HMB sea conditions Saturday 12/5/20

Hi I was wondering if anyone went out of HMB on Saturday? My friend and I went out and according to weather
/swell data it was supposed to be 5 ft @11 sec. winds were 2-3 mph offshore. However when we left the marina the swells were huge and then we were able to see that they were breaking at the reefs. Was the data wrong cause I didn’t understand why the conditions were so rough. I thought we were going to capsize. I also heard in the vhf that some other kayakers were surprised by the swells too. What am I not understanding by the data? Thanks

I wussed out on the a trip tot he coast becuase of the forecast, Hijo. 
What I saw on Windy.com said 2-5  knots wind (that's fine), but 5 ft swells at 11 seconds, and then secondary swells 5' at 12 secs from teh west, and secondary swell from teh south 4' at 10 seconds. 
Someone here will correct me but that means waves from a couple directions, that occasionally all pile up at the same time and are additive... therefore you would get a 2-4' chop, and once in awhile a 5'+5+4' wave.... and because of the long period, they pile up on the beach.... long periods of little chop and then it stacks up to make a big one....
Sonoma had a beach warning Friday for sneaker waves... the forecast was 5' on 20 second intervals.  Not a big deal when you're in deep water, but these, along with a secondary swell is what result in every 20th wave or so going over the jetty and getting someone in trouble.

I think that's what you were seeing at HMB. I learned a thing.....

Period was long so it wasn’t bad, got a little choppier around 1 when the wind picked up. If wind was >10, I would have stayed home.

Reefs near kings rock and near the southern green can had big breakers. I wouldn’t fish those on conditions like saturday’s, not sure if anyone would.

Did you guys go into that area?

No we stayed south of the first green can. We saw waves breaking along  the kings rock reefs and stayed away.

Bio man, so there can be multiple secondary waves or am I not reading your reply correctly. I thought I understood the data ok but now I’m second guessing what I think I know

Thanks

We were at Linda Mar Saturday for sunrise surf and was fairly exciting

I’ll try to load some video I took with my iPhone if someone can explain short and sweet how to do that

Anyplace with the right exposure there was good surf and all the reefy zones we looked at going up the coast were big

Good on surfboard, good on a kayak if you like the rush

Where there’s big long period swell there’s big surge so fishing won’t be so great

    I was out on Saturday HMB.  Bite was slow, and the fog rolled in mid morning to the green can but pushed back out by late morning.  wind picked up at 1 and that was the signal to head in.  Big breakers by Kings Rock and felt that criss-crossed swell when it lined up doing the Don't fall out the yak butt dance.  I had a couple good hits on a big swimbait one pulled off the tail of my big hammer, but nothing ended up in the boat and was off the water in a rush by 1:30.
    I saw a couple in a tandem trying to go out completely unprepared: no radio, no wetsuit, balancing 2 crab traps on their lap.  I told them the ocean was rough and they should go check it out from the Jetty to see.  They no listen.