Around 9:45pm Monday night, I checked the buoy reading for the 17th and final time before attempting to get a decent night’s sleep with the alarm set for 5:30am. The forecasts had it at 18.3ft @ 10 seconds from the east… how are you supposed to sleep with that on your mind?

The alarm goes off and my ride’s headlights shine into my windows from the driveway—Grant was a little excited it seemed. The buoy is still up, it’s misting sideways, which is unfortunate in someways, knowing nor’easters can bring some serious snow… but who doesn’t like surfing in a blizzard at home?

In this particular case though, it’s fine with us because we’re not surfing at home—we’re heading west for better wind. Also, driving two hours in a blizzard is not fun.

We arrived to picture-perfect, clean, overhead tubes as far as you could see in every direction. About half the size as we all pictured in our dreams the night before, but no one was complaining.

After three and a half hours of getting barreled with friends and strangers in the pouring rain, it was off to thaw out, grab lunch and enjoy a much-deserved beverage.

We watched the waves and hung around for a little while catching up with friends but decided to call it a day as the tide was coming up and the swell was easing off.

Arriving back home just before dark, we sat in the parking lot and watched more perfect tubes as the rest of the crew—that didn’t make the trek west—got their fair share before dusk. Had we jetted home right after lunch, we would’ve made it in time to double dip… but in the end, as the photos above are likely to tell you, everyone was happy.

If you blew it this swell and want to rub some salt in your eyes, check out Andrew Blauschild’s “Winter Helena in 120” or Justin Burkle’s “Late Fall Run“.