Author Topic: Sup Surfing Tanker Waves In the Galveston Ship Channel (Texas)  (Read 23231 times)

Night Wing

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Re: Sup Surfing Tanker Waves In the Galveston Ship Channel (Texas)
« Reply #15 on: February 25, 2017, 03:54:10 AM »
@capobeachboy

In the video link below, you can actually see what a Plan B (my designation) is. It's a short video and in parts of the video, it's time lapsed. You see the sup rider paddling out to meet a tanker and then he rides the tanker's wave back to his starting point. Since the North Jetty on Bolivar is 1.7 miles long, this would be perfect to catch an incoming tanker's wave. BTW, the video below was recorded at Port Aransas, Texas.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6bskUBzZu8

Another thing which immediately caught my eye in the video was the rider's board. It is a Naisch board and I think it's a Hokua model and it is a short board. Since my Hammer is 8'11", I might be able to use my short Hammer for tanker surfing as long I use my Plan B option. You can see the distance of the North Jetty at the link below.

http://www.fishingbolivar.com/jettyfish.htm

Safety wise, I don't think it would be wise for me to try and cross the Galveston Ship Channel to catch an outbound tanker's wave and then catch an inbound tanker's wave to get back to my starting point with my short Hammer. The Galveston Ship Channel seems to be 5 miles wide between the end of the North and South jetties so crossing that amount of open water distance opens up a can of worms for unexpected problems.
Blue Planet Duke: 10'5" x 32" x 4.5" @ 190 Liters (2 Dukes)
Sup Sports Hammer: 8'11" x 31" x 4" @ 140 Liters
SUP Sports One World: 11'1" x 30" x 4.5" @ 173 Liters
CJ Nelson Parallax: 9'3" x 23 1/2" x 3 3/16" @ 78.8 Liters (prone surfing longboard; Thunderbolt Technologies build in Red construction)

Badger

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Re: Sup Surfing Tanker Waves In the Galveston Ship Channel (Texas)
« Reply #16 on: February 25, 2017, 05:20:00 AM »
Everyone seems to be using fairly short boards there. No doubt your 8'11 would work but the shorter the board, the higher the risk of being outrun by the wave because the slope of the wave isn't very steep.

The ultimate board for that wave would be at least 10 feet long.  I would love to try my M-12'6 there.

A longer board would also get you to the starting point a lot quicker as well as make catching and staying on the wave a lot easier, giving you a faster and more enjoyable ride.

.
« Last Edit: February 25, 2017, 05:38:43 AM by Badger »
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Night Wing

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Re: Sup Surfing Tanker Waves In the Galveston Ship Channel (Texas)
« Reply #17 on: February 25, 2017, 05:40:57 AM »
@Badger

This is why I am looking at purchasing a 10'6" board to add to my quiver. I think this length is good for leisurely flat water cruising and it seems it would do well for tanker wave surfing as well.
« Last Edit: February 25, 2017, 05:42:34 AM by Night Wing »
Blue Planet Duke: 10'5" x 32" x 4.5" @ 190 Liters (2 Dukes)
Sup Sports Hammer: 8'11" x 31" x 4" @ 140 Liters
SUP Sports One World: 11'1" x 30" x 4.5" @ 173 Liters
CJ Nelson Parallax: 9'3" x 23 1/2" x 3 3/16" @ 78.8 Liters (prone surfing longboard; Thunderbolt Technologies build in Red construction)

Badger

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Re: Sup Surfing Tanker Waves In the Galveston Ship Channel (Texas)
« Reply #18 on: February 25, 2017, 05:46:02 AM »
Definitely NW.

I think that board would be perfect. I hope to see some posts this spring of you riding that wave.   8)
Kalama E3 6'1 x 23" 105L
Axis HPS 980 / PNG 1300
Sunova Flow  8'10 X 31"  119L
Me - 6'0" - 165lbs - 66yo

surfercook

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Re: Sup Surfing Tanker Waves In the Galveston Ship Channel (Texas)
« Reply #19 on: February 25, 2017, 06:41:22 AM »
My wife says she'd be stoked to rock a trip to Texas. I also just realized that the NLand Surf Park in Austin is up and running. Tanker surfing AND a wave pool in one trip! Book it!
One could go into a mall in Kansas and ask a teenager "What is a surfer looking for?, and the answer will always be, "The perfect wave"
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Night Wing

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Re: Sup Surfing Tanker Waves In the Galveston Ship Channel (Texas)
« Reply #20 on: February 25, 2017, 06:49:15 AM »
Since the North Jetty is at Port Bolivar on the Bolivar Peninsula, I got to thinking about "Beach Rules" so I thought I'd hunt to see if there were any beach parking rules for vehicles parked on the beach at 16th Street which is right next to the North Jetty. Looks like there is. From the link below, it seems one will have to have a Beach Parking sticker which costs $10 and I think it is for the "calendar year". Not too bad cost wise. I will call the Chamber of Commerce at Port Bolivar Monday morning to confirm it.

http://bolivarchamberofcommerce.com/beach-rules-2/
Blue Planet Duke: 10'5" x 32" x 4.5" @ 190 Liters (2 Dukes)
Sup Sports Hammer: 8'11" x 31" x 4" @ 140 Liters
SUP Sports One World: 11'1" x 30" x 4.5" @ 173 Liters
CJ Nelson Parallax: 9'3" x 23 1/2" x 3 3/16" @ 78.8 Liters (prone surfing longboard; Thunderbolt Technologies build in Red construction)

surfcowboy

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Re: Sup Surfing Tanker Waves In the Galveston Ship Channel (Texas)
« Reply #21 on: February 25, 2017, 07:15:05 AM »
I'm headed back for business and family visit in May. Let me know if this turns out to be do able. I'm also headed to Austin as well. Gotta see that wave.

Wing, I've crossed the ferry a few times. My family lives over near Beaumont.

Night Wing

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Re: Sup Surfing Tanker Waves In the Galveston Ship Channel (Texas)
« Reply #22 on: February 25, 2017, 08:19:19 AM »
I'm headed back for business and family visit in May. Let me know if this turns out to be do able. I'm also headed to Austin as well. Gotta see that wave.

I think this is doable.

On on side note, my wife's eldest niece lives in Kyle which is like 15 minutes from Austin. She's got a brand new 6 week old baby (as of this typing). Maybe if her niece gets some free time, she can check out the "wave in Austin" and give me the low down on it from her point of view.
Blue Planet Duke: 10'5" x 32" x 4.5" @ 190 Liters (2 Dukes)
Sup Sports Hammer: 8'11" x 31" x 4" @ 140 Liters
SUP Sports One World: 11'1" x 30" x 4.5" @ 173 Liters
CJ Nelson Parallax: 9'3" x 23 1/2" x 3 3/16" @ 78.8 Liters (prone surfing longboard; Thunderbolt Technologies build in Red construction)

ninja tuna

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Re: Sup Surfing Tanker Waves In the Galveston Ship Channel (Texas)
« Reply #23 on: February 25, 2017, 09:15:57 AM »
In terms of boards, i have the perfect boards for this. Like Badger mentioned using the M12'6 there, I have the PSH 12'6 hull paddler which I have surfed up to head high catches ripples practically and very surfable once I get my rear foot back.  Oh, and I just picked up its little cousin the 11'1.  Now I just need to find the time to take a road trip. 

Are there any times of the year that are better than others in terms of weather.  I guess in to fall and winter with the fronts coming through there, it can chop things up a bit.

Night Wing

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Re: Sup Surfing Tanker Waves In the Galveston Ship Channel (Texas)
« Reply #24 on: February 25, 2017, 10:42:49 AM »
@ninja tuna

The prevailing winds off the upper Texas coast are from the south/southeast heading north/northwest. During the spring months of March and April, it gets windy as in 15-20 mph gusting to 23-25 mph. That's not good when one has to paddle straight into the wind and you'd have to do that if one had to paddle south/southeast to parallel the North Jetty. But good for sup surfing.

Secondly, there is a lot of sargassum weed which detaches from the Gulf bottom offshore and then comes ashore during the months of March and April. It floats on the surface in thick mats. You can't paddle through it because these thick mats are sometimes 12" thick. And if you sup surf, these mats of weed will be encountered.

The month of May and June are good. But the best months are the hottest months of July and August. Why? Every July and August, a huge dome of high pressure just sits over Texas. This causes our air time temperatures to rise because the air is being compressed downward and when it hits the land, it has no place to go so it just heats up the air where the heat index gets between 105-112 degrees F. The silver lining though, this high pressure dome of hot air suppresses the wind. This is why we get glass like conditions during the months of July and August inshore and offshore. And no weed.

September and October are also good months. Not too much high wind speed and no weed. The only drawback from the middle of August to the middle of September, this is our high percentage for a tropical storm or hurricane to come or form in the Gulf of Mexico and if unlucky, to come our way. But these storms before they get here, they make large waves perfect for prone or sup surfing.

When one lives near the Gulf of Mexico, (I live 90 miles from the Gulf) one just has to keep apprised of the long range weather forecasts for big storms in the Gulf. To keep me informed for Gulf of Mexico conditons, I use the weather links below to see what is "on the horizon" so to speak.

http://wkrg.com/weather/gulf-satellite/

http://www.intellicast.com/Storm/Hurricane/CaribbeanSatellite.aspx?animate=true
Blue Planet Duke: 10'5" x 32" x 4.5" @ 190 Liters (2 Dukes)
Sup Sports Hammer: 8'11" x 31" x 4" @ 140 Liters
SUP Sports One World: 11'1" x 30" x 4.5" @ 173 Liters
CJ Nelson Parallax: 9'3" x 23 1/2" x 3 3/16" @ 78.8 Liters (prone surfing longboard; Thunderbolt Technologies build in Red construction)

ninja tuna

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Re: Sup Surfing Tanker Waves In the Galveston Ship Channel (Texas)
« Reply #25 on: February 25, 2017, 11:45:39 AM »
Thanks for the info night wing. I am in Florida so it is only a 1 day drive for me.

Night Wing

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Re: Sup Surfing Tanker Waves In the Galveston Ship Channel (Texas)
« Reply #26 on: February 26, 2017, 05:12:11 AM »
SInce springtime can be very windy down on the upper Texas coast, I surfed the internet to see if I could find a personal weather station that would update the wind speed every few seconds or minutes instead of hourly and I found one. This weather station is for the Bolivar Peninsula at Crystal Beach even though it is listed at Port Bolivar. You can see it updates the wind speed every few seconds. This will anyone a general idea what to expect wind wise for the Galveston Ship Channel.

https://www.wunderground.com/personal-weather-station/dashboard?ID=KTXPORTB3#history
Blue Planet Duke: 10'5" x 32" x 4.5" @ 190 Liters (2 Dukes)
Sup Sports Hammer: 8'11" x 31" x 4" @ 140 Liters
SUP Sports One World: 11'1" x 30" x 4.5" @ 173 Liters
CJ Nelson Parallax: 9'3" x 23 1/2" x 3 3/16" @ 78.8 Liters (prone surfing longboard; Thunderbolt Technologies build in Red construction)

Badger

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Re: Sup Surfing Tanker Waves In the Galveston Ship Channel (Texas)
« Reply #27 on: February 26, 2017, 07:48:01 AM »

I checked out your link and all I could find was past and present conditions. Am I missing something?

For hourly wind forecasts I've found Intellicast to be fairly accurate within 48 hours. I'll bet the downwinder/Sailboarder/kiters on the forum have some good wind forecast links.

http://www.intellicast.com/Local/Weather.aspx?location=USTX1074

.

Springtime is very windy in New Hampshire too. Often the only decent time to surf or paddle is in the early morning.


« Last Edit: February 26, 2017, 08:09:49 AM by Badger »
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Wetstuff

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Re: Sup Surfing Tanker Waves In the Galveston Ship Channel (Texas)
« Reply #28 on: February 26, 2017, 08:23:05 AM »
This wave is not for kids

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8n1wqUgC7x4


I remember seeing this years ago.  Water looks cleaner than I expected?

Jim
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Badger

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Re: Sup Surfing Tanker Waves In the Galveston Ship Channel (Texas)
« Reply #29 on: February 26, 2017, 09:52:38 AM »

You can see in that video why a prone board doesn't work well on that wave. They had to stay in the white water the whole time. Prone boards just don't have enough glide to actually ride the face of the wave for very long.

It's perfect wave for standup. Why aren't there more videos of standup boards taking advantage of these perfect waves? I've done some searching and have only seen one or two vids with standups. If anyone knows of any, post them up.


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Sunova Flow  8'10 X 31"  119L
Me - 6'0" - 165lbs - 66yo

 


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