Our Only Summer Swell (4 of 5)

Each day this week I will be posting images from the only summer swell that hit Northern California. This is the 4th post out of 5 scheduled.

One of the more unique elements about skateboarding and surfing compared to any other sport is that you can be standing on the deck or sitting in the lineup right next to a pro. When the waves are good in Santa Cruz people come out of the woodwork who you have never seen before. They are like sleeping giants who wait for swells worthy of their arm strength. “Our Only Summer Swell” rolled in on Thursday July 23rd and by Saturday morning the heavies were already resting and drying out their wetsuits. By the time I was shooting there were still a few scrappers left in the water. At the tail end of the swell, parts of California’s northern coast were perfect for long boarding until early Wednesday July 29th. That gave the log riders 4 more extra days of stoke.

All of the images from this series show a diversity of surfers, a variety of boards, and each spot is within a short drive of each other. This makes Santa Cruz, CA a very special place on the US map.

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Summer Swell, Steamer’s Lane, CA. © Jay Watson Photography.

Summer Swell, Steamer’s Lane, CA. © Jay Watson Photography.

Summer Swell, Steamer’s Lane, CA. © Jay Watson Photography.

Summer Swell, Steamer’s Lane, CA. © Jay Watson Photography.

Jay Watson

San Francisco Bay Area based lifestyle and people photographer Jay Watson shoots editorial, apparel, automotive, corporate, and sports subjects for commercial clients. Published in over 70 magazines.

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