Disqus - Latest Comments for kurtisnelson

Re: Watch Pumping Surf as a Winter Storm Swallows the East Coast

Kurtis Nelson — Tue, 02 Feb 2021 18:24:30 -0000

Hey Surfline, please elaborate on what you use to dial in a South FL refraction swell. When I saw the forecast I was skeptical but you guys nailed it. LOLA models literally showed nothing for the Palm Beach forecast, yet you guys still called for 4-6+ best swell of the winter, huh? I remember the Christmas Day event looked better on LOLA but today is 10X better, forget wind swell there's a legit ground swell hitting. It doesn't seem like it really needs much north in the wind just really strong and long lasting wind from a cold front, and if there's lots of west like this one it just makes conditions better and if it's a stronger WNW it'll still be bigger to boot. Isn't this kind of odd (and I can't ever entertain the idea of it bouncing off the Bahamas, that's just crazy talk)? The only thing I can think of is... Gulf Stream. Is the Gulf Stream essentially capturing the swell via Kelvin waves then bringing it onshore as the Gulf Stream comes in close down south? That's pretty incredible if that's what's happening, but the waves today in South FL given today's buoy readings is truly a phenomenon. It'd be nice if there was a nearshore WPB buoy, that'd probably help tell the story huh...

Re: Los Angeles County Beaches to Reopen Wednesday

Kurtis Nelson — Tue, 12 May 2020 19:15:21 -0000

So the first wave has ended? Can we at least go out in between the waves?

Re: Leif Engstrom Arrested for Surfing in Puerto Rico

Kurtis Nelson — Fri, 08 May 2020 09:47:35 -0000

No government on the face of the planet should have the authority to keep anyone out of the water, that should be Surfline's moto/"where we stand" statement.

Re: All California Beaches to Close Friday

Kurtis Nelson — Thu, 30 Apr 2020 12:44:54 -0000

All this scrutiny about distancing outdoors or in the ocean for crying out loud is ridiculous! Being outside is the best place to be rather than cooped up indoors with others which is exactly what happens unless you live alone. The one funny thing is the most crowded peak in the world during April 2020 has gotten zero scrutiny: Pipeline.. wonder why?

Re: A Statement from Surfline on Surfing and the Coronavirus

Kurtis Nelson — Tue, 24 Mar 2020 09:15:58 -0000

Why does every entity have to have a coronavirus message that has nothing to do with their business? I've been getting emails from State Farm, Turbotax, the list goes on, of long winded generalities about how it's important to take seriously and limit the spread; why do all these outlets think we need a coronavirus message from them? Who are they doing it for because they're not doing it for their customers. Surfline should be giving us tips on novel ways to stay in the water and still surf despite all these crazy lock down orders and beach closures, jeez.

Re: A Statement from Surfline on Surfing and the Coronavirus

Kurtis Nelson — Tue, 24 Mar 2020 09:04:49 -0000

No, he's not letting this brain wash him. If you don't think people will try to take advantage of this to gain power you're crazy, you may even be hoping those you want to have more power do succeed at using this to better implement their agenda in the long run. Well very well but we see it. "Don't let a good crisis go to waste", right...

Re: U.S. Rep. Brenda Lawrence no longer supports impeaching Trump in abrupt reversal

Kurtis Nelson — Tue, 26 Nov 2019 12:43:51 -0000

This is proof of how much of a failure the Schiff Show was haha I mean isn't it just slightly possible this isn't as bad as Watergate.. just slightly, maybe?

Re: Brett Barley Snags O'Neill Wave of the Winter Contender

Kurtis Nelson — Mon, 18 Nov 2019 20:20:50 -0000

Sick!!! East Coast represent! Reminds me of Koa's winner from a couple few years back.

Re: Opening Day at The Wave in Bristol, England

Kurtis Nelson — Sat, 26 Oct 2019 19:16:56 -0000

I have been waiting over a decade now for a wave pool that produces short 8 foot stand up barrels. Why do these companies keep duplicating what's already been done instead of doing the obvious thing. It's BORING! And you should be calling them out Surfline instead of acting confused why Surf Ranch contests are boring.

Re: Hurricane Juliette Grinds Your Gears

Kurtis Nelson — Wed, 11 Sep 2019 22:55:29 -0000

Wait so you got two hurricane forecasts kinda wrong then (I'm east coast so I was too preoccupied with Dorian to pay attention to a rare SoCal tropical event despite being a "weather geek"). South Beach was supposed to pump for at least two days straight but it never got above waist high. The rest of the state was supposed to experience a "non-ideal" track for surf but then north FL pumped on 9/5 and was still good all day on 9/6 (you know where). My gut told me it would be on once the recurve became clear but the numbers showed quickly dropping and/or transitioning swell to an offshore component? Unfortunately I no longer live in FL so when I don't pull the trigger I'm watching it on the cams at my desk at work in Atlanta, GA. Last season I scored OBX for Hurricane Chris, Central FL three days straight for Florence, OBX again for the extra-tropical low towards the end of September, and OBX yet again a couple weeks later once that low became Leslie. I went premium a few months back so I'd be even more dialed this season, but I'm actually behind the 8 ball now. I realize if the models are wrong the analysis will be wrong but seeing this article about dropping the ball in SoCal is quite ironic. So what gives?

Re: Hurricane Dorian

Kurtis Nelson — Tue, 10 Sep 2019 23:13:57 -0000

That Montauk shot is insane! That pre-stand up barrel perspective, wow! Thank you for not politicizing the Bahamas' loss by mentioning climate change btw.

Re: Nias: "It Is a Complete Disaster"

Kurtis Nelson — Wed, 21 Aug 2019 11:10:33 -0000

What a bunch of idiots, what's the point of going to Nias if not for Lagundri Bay?

Re: Ask a Forecaster: Southern California Swell Angles

Kurtis Nelson — Sun, 28 Jul 2019 15:20:28 -0000

Well the shelf largely ends at OBX, so there's that, and the fact the mid-Atlantic is considerably further east than FL. So as a front pushes off the coast the associated southerly flow on the east side of the system is quite beneficial to the northern part of the coast sticking out to the east (especially once front passes and things clean up). The summertime still sees fronts push off the mid-Atlantic (some summers more so than others), but the fronts never really make it to FL in the summertime and FL isn't as open to the south anyways. So, FL relies much more on a proper setup of a good low offshore that isn't quickly moving away where OBX north can make use of typical and reliable frontal passages where the low quickly lifts (Jersey shore/Long Island is usually the best zone for this).

Re: Ask a Forecaster: Southern California Swell Angles

Kurtis Nelson — Sun, 28 Jul 2019 00:03:00 -0000

Wind swell = developing swell (<~10"), groundswell = mature swell (>/=~10"); every groundswell starts out as wind swell (white caps, wind chop, wind swell, short period groundswell, mid period groundswell, then long period groundswell is the progression). So it just depends on where the storm is, where the coast is, and if there's enough time/space for it to become groundswell before it hits the coast given adequate wind speed/fetch. Also, if a storm is relatively nearby but moves slow enough and blows hard enough it can still become groundswell.

Re: The Great White Shark Problem in Cape Cod Is Very Real

Kurtis Nelson — Mon, 15 Jul 2019 20:25:14 -0000

That 2nd to last pic tho.. wow

Re: Wave of the Day: Jack Freestone's Kirra Drainer, February 22 - Surfline

Kurtis Nelson — Fri, 22 Feb 2019 09:19:46 -0000

A Kirra wave like this post-Superbank are the things dreams are made of.

Re: Is This a Snake? - Surfline

Kurtis Nelson — Mon, 18 Feb 2019 18:38:21 -0000

This is bad, maybe some beef? He would've made that next section too but dude just kept blocking his high line.

Re: A R/Evolutionary Idea for the WSL

Kurtis Nelson — Sun, 10 Feb 2019 15:00:48 -0000

Dude men and women are different physically (the race comparisons have no relevance), this article even acknowledges 15' pipe wouldn't be a good idea at first. Are they going to handicap the judging? How's it going to look for surfing if no woman ever wins a contest again?

Re: Do the Maldives Have the Most Rippable Waves on Earth?

Kurtis Nelson — Mon, 04 Feb 2019 09:38:16 -0000

Why isn't he on the north shore? It's still winter and after all the critique from this past Triple Crown I would think he'd be most focused on logging post-circus Pipe time...

Re: Best Swell in Seven Years (Maybe Longer) for South Beach Miami

Kurtis Nelson — Thu, 31 Jan 2019 14:35:28 -0000

"Shea explained the incoming tide would bring in all the swell from the Gulf Stream", some good local knowledge right there! I actually have a theory that south FL refraction swells, or even more proper swells like this that're still in the 350-10 degree window, develop Kelvin Waves via the Gulf Stream. This is where the magic really lies and brings this type of energy onshore in south FL as the Gulf Stream comes within 1 mile of the coast.

Re: The 10 Best Pointbreaks on Earth

Kurtis Nelson — Fri, 11 Jan 2019 16:13:49 -0000

Yeah why is Kirra on here? It should just be the entire Superbank...

Re: Cam Richards Wins User's Choice December O`Neill Wave of the Winter - Surfline

Kurtis Nelson — Tue, 08 Jan 2019 09:30:35 -0000

Kid is humble and representing the East Coast well, hanging onto that thing for dear life then no claiming like a boss.

Re: Wipeout - And PWC Rescue - of The Week - Surfline

Kurtis Nelson — Tue, 18 Dec 2018 10:31:53 -0000

He didn't actually go to the hospital right? I remember I almost drowned once, got the wind knocked out then kept getting pulled back down over and over just before I could get to the surface. I finally got a good kick off the bottom but fighting the breathing reflexes becomes almost impossible, really scary! Once on the beach I couldn't even get up or walk just had to crawl then lay there and recover, that was only a 10 foot wave though and I was a grom. Can't imagine what a Nazare beat down like this one would be like!

Re: O’Neill Wave of the Winter: Five to Watch on the North Shore This Season

Kurtis Nelson — Fri, 16 Nov 2018 12:11:31 -0000

Wait for it... Brett Barley will represent the East Coast out on the North Shore this winter with the WOTW grand prize! Hawaiians will get theirs sure but it only takes that one wave to win it all.

Re: Local Pro: Uri Magnus, Israeli Surf Photographer - Surfline

Kurtis Nelson — Mon, 23 Jul 2018 08:46:47 -0000

Get outta here with the politics brah but just so you know Palestine is not a country they may want to be but they're not and sending women/children to the front line to die for the cameras is shameful and you should be ashamed of yourself for spreading their propaganda.. And there's a lot worse places for western tourists than Israel.