The 'El Niño' swell of the decade that slammed the Californian coast

Nothing gets a surfer more stoked than the arrival of a juicy swell! The Californian coast witnessed some world-class waves at the start of the year. As 2023 drew to a close, a massive swell slammed into the United States' Western coast, delivering an unforgettable experience for surfers and spectators alike.

Let's take a look at some of the best moments!

West Coast surfers flocked to their beaches to witness what is being described as one of the biggest 'El Niño' swells seen so far this century.

Miles Malohn, a 23-year-old surfer from Irvine, described the surfing conditions as "pretty hectic" and emphasized the need for caution. "You had to be really selective with which ones you ride so that you don't end up hurt or wiping out really bad," he shared during an interview with The Guardian.

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Buoy readings throughout the West Coast reinforced the hype, and many surfers went out to witness the raw energy. "It seemed like every town had moments if you knew where to look," shared Ryan Craig, writer for Surfer magazine.

In Ocean Beach, San Francisco, waves reached 25ft (7.6m)! Surfers packed their cars and charged to the beach in almost constant rain throughout the state.

Big wave conditions were also registered around Orange County in Southern California, where waves reached up to 15 ft (4.5m). It was a spectacle, however, due to the large waves and the high tide, many beachgoers had to scramble to get out of the ocean's path.

Similar conditions were reported by the Los Angeles Fire Department Lifeguard spokesperson, with waves ranging between 8 and 15 feet (2.4-4.5 meters) in Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach.

At Huntington Beach, the lifeguards were forced to retreat their towers further up the beach, away from the ocean's threat. "The conditions [were] for expert waves riders only," warned a local lifeguard.

"Many typical spots were overloaded on the biggest days, while novelty spots shined. Non-surfers watched the beach to witness the energy while surfer packed their cars and chased the swell up and down the coast," wrote Ryan Craig for Surfer Magazine.

It all began right after Christmas, initial reports started tracking down a series of large swells coming from the West/South West Pacific, ranging from 17-11 second periods, estimated to be 23ft (7m) in size.

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Northern California got slammed with a strong West North-Western swell which caught many by surprise. The 'El Niño' was in full effect.

'El Niño' is a climate phenomenon that occurs every 4–6 years, when warm water builds up along the equator in the eastern Pacific. The warm ocean surface warms the atmosphere, allowing moister-rich air to rise and develop into low-pressure rainstorms.

Mavericks, California, was a terrific scene, with 50ft (15.2 m) waves! Local Santa Cruz surfers couldn't believe their eyes, "this was one of those swells that you see maybe every five years, or maybe you'll have two of these swells in one year and you won't see another like it for another decade," shared longtime Maverick's surfer Grant Washburn during an interview for Surfer.

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