surfing conditions at San Francisco - Fort Point

Lee, can you please stop posting real time reports at ######? I was one of the 15 guys you saw out there when you paddled out. By 3pm, how many people would you say were on it? 35? 40? More??

OB has cameras and the mystery is gone, BUT it's super spread out and can usually handle a crowd, so I don't see a problem with the real time reports there. However, the formula that makes ###### good is more than just "Big Swell, Low Tide". How many times have you gone there expecting it to be epic, and it ends up being total shit or not breaking at all? There's a lot of little nuances that have to come together to make it actually good. Not just "breaking"; GOOD. If you just flat out tell people about it that it's good, it takes any mystery out of it.

If you ever want to have hope of getting it GOOD without 35+ people in the lineup like today, I suggest you don't tell people how it is BEFORE you go out. Brag about it afterwards! Rub it in to all your mates! ;-) But please stop posting real time reports so you basically tell them exactly how it is.

As you saw tonight, it really can't handle a crowd of 35+, at least without total carnage. I really suggest you let people do their own research on this particular spot, and if they find out about it on their own, more power to them! If they aren't as wise as you and you score, you can make them feel jealous afterwards. ;-)

Lee, seeking revenge on asshole locals is hardly a good reason to post real time reports. And contrary to your opinion, I've gotten ###### ALONE and several occasions on Saturdays and Sundays. Many, many times. Why? Because I surf that place far too much, and I've put in tons of time to try to figure it out. There are many days, including weekends, when that crazy place can trick people and you can score it alone or with just a couple guys. If you saw ###### 3-4 foot and reeling with one guy out, would you call a bunch of your friends, or would you just have a solo session with that one dude in the lineup.

Odds are, that one dude in the lineup is ME. I surf that place so much it's almost embarassing to admit it, and I've slowly, over many years, worked my way up the pecking order out there. I did it the right way, by not getting in people’s faces and gradually getting my face seen, and showing if one of the OG locals DOES give me a wave, I’m not going to blow it.

I’ve been surfing there forever, and I probably surf better than most of the locals out there, but I’m still nowhere near the top of the pecking order. Why? Because localism does NOT make sense. You can smarter and wittier and surf better and be more courteous than the locals, and you’re still going burned a lot. WHY?? Because ###### isn’t the “real world”. The laws of human nature and basic human decency do not exist out there.

I’m trying to help you out here, mate. I’m not trying to be some cool guy or tough guy, or pull rank on you or anything. But the way to get waves out there in the long run is not to draw attention to yourself; the best way to get waves out there is to BLEND, and eventually you’ll get recognized and get waves. REAL waves. GOOD waves. Not the little scrapers on the inside.

Some of toughest locals out there read this site. If they find out who you are and find out that you’re doing this, they’ll be pissed, mate. Again, that’s in no way a threat or anything. I’m just trying to make your life easier.

Crypto, I had a few waves, but there were plenty where I had the wave altered because people were stuck inside and didn't know how to properly get out of the way.

I KNOW the report Lee posted didn't cause the crowds, but my point is it sure as hell can't help. Plus, again, the dickhead locals would be none to happy if they knew he was doing it.

I don't want Lee to stop sharing the love and joy, but I don't see why he can't post it after. And as you saw, the report didn't end up even being that accurate, right? 20 minutes after the report, there were 35+ dudes and the waves were a lot bigger than waste high.

But I'm also posting this for the dynamic in the lineup. If you want it to be tense and for there to be incidents in the lineup, then I'd go ahead and post these reports. I will grumble under my breath, but not say anything. Others won't be so kind. I'm just telling you like it is. Like I said in my last post, it's NOT fair and it's NOT rational. But it is the way it is. I know Lee has gotten into it with Billy, who is the LAST guy you want to get into it with. And he didn't even do anything wrong!!! But again, it is the way it is.

Please don't think I'm trying to threaten or be a tough guy; I'm trying to help things.

I know who you are, Crypto. You're always smiling, and generally get out of the way when it's someone else's turn. That's all it takes.

All I'm saying is it's a WEIRD place with a bunch of weird dudes governing it. You'll do much better in the long run if you smile and try to BLEND than if you fight the system. It's not going to change; believe me, I've tried. ;-)

I can completely understand Lee's point of view. It's the much more RATIONAL point of view. But again, you're dealing with the irrational, and if you draw attention to yourself you WILL get noticed and it'll just be more difficult.

BLEND, BLEND, BLEND - that's the key. ;-)

Got no horse in this race, However I'd generally agree that Ft. Point should get less reporting (perhaps none?) than OB. I grew up down south and same comparison could be made between Windansea (one peak) and La Jolla Shores (many peaks).

I've surfed Ft. Point a small # of times, so not getting territorial. But it's a limited space with quirky tide and angle setups. I say let us each earn our time over there by paying attention to the tide chart, buoys and wind, and driving down to check it out.

Oh ...yeah and sometimes people jump off the bridge and almost kill people sitting in the water. Hear about that a few years back? The surfer almost hit was an emergency room dr. I think he saved the life of the jumper.

@king, don't know if it's happened multiple times, but it's happened to me. A few years back, it was huge & breaking west of the bridge. I was out w/a buddy & 2 other guys. The other guys were brothers. We're waiting for the next set when something hits the water about 5 feet from one of the brothers. 1st, we all thought someone threw something off the bridge, but really quickly realized someone threw *themselves* off the bridge. There was no saving this guy, though. The coast guard was there w/i 5 minutes and scooped him out. Freaky freaky freaky.

Lee, I don't think I'm an asshole local, but I'm potentially effected by your actions, wouldn't you say? One day just a week or so ago you reported on how the wind suddenly and unexpectedly switched, when no one predicted it would. I was out there, you reported it, and then you didn't even go out (?). I saw you in the parking lot, and I came home and saw your report. There were just a handful of us out. Within a short while there were 10.

I don't really follow your logic, which basically says if it's a weekend and it's crowded, no harm in making a report and potentially making it more crowded. My personal logic would be, "It's friggin' crowded enough; let's not do anything to make it worse."

And you're right, dude: it IS a joke. But that doesn't mean it doesn't exist. It IS what it is. You can't have a normal conversation with some of the dudes out there, and be like, "Say friend, I think it's quite unfair that you keep dropping in on every wave, and I really don't appreciate your distasteful attitude". I'm sorry mate, but it just doesn't work like that. Drawing attention to yourself and trying to make a stand isn't going to help; it's just going to make things worse.

And who hogs the peak out there usually has very little correlation to how well you surf. Most of the biggest asshole locals in history have traditionally NOT been great surfers. If they were great surfers, they don't have to resort to those kinds of tactics. But, once again, it is what it is out there. And I really suggest trying to flow with it rather than fight it.

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+1 for less/no reporting on SFFP.

Stallman would not approve of this thread.

Keep posting the reports. Localism is a thing of the ancient past; keeping surf reports a secret is the essence of localism (giving an advantage to locals). It isn't like ######'s some big secret, and sorry but the cost of gas coupled with a terrible economy makes life more difficult driving around all day looking for the best spot. The angry Ft. Point locals keep things in check anyways. Keep posting the reports, don't live in fear and share the love!

I dont think you have to be an supporter of nasty localism to realize some spots are different from others and shouldn't be the subject of high volume reporting, Ft. Point....######....Fullers....that spot I found on the west side of Angel Island....

And that one spot, you know, in the place. The one with the stuff. Yeah you know where I'm talking about *wink*

that place was all time about 20 minutes ago. Better get on it!

As we have all already seen, Lee has very poor decision making skills in and out of the water.

Just thumbs down all of his reports.

holy shit someone else just posted that FP is good right now. is it going to be super crowded!?!? what's going to happen?

oh wait nevermind. everyone that knows it's good + can surf a sketchy left point break under a bridge at 11 AM on a monday will be there. which is probably ~7 guys. and it's the same 7 guys that would have been there if the report hadn't been posted. but the rest of us can sit at our desks and read the report. which is the point of stoke report. sharing the stoke.

it looks like surfbully.com is open though. maybe you guys should start a user generated content site there where you try to supress submissions that the site is oriented to collect? i think that would work really well.

actually no, no i have a better idea! i can't believe this is available:

http://www.beachbreakreport.com

you guys should totally do it. getting the URL is the hardest part.

It only took about 140 years for ###### to see its first battle. Funny that its over surfing. Probably not what the military was investing to protect.

By the way... Is a surf spot really a secret if its under one of the most famous bridges in the world? "Secret" may be a word that needs to be redefined in the 21st century.

+1 for lee

To be honest, I expected to see this kind of response about a report from Dead Man's, ###### (nice jab lee), or hell: Bolinas. I know a bunch of people who can look at FP in the AM. Very few who can check BO -- but I'm super-psyched to read about it here. The other spots are for serious gourmands.

Just out of curiosity: do folks who hit FP also frequent the lineup at Dead Man's? What's the pecking order between these folks?

locals at ######? thats like having locals at linda mar. joke. why try and localize a place that a) you can drive up and park right in front of the break, b) is a pretty below average wave 99.9% of the time.

I guess I should go away... I'm not a local to any place.