Sunrise or Sunset Session?

[14 West]

Most of the guys I seem to surf with seem to be doing the sunrise thing lately. But every time I try, I just can't be bothered to actually make it out that early. Plus, here on the West Coast, what beats sitting on your board watching the sun go down as your session comes to a close?

[SUPerstitious]

The poll is flawed....there is no option for "both". 

[Wetstuff]

On my coast, the wind often sleeps in a little longer than the Dawn Patrollers.

Jim

[Bulky]

 In a perfect world which didn't have 20 knot sundowner winds, I'd prefer sunset any day.  I'm almost always happy I got up for dawn patrol, but it really takes some motivation when it's dark and dreary outside.

[outcast]

East Coast means staring at the sun and glare on the horizon looking at swell in morning...usually worse in the summer, but i think not good for your eyes. 

Even though i have two winter suits, they are both usually clammy/damp and crawling into them first thing ain't so much fun.

But the freak factor comes as it just did Thanksgiving morning when you turn to burn, then everything goes dark as the swell totally consumes the light.  i don't know how big it was, but it was 9:30, and i was on the top, ready for to drop, and at a South facing break.

With a young family,  i'm just happy to get what i can....when i retire i will sunset it....(Course i'll probably have to wake up at 4 to pee and all....)

[ron.c]

Huh? "4 to pee and all"

You mean that has not already happened?

[suprbowl]

I say sunset if it's a full moon.

[supthecreek]

Evening glass off is magical... sunset happening... wind dying... crowd leaving... perfect!
Then the light go out

Dawn patrol just ends in more surf

Still... "Sunset" is the real class act of the two

[JT]

I'm a dedicated dawn patrol guy. Where I grew up, prevailing wind patterns and crowd tendencies meant the early surfer got the waves.

This is not always the case where I am now, but I'm still doing dawn patrols because I get it good alone often and because the wife and kids are late sleepers. Surfing time while they're sleeping doesn't count against my allotted surf time quota. Singles may not relate to this, but any surfers married with children may understand.

Still, if it's good, I'll try for a double session if possible!

[mastman]

I've never said to myself: "I wish I had not gotten out of bed so early for this surf."

I have often said: "I should not have left work early for this surf." 

I vote dawn patrol.

[srowndedbyh2o]

When I was in my teens, 20’s, & 30’s, I loved to paddle out as soon as it was light enough to see, and then enjoyed that evening glass off and surfing till it was too dark to see. Now at 58, I have to get up before 5 am every day for work. I rarely get more than a couple of days off a month, and when I do, I just can’t make myself get up for an early morning go-out!

[surfcowboy]

I agree, as a guy who works a ton, but doesn't get up too early for work, I'll take Sunset with a nice sleep in on the weekend. I love a good dawn patrol, especially if I have a few buddies to roust me. But man, that leisurely afternoon with a defined ending is pretty great.

Hawaiian and West Coast Sunset sessions are truly magical.

But.. In CA the winds often hold off on a few magical days and a nooner, with the right tide is pretty great and leaves the option open for a Sunset after a late lunch.

[andygere]

I'm a dedicated dawn patrol guy--it's always less crowded, and the wind is almost always down.  That said, I had one of the best sessions in months last night, late afternoon to sunset.  The crowd dissipated with the fading light, and there were just a few of us trading waves during the last glorious hour.

[14 West]

To me nothing beats a Friday or Saturday night session followed up with a couple beers as you pack up, then keeping the after-glow going with pints back at home or a pub while BSing about the days waves with your Bru's - something that just doesn't work quite as well after dawn patrol.