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Creepiest surf spots
- Thread starter casa_mugrienta
- Start date
Mugu at dusk or dawn. Spooky. The buffet is lounging right inside the lagoon off Calleguas Creek.
Lanis creeps me out.
Lanis creeps me out.
Paddled in at F@$lers and 5 minutes later the other guy out came in with silver dollar eyes saying he saw a shark. Walked up the trail and saw a 12 footer trolling the lineup just outside where I was sitting. I knew there was a reason it felt weird in the lineup.
Had that same feeling at Surf Beach. Solo sessions there were extra sketchy.
Being out at 3rd Notch and not really being able to see the shore. Fear of loosing my board doing that swim was real. Always tripped me out that you really can hear the rocks all the way out there rolling around when you get cleaned up.
Big Spooners- that long paddle through the bay and the fear of wiping out and scaling the fingers.
Had that same feeling at Surf Beach. Solo sessions there were extra sketchy.
Being out at 3rd Notch and not really being able to see the shore. Fear of loosing my board doing that swim was real. Always tripped me out that you really can hear the rocks all the way out there rolling around when you get cleaned up.
Big Spooners- that long paddle through the bay and the fear of wiping out and scaling the fingers.
Some brave motherfuckers around here. Nothing freaks me out more than the thought of being eaten by a full grown GW. The youths not so much (would still surf LA county, much further N and it would depend on the day, etc.). Warm water sharks I’d like to pretend I can see them coming and plan accordingly and avoid them by avoiding river mouths, etc.
Still waiting for someone to chime in with some tales of Uvita Island on the Caribbean side of CR. Heard that place is all time on land creepy. Wicked bad mojo.
Still waiting for someone to chime in with some tales of Uvita Island on the Caribbean side of CR. Heard that place is all time on land creepy. Wicked bad mojo.
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So "creepy" basically equals "sharky."
For me, anywhere north of Pt. Conception, if it's deep water and I'm all alone, is creepy. I've passed up some decent waves because there was no one on it. "Why isn't anyone out there? What do they know that I don't?" Salmon Creek, Russian River, Klamath River all come to mind. Also, I'm usually a dawn patroller, but not up north.
Sometimes ignorance is bliss. At Tunnels I had no clue about the spot, so I would paddle out from the beach inside, through the lagoon and then up the reef. I remember coming in and waving to the tourists in the zodiacs. Later I talked to a friend who lived there. He said, "Didn't you know there's a keyhole in the reef? They take the tourists to the lagoon in the zodiacs to watch the sharks."
Another, spot that gave me the willies was, let's say, Montana Del Oro. Only a few guys out and spread far apart. Big, so sitting way outside. Heavy overcast. Then the seabirds went crazy, diving for fish just outside the line up, then they moved in and were all around us. Water was alive. I was once told not to stay in the water where the seabirds are diving, and I was getting that feeling in your legs... so I paddled in. (yeah, with my tail between my legs).
Hawaii, as sharky as it can be, because of the sunny vibe, is never as creepy as Northern California.
For me, anywhere north of Pt. Conception, if it's deep water and I'm all alone, is creepy. I've passed up some decent waves because there was no one on it. "Why isn't anyone out there? What do they know that I don't?" Salmon Creek, Russian River, Klamath River all come to mind. Also, I'm usually a dawn patroller, but not up north.
Sometimes ignorance is bliss. At Tunnels I had no clue about the spot, so I would paddle out from the beach inside, through the lagoon and then up the reef. I remember coming in and waving to the tourists in the zodiacs. Later I talked to a friend who lived there. He said, "Didn't you know there's a keyhole in the reef? They take the tourists to the lagoon in the zodiacs to watch the sharks."
Another, spot that gave me the willies was, let's say, Montana Del Oro. Only a few guys out and spread far apart. Big, so sitting way outside. Heavy overcast. Then the seabirds went crazy, diving for fish just outside the line up, then they moved in and were all around us. Water was alive. I was once told not to stay in the water where the seabirds are diving, and I was getting that feeling in your legs... so I paddled in. (yeah, with my tail between my legs).
Hawaii, as sharky as it can be, because of the sunny vibe, is never as creepy as Northern California.
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Once in a while I'm out at one of the local reefs all by myself. Fog rolls in and now I can't see the shoreline. Suddenly the creep factor goes up 10x and every boil and the noises they make have my head on a swivel. I have to just laugh at the silliness. 
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Any spot north of Pt Conception. Thanks but no thanks, I'm used to surfing shark free waters... SoCal is creepy enough for me.
To be fair when I surfed in Santa Cruz it didn't feel sharky (too many people maybe), but it was the most disgustingly aggro crowd I ever had the displeasure of sharing a line up with. right point break, I paddle towards the white water not to get in the way, the dude decides to go fucking left and then tells me to go fk*ing home. No good deeds will go unpunished.
To be fair when I surfed in Santa Cruz it didn't feel sharky (too many people maybe), but it was the most disgustingly aggro crowd I ever had the displeasure of sharing a line up with. right point break, I paddle towards the white water not to get in the way, the dude decides to go fucking left and then tells me to go fk*ing home. No good deeds will go unpunished.
Those methheads will rarely step to anyone. But yah, ruins the surfing experience.
It's not so much that they're equal, although they seem to be correlated. The topography and bathymetry that lends itself to being sharky is the same as what makes those spots creepy visually (open ocean, deep/dark water, rocky/stone beaches, windy, etc).
Huge bull kelp breachin' on the reef while waiting for a set at scotts creek always freaked me out most when I lived in SC. Pascuales had some huge tuna jumping but no time to worry wave well kill you.Just last week at trantulas many fish jumping but no seals. I saw a nice size fish leap out and told the teen near by something bigger is down feeding
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Boilers, goat island, crouching lion. my buddy and his fam live across the street from crouching lion and he was always trying to get me to come out with him... but he would also dive out there regularly and tell me about the tigers he would see
Only if you are foolish I lived in puerto viejo 5 years and $$ was in bank in limon never had problem and took the bus both ways. Far as sharks go I think further north fishing tourism isolated areas maybe but Uvita deep water yes but sharks. Most likely nothin' dat eats much
I once saw a guy get drained off the take off out at the Lane from behind the slot on a sizeable wave. Genuinely stoked for him, said to him "that was a sick one!". He replied by telling me to fuck off.
Also used to have guys on the cliffs at a spot or two couple miles north of there that would heckle and throw sh!t at us from the cliff.. but they were all talk and never saw them in the water so just ignored their bad vibes
One time at Stockton on a decent sized day there was no one out so I gave it a shot.. knowing the story of the place. Guy saw us out and paddled out just to passive aggressively back paddle me whenever he had the opportunity, although he didn't say anything, and I still got a few
SC is a weird lil ecosystem
The very first spot north of Pt Conception. I used to have a pic during a hike into Bixby. Huge, perfect offshore rights breaking a few hundred yards into deep water. I wouldn't spend any time in that area in a Zodiac boat.
The creepiest surf spot is the one in which you are currently afraid.
Last summer I was sitting at a local spot waiting for a wave and this seabird was paddling around about 15-20 feet from me. From underneath this juvenile great white (maybe 7'?) comes about half way out of the water and just crunches the bird down whole with a couple of bites. There was a guy sitting next to me and we both looked at each other and simultaneously said, "Did you see that?"
Him. "Should we go in?"
"Uhhhh... well, he's had breakfast. Hopefully he's good until lunchtime?"
Last summer I was sitting at a local spot waiting for a wave and this seabird was paddling around about 15-20 feet from me. From underneath this juvenile great white (maybe 7'?) comes about half way out of the water and just crunches the bird down whole with a couple of bites. There was a guy sitting next to me and we both looked at each other and simultaneously said, "Did you see that?"
Him. "Should we go in?"
"Uhhhh... well, he's had breakfast. Hopefully he's good until lunchtime?"
When I went to check that spot in the wee hours of the A.M., the parking lot had a few cars there showing signs of some late night festivities, used personal hygiene and contraceptive mementos distributed upon the pavement around said cars.
I parked my vehicle as quietly as I could an strolled out to see mostly junk, and when I walked back, some fellow who looked like he just emerged from the bushes was moving towards my car with a stilted gate. He didn't seem to notice me until I was about 25 ft away, looked up, and just as I was saying, "Hey, good morning,", he did a 90 degree turn and that was that.
Got in the car and went a further down the road to a junkyard that had an access road of sorts right to the shore, but decided there was too much broken glass to risk my tires, so I parked on the main road and strolled down the lane to water. Maybe a little less crappy of waves, so I returned to the car with the idea that maybe I could get a few rollers, and ask I come up the car, I see some more people coming out of the shrubbery, and they seem to look with intent on my shiny rental.
Sigh.
So I didn't go out, and for the rest of the day felt like a wimp.
Fullers can be spooky for sure.
I've shared this before. Standing out on the turn out checking it, we saw what looked like a boat wake ripping around just outside the reef, all of a sudden an orca came out of the water rag dolling a seal. Definitely a National Geographic moment.