NOAA - Up with Otters, Down with Surfers. Just Go Drown...

Swell hits Cali

Big Waves Continue To Pound Coast
POSTED: 3:44 pm PST December 21, 2005
UPDATED: 4:15 pm PST December 21, 2005
SANTA CRUZ, Calif. -- Big waves continued to pound the Central Coast Wednesday after thunderstorms rolled through Northern California.
The storm surge brought waves as large as 20 feet to the coast. Seacliff State Beach in Aptos was closed to campers, and park rangers evacuated the coastal area because of the high surf.
Ranger believe the giant swells pose a potential threat to the 200 people who were camping in the beach area. Some campers left the park entirely while others plan to stick it out and return to the beach once the high-surf warning is lifted.
Rangers also closed the popular park coastal trails as giant swells spit sand and other debris along campsite.
"The waves are so high that (park rangers) closed off where you enter," said Aptos resident Carol Moscatel.
"We expected those swells to come in pretty big. So, it's one of those things (that) you have to be safe than sorry so," said camper Terry Hunter.
A few surfers decided to take advantage of the swells. Some were even towed out to higher surf by personal watercraft.
Despite the big waves, lifeguards said they haven't been busy responding to water rescues .
Copyright 2005 by TheKSBWChannel.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

http://www.theksbwchannel.com/news/5602181/detail.html

Big Wednesday all over again

MAJOR STORM OFF HAWAII TO GENERATE HUGE SURF FOR CALIFORNIA ON WEDNESDAY A developing storm near Hawaii has intensified early Monday with 50 knot winds and 50 foot seas aimed directly toward California. This is an “El Nino” type of storm as it has dropped far to the south between Hawaii and California to pick up a tremendous amount of tropical moisture to fuel its strength. A weak ridge of high pressure over California will maintain stable weather conditions along the coast with generally light and variable winds – very favorable for surfers with the experience to surf large waves. This storm is generating near hurricane force winds and huge seas within 1,000 miles of California, much closer than normal. The swell direction will also be from a broad westerly direction, which will also allow the maximum amount of swell energy to penetrate through the offshore islands to arrive at the coast of Southern California. Most areas with southwest, westerly, and/or northwesterly exposure will experience 8-12 foot waves with sets near 15 feet. Some more west facing exposed areas will have sets approaching 20 feet and possibly more. Local high tides will be in the medium 4.5 foot range so typically we wouldn’t expect significant coastal flooding or erosion. However, this will be one of the largest swells to arrive in Southern California is years, so local authorities should definitely prepare for coastal erosion and flooding in low lying areas open to the southwest, west, and northwest. Marine harbor entrances open to a westerly direction will also have large breaking waves near the harbor entrances, especially during the low tide periods late Tuesday and Wednesday evenings. If you have further questions please feel free to contact the Surfline forecasting team below. http://www.Surfline.com Be safe, Sean Collins 714-504-9404 cell scollins@surfline.com

Brothers win contest

December 14, 2005 Wormhoudt brothers win first Nelscott Reef tow-in contest


By JULIE JAG Sentinel Staff Writer Laidback brothers Jake and Zach Wormhoudt don't mind living life in the slow lane. But after 14 hours of driving in it as they towed their personal watercraft from Santa Cruz to Lincoln City, Ore., last weekend, they were ready for a little excitement. They got plenty of it at the inaugural Nelscott Reef Tow-In Contest on Sunday. The brothers won the contest by teaming up to out-surf — and out-drive — some of the top tow-in crews from Northern California, and a few from Oregon, in frigid, 12- to 20-foot waves. "That was the coolest part about it," said Zach Wormhoudt, 35, speaking not of the icy water, but of teaming with his brother. "I would have loved to win anyway, but it was the coolest to win with my brother." The Wormhoudts agreed that being brothers helped their teamwork in the water. And though they were in Oregon, they were privvy to a bit of shared local knowledge since a Santa Cruz surfer could be found on 11 of the 15 teams in the contest. In fact all four of the finalists included a Santa Cruz surfer. The Wormhoudts,who have been towing into waves together for eight years, edged locals Tyler Fox and Shane Desmond for the win by less than a point. Peter Mel and defending Maverick's champion Anthony Tashnick took third while Santa Cruz's Mike Brummet and Mav's pioneer Jeff Clark finished fourth. The Nelscott Reef contest window spanned from Oct. 15 to Thursday, and organizers were just starting to think they may have to cancel the contest or extend the window when a suitable swell finally rolled in. Surfers were given 48 hours notice to get to Lincoln City. Almost immediately after getting word that the contest was on, the Wormhoudts embarked on the 800-mile drive that had to be made entirely in the slow lane because of state laws restricting vehicles towing PWCs. "It was brutal," Zach Wormhoudt said. Advertisement Once they arrived, however, their situation improved considerably. Contest organizer and Nelscott Reef pioneer John Norse said the 7,500 people in the sleepy town, made even sleepier by the cold weather, "treated the competitors like royalty." The Wormhoudts agreed the laid-back atmosphere surrounding the town and the contest, which stood in stark contrast to the super-hyped Maverick's paddle-in contest, suited them perfectly. Though they had studied the wave via video and spent some time practicing their tow-in techniques, both entered the contest more excited about surfing a new spot than winning a trophy. "I don't think either of us are necessarily doing these things with the intent to win always, which surprises some of our friends who are more competitive-minded," Jake Wormhoudt said. "Being invited is an honor. ... It just happened to be one of those days that unfolded and happened to be our day." Between qualifying rounds, the Wormhoudts took time out to devour steaming bowls of clam chowder some of the 100 or so local spectators had cooked up on the beach on portable Coleman stoves. They also relished being able to surf a monster wave that dissolved into deep water instead of crashing on a sharp and dangerous reef. They advanced to the hour-long final after surfing one 40-minute qualifying round apiece In tow-in surfing, one person drives the personal watercraft, while the other clips their feet into straps on their board, grabs onto a tow rope and gets slung into the path of an oncoming wave. Jake Wormhoudt, 33, was ready to go at the sound of the finals starting horn, and he got the brothers into a steady rhythm of catching waves. He caught one of the biggest waves of the contest ­­-- a 20-footer — and even lucked into a wave that started to break right, then turned left to give him a move that he guessed "would have looked dynamic from the cliff." A little before the 30-minute mark, Zach Wormhoudt took his turn with similar results. With their concentration focused on driving and surfing, teams rarely got glimpses at their opponents' waves. Still, the Wormhoudts felt satisfied, even hopeful, after the session. Apparently, with good reason. They weren't the only ones who went away satisfied. Even organizer John Forse said he would've liked to have bigger waves, but couldn't complain. "It was better than we could've imagined it," he said, adding that his group, Behemoth LLC, is already planning next year's contest. The Wormhoudt brothers split $6,500 for the win, while second took $4,000, third $2,500 and fourth $2,000. Those are small sums compared to some of the bigger contests, like Mav's and the Eddie Aikau. But Zach Wormhoudt said he enjoyed himself so much that he didn't mind the payout. "I pretty much would've paid that money to go surf up there," he said. For more information on the contest, or for video, visit www.nelscottreef.com. Contact Julie Jag at atjjag@santacruzsentinel.com. *** THE COMPETITORS 1. Jake Wormhoudt/Zach Wormhoudt 2. Shane Desmond/Tyler Fox 3. Anthony Tashnick/Peter Mel 4. Jeff Clark/Mike Brummet Also: Jason "Ratboy" Collins/Josh Loya Osh Bartlett/Anthony Ruffo Don Curry/Jason Garding Mark Builder/Keith Galbraith Stan Meurer/Josh Mulcoy Raph Bruhwiler/Peyo Lazarazu Alistair Craft/Adam Replogle Shawn Barron/Darryl "Flea" Virostko Vince Broglio/Richard Schmidt Davey Smith/Paul Schulte Jeff Kafka/ Joey Hutson

Big Waves needed for Nelscott Reef Tow Surfing Contest

Big Waves
Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 19 October, 2005 : - - Hosted by Chinook Winds Casino, the first-ever big wave tow-in surf contest in Oregon is being held from October 15 through December 15. An internationally-known field of surfers will pit their skills against the Nelscott reef, with a $20,000 purse going to the rider who tames the biggest wave during that period.


BEHEMOTH L.L.C. is pleased to announce the first annual big wave tow-in contest located in the heart of Lincoln City, Oregon. The event window will begin October 15th and run through December 15th. The host for the event will be the Chinook Winds Casino.

An international field of the top tow-in teams in the world will be on hand to battle for the crown. There will be a $20,000 purse awarded. Nelscottreef itself has qualities of rare symmetry and sublime beauty which define's it's legitimate position in the pantheon of big waves of the world . . . Mavericks to the south, Ghost Trees next to the stunning 18th hole @ Pebble Beach, and Todos Santos 9 miles o¥ the coast of Baja Mexico.

Further up the coast off the coast of San Diego surfers have conquered the majestic ocean reef break called Cortez Banks, amazingly isolated some 100 miles out in the Pacific .

Further west are Peahi she of such legendary size and power, and one hears rumors of other open ocean breaks yet to make their voice heard. This truly is a family of giants. The event is by invitation only and the field consists of the following:

CONTESTANTS
Don Curry / Jason Garding
Carlos Burle / Eraldo Gueiros
Dan Moore / Mark Anderson
Raph Bruhweiler / Sepp Bruhweiler
Jamillah Starr / Jennie Useldinger
Barney / Darryl "Flea" Virostko
Zach Wormhoudt / Jake Wormhoudt
Jamie Sterling / TBD
Peter Mel / Anthony Taschnick
Shane Desmond / Tyler Fox
Garrett McNamara / Ikaika Kalama
Jeff Clark / Mike Brummett
Matt Ambrose / Shawn Rhodes
Alistair Craft / Adam Replogle
Mike Parsons / Brad Gerlach

JUDGESHEAD JUDGE: Mike Paul
JUDGES:
Drew Kampion
Sonny Owens
Dan Calohan

CONTEST NOTIFICATION
A 48 hour window alert will be issued by the organizers when conditions are optimal which will give the contestants time to get their teams to Lincoln City. All contestants, judges sponsors and interested media will be notified via email. Everyone is encouraged to check out our website to see how the forecast is looking. We will post an alert using traffic signal icons red for no way, yellow for be ready it's possible soon and green means go baby!

www.nelscottreef.com

One of our contributing sponsors, Action Sports Northwest, will have extensive coverage of this event. Their web site will feature up to the minute information, including live web cam of the reef, 7 day forecast, news,and event tickets. They will also have a sign up to be emailed a notification when the event status has changed.

Go to www.actionsportsnw.com for Nelscott Reef information, as well as complete surf forecasts for the Northwest.

BEHEMOTH L.L.C. 1266 S.W. 50th St Lincoln City, OR 97367 541-992-5998
johnnotoes@hotmail.com rhoyle@ozondigital.com

Roland Hoyle
Principal
O Z Ö N
creative

oceanzone
collaborative

1266 S. 50th St.
suite A
Lincoln City, OR
97367

www.ozondigital.com
971_563_3228 cel


Roland Hoyle
Principal
O Z Ö N
creative

oceanzone
collaborative

1266 S. 50th St.
suite A
Lincoln City, OR
97367

www.ozondigital.com
971_563_3228 cel

For complete information, check: www.nelscottreef.com or Actionsportsnw.com

Surfing Mavericks

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 2 December, 2005 : - - On just 24-hours notice this winter, 24 of the world's best big-wave riders will compete in The 2006 Mavericks Surf Contest®. Historically, Contest Director Jeff Clark has been solely responsible for hand-picking "The 24"- those with the courage and commitment to face "the most dangerous wave in the world".

Nineteen riders are already in, but we want your opinion to help fill the last five slots in the lineup. Only two weeks remain in the 24 day voting period to help decide “The 24”. Until December 14th fans can visit www.surfermag.com to complete an online poll and choose their favorite five out of:

Carlos Burle, Mike Brumett, Ion Banner, Jake Wormhoudt, Rodrigo Resende, Danilo Couto, Troy Virostko, Garrett McNamara, Noah Johnson, Ross Clarke-Jones, Alex Martens, Russell Smith, Josh Loya, and Grant Baker.

The list of current invitees—already in the contest—includes: Anthony Tashnink, Greg Long, Tyler Smith, Zach Wormhoudt, Shane Desmond, Matt Ambrose, Brock Little, Ryan Seelbach, Ryan Augenstein, Evan Slater, Eraldo Gueiros, Shawn Rhodes, Randy Cone, Grant Washburn, Darryl Virostko, Kenny Collins, Peter Mel, Nathan Fletcher, Mike Gerhardt.

After December 14, all opinions are in and Jeff will finalize the outstanding group who will complete "The 24" for 2006.

Have your say - Who's In When It's On?


About Mavericks Surf Ventures, LLC:

Mavericks Surf Ventures, LLC is a partnership between surfing legend Jeff Clark and San Francisco-based sports management and marketing firm Evolve Sports, LLC. Mavericks Surf Ventures produces The Mavericks Surf Contest® and offers apparel and other licensed merchandise under the Mavericks™ brand. Coined as "the wave beyond," Mavericks™ inspires hardcore athletes to face the unpredictably raw power of Mother Nature, and stirs the souls of those who aspire to challenge their own limits. On a date to be determined on 24-hours' notice during the winter season of 2006, 24 invited surfers will battle to determine the next Champion of The Mavericks Surf Contest®.

Waves for Electricity

US Cities Eye Ocean Waves For Power Supplies

Tue, 15 Feb 2005 12:37:50 -0600Summary:

The success of Scotland’s Ocean Power in the Orkneys, has caught the attention of the United States. A Palo Alto, CA think tanker is looking at ocean power … which has the potential to generate up to ten times more power than the hydroelectric dams currently in place.What caught my attention was the fact that wave power seems to be less harmful to the environment, aesthetics and animals than wind wind power.
[Posted By BoomBoom]
By Leonard Anderson & Timoghy /GardnerRepublished from Reuters News Service via Planet Ark

East River, the Golden Gate and the Gulf Stream could prove to be a better alternative to even wind power.

USA: February 14, 2005SAN FRANCISCO / NEW YORK – Since ancient times poets have revered the power of the seas. Now energy companies and coastal cities like New York and San Francisco are aiming to tap ocean waves and tidal currents as abundant sources of electricity.

Whether captured by big buoys bobbing on sea swells, or by submerged turbines spinning with the ebb and flow of the tides, the energy potential of moving water, or marine power, is beginning to turn heads in the energy world.

“I’m pretty bullish on the technology,” said Robert Thresher, a wind power researcher at the Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory.Thresher said water power has several advantages over wind power, including having a lower profile.

One day marine power could catch on like wind power, currently the fastest growing alternative energy, he said.“It doesn’t have the visibility of a wind turbine device,” he said. Some critics, famously Massachusetts Democratic Sen.

Ted Kennedy, have fought offshore wind farms because they say a forest of tall turbines spoils views of the horizon.Another advantage, Thresher said, is that water currents are more energy-dense than wind currents—- about 1,000 times more.“My wind power brethren say their turbines generate more power when it’s humid,” said Trey Taylor, president of Washington-based Verdant Power, which makes underwater turbines.

“I like to say, ‘You can’t get any more humid than water.’”Marine power is in its infancy. But an experimental wave project run last summer by Ocean Power Delivery Ltd in the Scottish Orkneys successfully provided power to 500 homes through Scottish Power.

Marine power research has received millions of dollars worth of government subsidies in Scotland, but the United States currently has no federal program.Still, the potential is high for US waters, even at many of the nation’s thousands of dams and rivers. “Just below the Niagara Falls is a fantastic source of energy,” Taylor said.

The technology is so young that fish protectors Trout Unlimited have not formed an opinion on wave power. But marine conservation group Surfrider Foundation is “guardedly optimistic” about a system of buoys planned by New Jersey-based Ocean Power Technologies, said spokesman Matt McClain.

EAST RIVER, THE GOLDEN GATE, AND THE GULF STREAM
This May, Verdant Power is scheduled to place as many as six underwater turbines on the bottom of New York City’s East River to supply power to a food market on Roosevelt Island in the river, which separates Manhattan from the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens.

Environmental regulators are examining the plans and weighing possible problems for fish and other marine life.Verdant says turbines are unlikely to harm animals because their blades are dull, widely spaced, and turn slowly. The company is seeking the go-ahead to install as many as 200 to 300 turbines in the East River.

River debris also is a concern, but crews could change the turbines frequently, according to Taylor.

The expanded project would produce five to 10 megawatts of electricity at an initial cost of $20 million, but New York state as a whole, Taylor said, could produce about 1,000 megawatts, or power for about 1 million homes. The fuel source is free.

Roger Bedard of think tank Electric Power Research Institute in Palo Alto, California, said the amount of wave energy available off the coasts of the United States is nine to 10 times the energy currently generated by the country’s hydroelectric dams.

The city of San Francisco is studying harnessing the power of offshore waves as well as ocean tides that surge beneath the Golden Gate Bridge. It’s looking at clean power as an option to replace two old power stations fired by natural gas.

“The city has an advantage because we sit at the tip of a peninsula with water on three sides,” said Jared Blumenfeld, director of San Francisco’s Environment Department. “We can do what makes sense for our geography.”

The city is working on a demonstration project with Scotland’s Ocean Power.

The company’s Orkney project uses a floating steel cylindrical device, about the length of four train cars, with sections connected by hinged joints.

Rolling waves move against the sections to pump high-pressure oil through hydraulic motors that generate electricity which is sent through a cable to the grid.

San Francisco also wants to test a wave energy converter to power pumps at a large water treatment plant.

Sites offshore Oahu, Hawaii, WellFleet, Massachusetts, and Gardiner, Oregon, are also candidates for pilot studies.

Wave power advocates also eye the Gulf Stream off the East Coast as a potential powerhouse generator, where one day the electricity could be used to make hydrogen supplies for fuel cells.Other companies working on wave energy converters are TeamWorks of the Netherlands, Energetechs of Australia, and WaveDragon of Denmark.

http://www.gnn.tv/headlines/1155/US_Cities_Eye_Ocean_Waves_For_Power_Supplies

Big Wave Surfers

Maybe Not.