Getting ready for Mavericks Season 2025

I was beyond excited when I saw the forecast a few days earlier, a promising window for the opening day at Mavericks. It had been nine long months since the last time the wave broke with real size and shape, and every year, as winter approaches, that same feeling of anticipation builds again.

I studied the charts carefully. A strong swell was lining up to hit Central California, but the day before, the weather looked rough, strong winds from the wrong direction and messy seas. Still, the forecast called for the wind to die overnight, shifting offshore and calm by morning. That was the sign I needed.

I packed all my gear,  jet ski, charged the batteries, and loaded the truck. By sunset, I was on the road, driving from Los Angeles to Half Moon Bay, ready to catch whatever the Pacific had in store when the sun rose over Mavericks

The North Pacific big-wave season is just beginning, and on November 7th the first major swell of the year hit the legendary break at Mavericks. Excitement was in the air, local chargers and surfers from as far as Hawaii gathered, ready for that long-awaited first session of the season.

Maverick's start to the season was awesome.

But the ocean had other plans. The morning dawned under a thick blanket of fog, cutting visibility to almost zero. The wind from the day before had finally dropped, yet the heavy fog made it nearly impossible to navigate. We launched at first light, slowly making our way to the lineup through the gray mist, barely able to see a few feet ahead. Conditions worsened, and after a few sketchy attempts, most of us decided to head back in and wait it out.

A few teams managed to catch some waves, but it was risky, paddling blind into heavy surf isn’t for the faint-hearted. With a high tide peaking at over six feet around 10 a.m., everyone chose to rest and wait for the ocean to reset.

By early afternoon, as the tide began to drop, we headed back out. Around 2:30, the fog finally lifted, revealing a clean ocean and perfect textured lines wrapping across the reef. The light turned crispy,  great contrast for the photos, the wind went calm, and the waves began to fire. What started as a frustrating, uncertain morning transformed into a beautiful, classic Mavericks afternoon,  the perfect way to open the big-wave season.

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By Fred Pompermayer Nov. 6 2025

Mavericks Forecast 

More Detailed Surf Conditions & Webcams for Mavericks at surf-forecast.com.