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RIP CURL PRO SEARCH: DAY ONE
Smallish surf forces initial layday as giant Atlantic storm bears down on Peniche
Day One of the waiting period for the Rip Curl Pro Search event here in Peniche started out optimistically enough, with high, wispy clouds, light offshore wind, a three-foot swell -- and straighthanders spinning onto the beach at Supertubes. It was almost rideable. Everyone wanted it to be rideable. Which caused organizers to extend the call time till 10am, hoping the straighthanders would turn into the kind of spitting a-frames Supertubes is famous for. And between 8am and 10am, like a dozen waves broke almost how they were supposed to, but not enough to send out the world's best. Especially given the amount of surf we're about to get.
The official forecast, which is located at the end of this report, can be summed up thusly: one bigass Atlantic storm is bearing down on this little country at the edge of the Iberian Peninsula. LOLA has gone purple. "The issue won't be swell for the middle to second half of the week -- we'll obviously have plenty of size -- it will be the wind," Surfline's Kevin Wallis explains. "The same storm that sets up the swell will also bring strong wind and inclement weather starting Tuesday and potentially lasting through Friday."
As if Mundaka didn't enjoy enough "inclement weather". At least we're gonna see some serious swell on Wednesday/Thursday. May be too much of a good thing, though. The forecast -- triple-overhead-plus surf with 30 knots of wind at the backup beaches -- inspired contest organizers to install giant sandbags around the contest site. Bulldozers also spent most of the morning grabbing sand from elsewhere on the beach and depositing around the site's perimeter for further protection.
All this disaster-preparedness activity inspired your humble correspondent: I've now got a glued and blind-stitched raincoat, a pair of boardshorts and a waterproof mic, while photog Sean Rowland has a snorkel and his waterhousing all ready -- contest or no contest, we'll try our damndest to bring this upcoming swell/storm to the safety of your computer screen.
While the storm's not supposed to hit till tomorrow, this morning's happy clear sunshine and alto cirrus have given way to a dark, brooding sky. We're hoping to get some heats off in the morning before hell officially breaks loose, but you never know with this kind of stuff. Check back.
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Surfline's official Rip Curl Pro Search forecast, effective 10/19/09
--Kevin Wallis
BRIEF OVERVIEW: Small WNW swell will continue Monday. A much larger WNW to NW swell will show from Tuesday late afternoon through Friday, although wind conditions will be problematic.
MONDAY 19th
SWELL/SURF: WNW swell holds early, then slowly eases through the day. For Belgas look for mainly shoulder high surf, with a few slightly larger sets maxing out around head high early. For Supertubes smaller surf in the knee-waist high range can be expected. Lagido will remain flat.
WIND/CONDITIONS: Light/variable in the early morning, building out of the SW to 10kts for the afternoon.
TUESDAY 20th
SWELL/SURF: Smaller WNW swell leftovers early. Building, shorter to mid period NW swell potentially fills in for the afternoon with well overhead surf possible for Lagido/Belgas and head high waves for Supertubes. Stay tuned.
WIND/CONDITIONS: Strong SSW/SW wind for the morning 20-30kts+. Wind shifts to the WNW behind the passing front in the afternoon and eases slightly (although still strong).
WEDNESDAY 21st
SWELL/SURF: Major NW swell builds in with surf easily in the 2-4 times+ overhead range at Lagido/Belgas and well overhead+ at Supertubes.
WIND/CONDITIONS: Moderate to strong W to WNW flow 12-20kts+.
THURSDAY 22nd
SWELL/SURF: Strong NW swell continues, gradually starting to come down over the afternoon.
WIND/CONDITIONS: Potential strong W/WNW flow.
FRIDAY 23rd
SWELL/SURF: Decreasing NW swell, although still solid in size (roughly half to two thirds the size of Wed/Thur).
WIND/CONDITIONS: Moderate W flow early (10-15kt), easing in strength through the afternoon
DISCUSSION & LONG RANGE FORECAST
Small WNW swell prevails Monday, gradually coming down in strength through the afternoon. Size will be similar to what we saw late Sunday afternoon/evening. Wind will still be light but not as favorable as what we saw Sunday either. Look for light wind in the early morning with SW flow building for the afternoon at light to possibly moderate levels.
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October 19, 2009
