Nearly as daunting as the role of "surfgoons" like Darnell is the task of figuring out the forces behind the waves and currents that pummeled him for an eight-week stretch last fall. That will be the job of scientists from 10 research institutions who represent a large fraction of the nearshore dynamics oceanographers in America. NCEX scientists believe that data from the experiment´s fieldwork will be of great interest within their community and will provide observations for testing models of waves, currents, and sediment movement for many years.

What´s compelling to these scientists—and the reason they are taking on such a large-scale endeavor in such a challenging location—is the fascinating complexity of the wave field and currents. These phenomena are a direct consequence of the La Jolla coastline´s elaborate underwater topography, or bathymetry, which is bookended by a pair of undersea canyons.

At the research site´s southern end, La Jolla Canyon terminates near La Jolla Cove. By the time a kayaker has paddled out a few hundred yards from the tranquil spot, the sheer undersea canyon walls have already dropped off several hundred feet. At the north end is Scripps Canyon, which meets with its counterpart just less than two miles out to sea to form a V shape at a depth of 275 meters (900 feet).

In some places, the narrow canyons are three times as deep as the cliffs that tower over Black´s Beach. How do those chasms affect the waves overhead? What do those waves do to nearshore currents and sand transport?