So, no rain from this major low pressure system, but I awoke to some threatening clouds and a cold, offshore breeze. I decided to hit up Santa Cruz Diner for some grease to still the waters of a holiday party hangover. On the way home I drove by the Rivermouth and it was aaaaalmost happening – chest- to shoulder-high and the left was just reeling; A little too fast, but pretty; No one out. I thought if this is almost happening then I need to get my ass over to the harbor.

I swung by the house and grabbed my gear. I got there just as two guys were walking down the beach. Another guy on a bike was just pulling up also. It looked sick! The Murph Bar was boasting in a peeling left and right, glassy to offshore conditions, and shoulder- to head-high.

I paddled out; A peak to be shared by me and four others. The waves never stopped. Almost the best I'd ever seen the bar look and definitely the most challenging waves I've ever surfed at that spot. For about an hour it continued like this as the tide continued to drop. And it was just getting more and more fun. On the smaller ones I could get to my feet, scoop that fat wall with my inside arm, and tuck under the lip. On the bigger ones, I dropped in and ran like hell.

Then it started getting bigger; A lot bigger. On one of the first standout sets, another guy and I were paddling back out. We were in the channel, and safe, but 10 yards further inside two waves broke that you could have driven a bus through. It was like looking into a frigging cave. He and I were just looking at each other with pinched, uneasy smiles and eyes like saucers. We all continued to catch waves, and a few more like that came in, but no one was going for them.

The tide continued to drop and a few more people came out. Then I noticed a couple of guys heading for the harbor mouth. It still looked like it was breaking right on the jacks but they obviously knew exactly what they were doing.

I was on my CS 5'10" and after two hours of non-stop surfing I was getting ready to call it. It was just getting to be too much for the board (OK, I admit it...AND ME). Complete suck out conditions; Guys with steel cojones and no dependents going over the falls and straight to the bottom in pairs. I started looking for one in. I did get in on a really good one, but then had to paddle for my life in the shore break.

I got out of the water totally pumped, but exhausted. I got up to the truck and I saw my friend, Sloppy, coming down the street. He and another guy had come down to ride bikes and had no idea they were going to find this. I don't think anyone did. The guy had come in on the east swell, from over-the-hill, and was SO pumped on the surf. The three of us stood there and watched for awhile when a few all-time sets came in. We could see the few guys at the harbor mouth getting destroyed at one moment but then achieving Nirvana five minutes later by emerging from hideous, spitting barrels right in front of the jacks. I'm not one typically to rejoice or hoot from the beach but I just couldn't help it. These guys were rock stars.

I was paddling out alongside another guy at one point that morning and I asked him, "So does this mean that it's finally winter?!?!"

- Ryen Phillips