Early February has not disappointed. This week, ocean waves have been reaching the 10-foot range around our local beaches. Surf reports from Surfline.com and Solspot.com forecast the waves to continue throughout the week and into the weekend, finally settling down in the 2 to 3-foot wave zone.

Where are these waves coming from? These swells are being generated off shore from a storm hanging out in the middle of the Pacific, somewhere near Hawaii. Solspot reported the storm winds to be reaching around 40 knots (equivalent to about 46 mph) which disturb the ocean surface and move water toward all of us here in California.

Suggestions: For these big swells, breaks with more shape and structure can prevent a personal trip to Davy Jones’ locker, giving a surfer more time to stand up and start down the wave. Terramar, a spot located in Carlsbad roughly

straight out from the power plant, would be a good bet. Although the crowd is typically pretty thick around Terramar, attitudes tend to vary by the day, so expect anything from cusses to a hearty laugh if you get in the way.

Take a look later this week for some pictures, videos, and some “surf lingo” help. For now, I’ll leave you with a sunset shot of Terramar, enjoy the surf.