Fri Sep 25 · first light 6:15–7:30am · 7' Skindog Ova
New SSW groundswell from Odalys (~205–210° @ 13–14s) is building on top of a small W/WNW leftover — about 3–4ft faces, chest high on the sets (Surfline: Cardiff 3–4ft+, Ponto 4–5ft). Dawn is glassy with zero wind and patchy fog. The catch is the tide: ~3ft at first light and rising fast to a 5.1ft high at 9am — the reef swamps past ~4.5ft around 7:40am, so be in the water at first light. Backup: South Ponto 5–6:30pm, when the tide is a perfect 2–3ft rising, if the afternoon wind lays down to ~5 mph. Water 74°F.
Tippers clears all four factors: SSW at 13–14s is the reef's best angle and period, zero wind, and mid incoming tide — for the first hour only. Windansea scores the same on paper, but it's heavier, farther, and its mid-tide window closes ~7am. South Ponto fails on tide at dawn (over 3ft by 6:30am); it's the better bet late afternoon if the wind cooperates. Sunset Cliffs gets S angle only marginally. Oceanside Harbor needs NW, and there's only ~1ft of it. Blacks is out — 205–210° misses its south window and tide is too high.
Days to Watch
Sat Sep 26: Odalys peaks — chest to head high at south-facing spots (Surfline Ponto 4–6ft). Mon Sep 28+: big swell from Polo; Wavecast has hazard advisories out (rogue waves, coastal flooding with ~6ft high tides). Water-contact advisory after rain from Marie — check county beach status.