another and the holiday spirit was strong in the salty air.
There was just a small group of guys enjoying the massive set waves in an orderly and respectful manner. Respect for each other and the waves.
The guys at the top took turns dropping into clean, green bombs.
Mike Kotowski had the right board for the day, and he was rewarded with lots of amazing rides.
Just making it look so easy, pulling into a fat barrel.
Walking around the beach was a Goleta locals reunion of sorts. So I pulled in between Joseph Yee and Tyler Anderson and watched the show from the best seat in the house.
At this point of the morning, the conditions were pretty ideal; glassy water and the fog had pulled back. But the smooth water and easy drops these expert surfers were making can be deceiving.
Half the battle is getting into position, paddling to where you want to be to catch the wave, and then staying there. When the surf is this big, the current is very strong, constantly pulling you south.
And then there are some rocks to keep in mind….
Truly an endeavor for the young and healthy. Luckily, the guys out this morning all looked quite capable.
Considering Goleta gets small surf the majority of every year, it amazes me how so many local guys are able to transition to these large waves so easily.
But even young and capable surfers need a little time out. At this point, I decided to get back on my bike and check out more spots.
One last look back as I was leaving and saw this…An unusual day for sure.
At this point. Goleta Beach was hanging tough.
And the pier was taking a minor beating.
It’s not often you see surfers cruising down towards Goleta Beach.
When we get a big swell, the whole coast lights up. Lots of new surf spots appear temporarily.
And many of the most popular spots are simply overwhelmed by the massive waves and strong current, making them unsurfable.
As the day wore on, the wind started to pick up, causing some crumbly lips and bumpy rides.
And the crowd continued to get thicker.
Surfers from points north and south that were just too big to surf, slowly trickled into the Goodland.
And the sets kept coming.
But despite the diminishing conditions and the increasing crowds, the mood was high and the surfers were smiling.
Everyone knew these waves were going to stick around for a few days….
The next morning, December 23rd, the waves continued to roll in, but so did the fog. Not great news for a photographer. I was lucky enough to be invited to join three longtime friends for a morning session. Bobby Morris, Vinny Leonelli and Stephen Rondepierre have grown up surfing the nooks and crannies of Goleta together, and they continue to do so today. Photos of these three are in countless sessions on this website.
The waves had gotten a little smaller, but still plenty of good sized surf. And despite the thick fog, I managed to get a few shots.
Unfortunately things were often a little jumbled and disorganized, officially knows as “junky”. But of course, these guys still made it look fun.
Vinny Leonelli floating.
Nothing like a session with just a group of friends out, cheering each other on.
Bobby Morris, doing what Bobby does.
The fog wasn’t going away, and despite the great entertainment, I had some Christmas shopping to do, so I had to bid the boys farewell until next time.
Christmas Eve, December 24th. The waves kept coming, but the story of the day was the wind.
After a brief drizzle, an intense wind storm kicked up. Ruining the surf at most spots, and forever taking out a historic structure on the Gaviota Coast.
The surfers struggled to keep surfing, and in a few places at a few moments the wind and the wave cooperated.
Common courtesy was still occasionally “thrown to the wind” as this snake demonstrates.
But sometimes that wind will hold a wave up…..
and make that barrel last….
and last…
and last….
Well, I’ll stop there, but this guy had the longest tube ride I’ve ever seen. His legs must’ve been burning.
Later in the day, the wind settled back down and it got real pretty. Carlos Castro snapped a couple water shots of the scene and caught artist extraordinaire Colin Schildhauer enjoying the afternoon shade.
Unidentified, enjoying the fresh glass.
Christmas Day, December 25th, 2024. While most folks were huddled in the house with family and friends, feasting and merrymaking, we went out to take a look at the sea and found an old friend.
Local waterman Simon Murdoch was enjoying Christmas on his own terms. Floating quietly down the coast.
And wherever he saw a wave that caught his interest, he surfed it, usually alone.
A perfect Christmas present to himself.
Wave after wave, all to himself.
Simon had no idea we were watching, and that’s ok, he was in a zone, happily unwrapping all of his presents.
And that was the great swell of Christmas 2024. A Christmas like we haven’t had in years. And well into January, the waves keep coming….
Additional photos by Carlos Castro and Tony Modugno
The Fall of 2024 had a few small swells come through, but nothing too exciting. And unlike the two previous years, the rain had yet to start.
But Goleta surfers are a resilient bunch, and we can make the most out of very little. Around mid December, talk started of a long line of powerful storms spinning wildly just to the north of us. Northern California would be battered, but none of the rain and foul weather would get down to us. Just the by-product of those storms would reach Goleta.
That by-product was known as Surf. Large, long period swells that would be unlike any waves ever seen by human eyes…..OK, well, that’s a little exaggeration, but talking to surfers, that’s the impression you’d get. And it was due right around Christmas.
As day broke on December 22nd, it was clear that the forecast was accurate. But the unusual thing was that it basically appeared overnight. The previous days were very small, and some folks were skeptical the swell would show up as predicted.
But show up it did. Big, lumbering beasts, slowly making their way to the beach to end their long journey in one last tremendous splash. (Those little specks are humans.)
And the faithful were there, before the sun rose, waiting for it. Hundreds of hungry surfers, anxious to see just how big and powerful this long anticipated series of waves would be.
And as the sun rose, so did the number of people, pouring down to the beaches from near and far.
And they were not disappointed.
Calm, glassy conditions with large sets.
In fact, some sets might have been considered a little too large, clearing out the whole lineup.
But there was no shortage of brave young men, ready to take the drop.
“Hmm…..you going out….?”
Up and down the coast, the beaches were filling up with eager surfers and curious onlookers.
A nice thing about the timing, UCSB was on break, making things less crowded than normal. Additionally, a lot of local surfers that had moved away were home for the holidays! So the majority of the folks around were locals, all happy to see one another and the holiday spirit was strong in the salty air.
There was just a small group of guys enjoying the massive set waves in an orderly and respectful manner. Respect for each other and the waves.
The guys at the top took turns dropping into clean, green bombs.
Mike Kotowski had the right board for the day, and he was rewarded with lots of amazing rides.
Just making it look so easy, pulling into a fat barrel.
Walking around the beach was a Goleta locals reunion of sorts. So I pulled in between Joseph Yee and Tyler Anderson and watched the show from the best seat in the house.
At this point of the morning, the conditions were pretty ideal; glassy water and the fog had pulled back. But the smooth water and easy drops these expert surfers were making can be deceiving.
Half the battle is getting into position, paddling to where you want to be to catch the wave, and then staying there. When the surf is this big, the current is very strong, constantly pulling you south.
And then there are some rocks to keep in mind….
Truly an endeavor for the young and healthy. Luckily, the guys out this morning all looked quite capable.
Considering Goleta gets small surf the majority of every year, it amazes me how so many local guys are able to transition to these large waves so easily.
But even young and capable surfers need a little time out. At this point, I decided to get back on my bike and check out more spots.
One last look back as I was leaving and saw this…An unusual day for sure.
At this point. Goleta Beach was hanging tough.
And the pier was taking a minor beating.
It’s not often you see surfers cruising down towards Goleta Beach.
When we get a big swell, the whole coast lights up. Lots of new surf spots appear temporarily.
And many of the most popular spots are simply overwhelmed by the massive waves and strong current, making them unsurfable.
As the day wore on, the wind started to pick up, causing some crumbly lips and bumpy rides.
And the crowd continued to get thicker.
Surfers from points north and south that were just too big to surf, slowly trickled into the Goodland.
And the sets kept coming.
But despite the diminishing conditions and the increasing crowds, the mood was high and the surfers were smiling.
Everyone knew these waves were going to stick around for a few days….
The next morning, December 23rd, the waves continued to roll in, but so did the fog. Not great news for a photographer. I was lucky enough to be invited to join three longtime friends for a morning session. Bobby Morris, Vinny Leonelli and Stephen Rondepierre have grown up surfing the nooks and crannies of Goleta together, and they continue to do so today. Photos of these three are in countless sessions on this website.
The waves had gotten a little smaller, but still plenty of good sized surf. And despite the thick fog, I managed to get a few shots.
Unfortunately things were often a little jumbled and disorganized, officially knows as “junky”. But of course, these guys still made it look fun.
Vinny Leonelli floating.
Nothing like a session with just a group of friends out, cheering each other on.
Bobby Morris, doing what Bobby does.
The fog wasn’t going away, and despite the great entertainment, I had some Christmas shopping to do, so I had to bid the boys farewell until next time.
Christmas Eve, December 24th. The waves kept coming, but the story of the day was the wind.
After a brief drizzle, an intense wind storm kicked up. Ruining the surf at most spots, and forever taking out a historic structure on the Gaviota Coast.
The surfers struggled to keep surfing, and in a few places at a few moments the wind and the wave cooperated.
Common courtesy was still occasionally “thrown to the wind” as this snake demonstrates.
But sometimes that wind will hold a wave up…..
and make that barrel last….
and last…
and last….
Well, I’ll stop there, but this guy had the longest tube ride I’ve ever seen. His legs must’ve been burning.
Later in the day, the wind settled back down and it got real pretty. Carlos Castro snapped a couple water shots of the scene and caught artist extraordinaire Colin Schildhauer enjoying the afternoon shade.
Unidentified, enjoying the fresh glass.
Christmas Day, December 25th, 2024. While most folks were huddled in the house with family and friends, feasting and merrymaking, we went out to take a look at the sea and found an old friend.
Local waterman Simon Murdoch was enjoying Christmas on his own terms. Floating quietly down the coast.
And wherever he saw a wave that caught his interest, he surfed it, usually alone.
A perfect Christmas present to himself.
Wave after wave, all to himself.
Simon had no idea we were watching, and that’s ok, he was in a zone, happily unwrapping all of his presents.
And that was the great swell of Christmas 2024. A Christmas like we haven’t had in years. And well into January, the waves keep coming….
Additional photos by Carlos Castro and Tony Modugno
Great stuff. Those were some damn big waves for Goleta. Triple overhead looking stuff in a couple of those photos. Thank you for documenting it in a great way.
Thank you for the terrific photos and thank you for documenting this. I know a lot of guys will be thrilled to see themselves captured in these pics, riding these bussin’ waves. What a rad gift from Mother Nature. (And no rain, so the water was as clean as (most of) the waves. Awesome.