Firsts · Sombrio
Sombrio Beach · Vancouver Island, Canada · Reef break
Local time — · Sunrise 07:15 · Sunset 16:48
Reading the ocean.
SWELLRADAR is requesting a verified marine run for Firsts · Sombrio.
Spot intelligence.
Firsts is south/left of Chickens when facing the sea. Advanced is a conservative independent-recommendation gate for its fast rocky peak, not a measured local grade or permission to surf every forecast. Do not follow the older atlas's reversed shore-relative directions or transfer Waterfalls' specialist description.
Profile source · Colin R Delaney · original Ice Breakers firsthand accountProfile sources & limits
Reviewed 24 Oct 2026 · not observation-validated
Published-source review, not validation against measured breaking waves. Compass references are qualitative ranking inputs, not surveyed optima or complete acceptance windows. The inherited 0.6–3.0 m offshore-model band remains unvalidated: not a local surf limit, safe learner range or wave-face conversion. Existing approximate pins remain. Sea requests are model-sampling locations, not takeoff, depth, current, access or provider-cell surveys. Delaney's original firsthand account specifies the southern left/right peak. O'Malley's 2026 local interview independently confirms First on the left and a fast rocky-reef setting, resolving the old atlas's shore-order error consistently with its 2010 correction. W is a published bay-scale exposure reference, not a section optimum or a refraction measurement; NW appears in the older atlas. Conflicting directional wind accounts and unvalidated bay-wide tides remain unscored. No preferred window, phase/motion bonus or adaptive fallback is inferred. The original map marker stays approximate; historical crowd, access and camping assertions are not current guarantees.
- Colin R Delaney · original Ice Breakers firsthand account
Direct original identifies Firsts as the southern left/right peak; not surveyed depth or a local size limit.
- SURFER · Nora O'Malley's original South Vancouver Island report, 2026
Original interview confirms First left of path, main rocky-reef setting and fast waves requiring control.
- Port Renfrew Vacation Rentals · original local Sombrio page
W swell is bay-scale guidance, not a proven Firsts optimum; wind/tide advice not numerically transferred.
- WannaSurf · original Sombrio atlas and 2010 shore-order correction
Original reef/boulder and experienced-surfer context, Firsts' left/right description, explicit correction of reversed shore order; NW differs from operator W.
Source-informed axes
Swell axis W · 270°
Wind axis pending · Advanced profile
Wave
Lefts and rights · southern named peak
Rock and boulders · exact reef depth unverified
Swell window
W · published bay-scale reference, peak response unmeasured
0.6–3.0 m offshore ranking band
Clean wind
Directional response · unverified
No wind-direction bonus
Tide window
Peak-specific response · unverified
No tide phase affects scoring
Field guide
Read the break.
Character · setup · local read
Field guide
Read the break.
Character
01Firsts · Sombrio is defined by lefts and rights · southern named peak over rock and boulders · exact reef depth unverified. The shape can change with swell angle, period and the active section, so the live score should always be paired with a visual check from shore.
Best setup
02W · published bay-scale reference, peak response unmeasured swell, directional response · unverified and peak-specific response · unverified form the profile baseline. SWELLRADAR retains 0.6–3.0 m as an offshore-model ranking band, not a measured local surf limit or a breaking-wave prediction.
Lineup read
03This is an advanced profile: positioning, entry and exit should be assessed before committing. Pay particular attention to rock and boulder impacts, fast defined takeoff zone, cold water and exposed shore access. Local signs and advice always take priority.
Know before you paddle
Live conditions and local advice always override this profile.
Optional community layerRecent surfer reportsVoluntary and potentially incomplete. Not used for the forecast or Surf Score.
The break
Reef break
Advanced. Works best with W · published bay-scale reference, peak response unmeasured swell.
Timing
Directional response · unverified
Peak-specific response · unverified. Re-check local observations and the lineup before you paddle out.
Data note
Model data unavailable
SWELLRADAR withholds numerical conditions, scores and surf windows until a quality-checked marine forecast is available.