Just before the new year, some swell arrived. Brought on by a cold storm this time, instead of the warm tropical moisture that had been visiting regularly all November and part of December. It was the weather just before the Polar Vortex decided to sit on most of North America. It wasn't 0° with wind chill around -56° but it was still cold and windy! I was down on the beach at the surf spot known as Ruggles because it is located off Ruggles Ave by Salve Regina University in Newport. Luckily, I was below enough of a ridge that the blustery WNW winds didn't freeze my face. I hung around for a little over an hour, watching the waves and the surfers. Another cold gray day during the New England winter. It was the last swell of 2013, and little did we know we were in for a Polar Punch before long!
