Chaotic Tropical Swell in Orange County — August 9th, 2024

This spot is the gem of Orange County, as seen during Hurricane Marie back in 2014. I can understand why it’s such a spectacle. The potential to see waves this size and shape are limited in Southern California, and it’s well-known when conditions align.

It kind of reminds me of a swell in South Beach, Miami where you have hoards of kooks, but you also have legit locals, and world-class surfers chasing the wave of their year, or simply IG/TikTok/Surfline fame.

It doesn’t break frequently enough to establish any kind of order in the lineup. At a certain point, the crowd implodes on itself, diminishing the chances of someone riding a perfect wave to its full potential.

You can look back decades ago and see the best spots/days packed with people, but with better swell forecasting and the basic reality of surfing becoming more popular worldwide, it’s only going to get more hectic into the future.

I was on the fence if I should even upload this one. The make ratio was low and it was not a classic day by historical standards, but for this summer it’s probably the most memorable we’ve had so far. Some hilarious wipeouts and overall, some entertaining moments.