Talldude's daily paddle in the ocean out of Dana Point, Ca.

[Califoilia]

Yes, SouthCounty give it a go! The first two buoys you see in TD's video are both within a reasonable distance from the shore, and really not as "open ocean" compared to what others might be doing, but still gives you the open ocean feeling of dealing with swell, sometimes wind, but all the time exciting.

I'm far from an experience "ocean" paddler, but have done those buoys (and the "flag buoys" that are definitely more "open ocean" being a mile or more out I believe), and do it on a 14'x26", and it really is fun, and quite the experience. I'm sure you'll be fine 14'x27" Blackfish, because IIRC, they have a wider tail, and are pretty stable all things considered...and if not, you can always turnaround once you make the turn out of the harbor, and find it too rough, and only have a short paddle back to the calm behind the breakwater. Go for it! 

[SouthCounty]

Yes, SouthCounty give it a go! The first two buoys you see in TD's video are both within a reasonable distance from the shore, and really not as "open ocean" compared to what others might be doing, but still gives you the open ocean feeling of dealing with swell, sometimes wind, but all the time exciting.

I'm far from an experience "ocean" paddler, but have done those buoys (and the "flag buoys" that are definitely more "open ocean" being a mile or more out I believe), and do it on a 14'x26", and it really is fun, and quite the experience. I'm sure you'll be fine 14'x27" Blackfish, because IIRC, they have a wider tail, and are pretty stable all things considered...and if not, you can always turnaround once you make the turn out of the harbor, and find it too rough, and only have a short paddle back to the calm behind the breakwater. Go for it! 

sounds like we got a group paddle in the making lol the blackfish I rode this weekend was a demo, my current board is a Infinity 14' wide aquatic and is a whopping 30" wide

[TallDude]

SouthCounty, when you think you want to explore outside of the harbor, pm me and I can meet you at baby beach.

[SouthCounty]

Ok that would be cool, do you think my current board would be ok? trying to save for a Blackfish

[TallDude]

Ok that would be cool, do you think my current board would be ok? trying to save for a Blackfish

I've paddled just about everything out in the ocean. I paddled my 9' sinker surf sup a mile out one time. Your 14' x 30' Infinity will nice and stable. It's a little more flat water designed like the 'Whiplash', but you can paddle it in the open water. The Blackfish has a more 'bulbous' nose and rocker that works well in the surf and rougher ocean conditions, but slower in flat water. Everything is a trade-off.

[TallDude]

In surf locations, it will usually spark old memories from surf magazines, surf movies or travel experience.
Like Dana Point.... one of my best memories of early surf trips, was to pull up in front of the "Surfer Magazine" office, and take the 70's equivalent of a "selfie".... it was magic just to be near that door!

Funny, I always thought Doheney broke softly because it was a deep water harbor entrance.
I didn't realize that the Jetty in the surf pics was simply the south end of Dana Point Harbor.

I've been to the door and into Surfer Magazine office a few times when I was a kid. It was right down the street from my house. We used to get stacks of month old copies they'd put out in their dumpster. I never paid for a copy of surfer magazine, and had plenty of cutout surfing pictures taped on my bedroom walls. Micky Munos still lives right around the corner from the old Surfer Mag office. The other place that interested my friends and I was the 'Eeni Meeni Bikini' store that my sisters would go to, which was across the street and down a block from Surfer Mag:)
Doheny really only fires with a south swell because of the jetty. Sometimes SanO will just wall with a south swell, and Doheny will be perfect. 

[TallDude]

Thanks, TD.  I do very much the same thing most mornings up here in SB.  As much as I love the surf, there's something about getting way out there all by myself in the massive swells.  Maybe I'll get inspired and do my own video sometime.

I've been trying not to look too much at ULs but I imagine it must be a marked difference.  Do you still take it out on messy days or do you take a 14?

Hey Bulky.... Good to hear from man.... Glad to hear you're still getting out there and finding some peace. It's out there.
 I have another old Ron House unlimited that I bought cheap, and it's 18 x 27". I needs repair work (leaks), but it will be my go to board on questionable days. Super stable compared to my 18 x 25. If I'm launching through the surf, I'll use my 14' x 28 Hobie. I can surf it and paddle it in the worst conditions.

[PonoBill]

Every so often I like to paddle straight out until I can't see land. It's not that far--three to five miles depending on the coast. It's just nice to be out there, especially in the evening. When I was a nutty kid living in Long beach I used to ride my motorcycle to Newport after work, body surf at the wedge if it was small, and then swim straight out until it got dark. I'd just float around a while and watch the stars and the lights on shore. One night I was out there floating around and a voice said: "it's nice out here, isn't it." I about crapped my shorts. A guy had seen me swimming out and decided to come along. I think he thought I was trying to kill myself. After that, he and I met to swim a few times a month. It's been a long time since I swam that far.