It looks like the Autumn surf season in the Adriatic sea has started. It’s not unusual for September to be completely flat, usually we get some surf here and there but this year the local pond has been quite active. But, quite a few forecasts have turned from classic good south wind forecast to spinning winds, weird wind and swell angles, unusual spots and conditions… Pair that with the fact that lots of surfers are unable to surf our usual go to Adriatic coast in Croatia due to covid-19 restrictions and you get a fresh sense of that primal surf exploration feeling that we had here in the beginning.
Not many people around here surfed when I started. For a long time you could count all the windswell surfers around here using just the fingers on your hands. Not to mention that off course you knew everybody that surfed. With years that changed. Although the surf spots most of the time don’t get like super crowded at least by some world famous spot standards, surfing alone has become a rare thing.
So, first surf day was Friday. I love when surf is good over the weekend. Lol…all weekend warriors are. Forest spot. Wind from more westerly direction meant the spot was less protected from wind than usual. The tide/sea was also extremely high. We were alone there with my girlfriend and waves got bigger and bigger, but instead of breaking near the point like they usually do, the first half of the usual wave was just a mess. So I only rode the second part, where the wave was not very strong. What was very strong was the current haha. Non stop paddling. When the waves grew I could start catching some higher up the point and finally when they were big enough for the second part of the wave to really start working. So I got a few really nice ones in all that mess and current, but not a really epic session.
Saturday the forecast promised a lot. When you the the wave column reach 3m in the Adriatic sea you get excited. We met up with few other friends for dawn patrol and it looked sick. Nowhere near the forecasted size. But with the spot turning from left point to right point I’m not the one to complain. Yeah, instead of the usual right side of the point, the left side was way better. Windless conditions were soon replaced with northern offshore winds growing stronger by the minute. Suddenly the wind died down and so did the waves. We caught a few fun glassy leftovers, but I can’t remember when was the last time that waves died down so quickly. Anyway…a good but cold session reminded us to pack some thicker wetsuits and a hoodie next time.
Easy Saturday afternoon and lazy Sunday morning slowly got us driving home from the sea when I got a message from Luggy that he is on his way to Italy for an afternoon surf. We were just 15min apart, driving into opposite directions. So I said goodbye to Taja, switched into Luggys car and we drove towards Italy. I didn’t have time to check the forecast although I didn’t remember seeing anything worth surfing the last time I’ve checked. So where are we going man? I pulled up the forecast and it said like 45cm south swell no wind on northern Italy beachbreak not that far away from Slovenia. I never go for a 4h drive to surf 45cm waves. But this time I’m so lucky that we did. Luggy found this perfect sick little peak like 50-100m away from the main surf spot.
I often catch myself thinking, if this little wave would hit the perfect bank it would jack up a little, have a steep wall, and even with just idk…maybe waist high wall you could really surf this tiny ripple. Make turns, cutbacks and everything. Well…this little peak was actually doing it!! You know Cape St.Francis from Endless Summer I? I mean, nowhere that good but this is the easiest way to describe it. I’m sure the next swell will turn this sandbar to crap or the swell direction wont be the same or something, but this time I had the best 45cm waves session, not only in the Adriatic sea but of my life (this included haha).
Forest, 25.9., Barba, 26.9. and Pineta L., 27.9.2020