Creepiest surf spots

[nowayout]

Surfing one of my local spots once by myself, my girl was on the beach, I was getting a feeling which is weird cause I never get that feeling around here and here comes this helicopter flying by, then he turns around and comes and sits right on top of where I am, thats all it took I paddled right back in after that. It was like he was trying to tell me something.

 

[Leaverite]

http://orcazine.com/in-the-jaws-of-an-orca/ 1972 Point Sur.

Two of my local friends were there. Jon Manns and Mike Stevens - both kneeboarders. Hans ended up with 100 stitches. The teeth wounds were conical, unlike a shark that has razorblade type lacerations.

 

[casa_mugrienta]

r32 story time.

On a spot mentioned above (I won't say which one), I was checking it one day leaning against my vehicle and staring into the wintery abyss. Nobody was around and it was huge. Big WNW swell around 12' @ 20" was bringing in 15' monsterous caverns, light offshore and consistent as all fvck. Every other wave was blowing out big spit. The far reef and near reef were breaking big and on larger clean up sets the waves would connect and close out as one giant 20' wall. Anyone who has surfed this spot knows pound-for-pound it could give OBSF a run for it's money and it's also just as sharky. Nobody is out and highway 1 is void of traffic.

Suddenly I hear a truck coming down the road. Two guys pull up in a beat up Taco. I could tell right away they weren't from around here and most likely drove up from LA. They tried to play the cool surfer bro brah local status card. They both got out and were immediately like 'fook yah bro we're out there!' They kept looking my direction. They could see boards stuffed inside my SUV. They start gathering their gear as monster lefts continued pouring into the cove. Finally one of them sort of walks towards me and this is the first thing he says.

'We're from Cambria, where you are from?'

Excuse me? GTF outta here with your bullshit local status. Haha. I called them on it. "Oh really? Where do you guys work at?"

Slight hesitation to think about what to say "We work on a ranch."

Me: "Oh cool. Which one? I know all the ranchers in this area. Do you work at Hearst."

"Uh, its a private ranch. Hey, you going out?" They were hesitant as fook to talk local when I called them on it.

Me: "Oh yah, for sure bro. It looks pretty epic today."

"So epic man! Can I ask what size board you going to use?"

Both these guys didn't have anything bigger than a 6-6. I could see the boards in the back of their truck and they were undergunned by a few feet. Keep in mind this is one of those spots that looks doable from the road, and when you get on the beach, you immediately realize the waves are 2x bigger than you thought.

Me: "I'll probably paddle my 7-10".

No response. Just kind of nods his head like, oh sh!t, this guy is paddling out on a mini gun. They stop gathering their stuff and keep watching the waves roll in. At this point I can see doubt entering their mind.

Me: "You guys going to get out there or what? Better get on it before the wind shifts."

"Yah we're going! Are you going out?" They start waxing up their ridiculously small shortboards, staring intently at the massive walls of white water rolling in. I act like I'm getting my gear together.

Finally they start to walk down the trail. About halfway down, they stop. They are in awe of the raw power sitting in front of them. Monster sets continue to pour in, with Puerto-like monster barrels ledging up on the outer reef and heaving heavy lips into the flats, creating cavernous spitting barrels. Doubt is washing over them like a 10' tide.

Me: I yelled down to them. "What are you waiting for?! Get on it!"

For five minutes, they stood there, having walked about half way down the trail. Finally one of the guys starts walking further down, while his buddy remains motionless. The guy gets down the beach and stops again. He looks up at his friend and raises his hands as if "come on man, what are you waiting for?" His buddy still halfway up the trail looks hesitant as fvck. The guy on the beach starts changing into his wetsuit. He gets his wetsuit half way on and stops to watch the waves again. At this point, the other guy on the trail comes back towards me. He gets close enough to chat.

"Where do you think we should paddle out at?" This guy was scared as fook. I could hear it in his voice.

Internally, I'm laughing my ass off as these kooks.

Me: "I'm going to hit the south peak."

He looks at me and again had no response. He turns back to stare at the surf. I can see his buddy finally has his wetsuit on, board in hand. The guy on the beach stands there bewildered. After a few minutes, he finally picks up all his stuff and starts coming back up the trail.

Both of them are now standing in front of me, staring at the surf. Finally the guy with his wetsuit on turns to me.

"Are you going out right now?"

Me: "Nah. I decided to stay up here so I can call the coast guard to retrieve your bodies, when the current sweeps you into the rocks."

The look on their faces was fvcking priceless.

"You think it's too big?"

Me: "Are you fvcking kidding? There entire cove is closing out with 20' sets and you guys are paddling out on those tiny boards? You wouldn't get past the first wall of white water before you started drowning. And if the waves don't get you, the sharks will. See those elephant seals on the beach? That's food."

I got in my vehicle without saying another word and drove away.

Actually we drove up from SD.

 

[Lance Mannion]

Somewhere around San Quentin, cold murky water, foggy, found a dead seal bitten in half and we were already stoned and a bit paranoid. We spent an hour catching waves and 2 hours looking around for sharks.

 

[silentbutdeadly]

you were surfing in sf bay?

 

[Leaverite]

you were surfing in sf bay?

San Quentin. They usually don't fling their dead into the bay...

 

[Oceanslide]

Stinson Beach north of Frisco freaked me the f out as a teenager. More recently, Pakala(s) on Kauai was sketch enough
with the shi+ brown water from the river, but a wife just about lost in on her hubby who came in and
said he'd been "bumped" and that multiple people saw a fin immediately after (with several kids in the water).

In retrospect, most freaked out I’ve ever been about sharks:
1) Jensen Beach (FL) fun beachbreak with super murky water. Got bumped hard by something from below and fully Matrix hover paddled with the next lump all the way to dry sand.
2) Hobe Sound (FL) really fun reef break waves until I did an off-the-top backside turn, board shot up and smacked me in the head. Came up to blood everywhere in a very sharky area. Friend wondered why I was spastically sprinting the 100 yards between the reef across calm water the beach until he got in and saw my scalp peeled back with the lifeguard. Staples. That paddle was horrific.

 

[manbearpig]

In retrospect, most freaked out I’ve ever been about sharks:
1) Jensen Beach (FL) fun beachbreak with super murky water. Got bumped hard by something from below and fully Matrix hover paddled with the next lump all the way to dry sand.
2) Hobe Sound (FL) really fun reef break waves until I did an off-the-top backside turn, board shot up and smacked me in the head. Came up to blood everywhere in a very sharky area. Friend wondered why I was spastically sprinting the 100 yards between the reef across calm water the beach until he got in and saw my scalp peeled back with the lifeguard. Staples. That paddle was horrific.

#2 b-tub?

 

[Leaverite]

Santa Cruz.The darkness. Same here in Santa Cruz and the northlands. Shale reefs. The water quality is zero. You put your hand, sitting up on your board, underwater. You can't see it.

 

[casa_mugrienta]

In retrospect, most freaked out I’ve ever been about sharks:
1) Jensen Beach (FL) fun beachbreak with super murky water. Got bumped hard by something from below and fully Matrix hover paddled with the next lump all the way to dry sand.
2) Hobe Sound (FL) really fun reef break waves until I did an off-the-top backside turn, board shot up and smacked me in the head. Came up to blood everywhere in a very sharky area. Friend wondered why I was spastically sprinting the 100 yards between the reef across calm water the beach until he got in and saw my scalp peeled back with the lifeguard. Staples. That paddle was horrific.

Never had any encounters in the JB area but there was a kitesurfer there about 10 years back who died in a feeding frenzy.

Hobe Sound is notoriously sharky but never saw anything there worth paddling out.

I think the zone between Blowing Rocks and Coral Cove is likely the sharkiest zone in that region. The bull sharks were a pretty much constant presence in the early 2000s. No idea if it's still that way. I will never forget pulling out of one all the way inside, looking down and as the water starts sucking off the inside reef I see a bull shark, 5 or 6 ft range, suddenly marooned on the reef just below and in front of me. I was too afraid to go in so instead paddled back out and waited a bit. Always there were always spinners everywhere. Zipping through waves and of course, spinning. I'd see one 10 feet away and remember pretending they just weren't there. I was just so desperate to surf. The sea life is incredibly abundant in that zone and weekday mornings I would just avoid the place completely despite it being empty. There was just way too much animal activity early AM. It blows my mind there's only been one minor attack there over the decades.

 

[Bohter]

Govies.....on the outside boils....has a shark creepy factor that's off the charts.
Especially when all the seals are up on the rocks barking like dogs..
The paddle off and back to the boat is always accompanied by the theme to Jaws music....in my head....can't shake it....
Last time I was there it was the Monday after the 4th of July....chasing leftovers.
We were the only boat and the fact that the dwindling swell was previously good size I anchored a bit further out for safe measure....late swell sneaker sets being a thing.
Surf was head high on the sets and not all that compelling on the rising tide.....so put in two hours and headed back to the boat...my crew staying out for a few more.
Damn....parked it a bit aways....further than I had first thought.....
So I'm a bit gassed when I get to the side of my inflatable....upper body out of shape etc....
....and I can't manage to haul my ass over the side......thinking about the shark thing does not help my heart rate whatsoever.
....and I'm flailing a bit....splashing....kicking .....great.
Finally climb up over the transom using the OB as a ladder....
Fook me...I hate that shark shite.....

 

[Lance Mannion]

you were surfing in sf bay?

Mex. Sorry, had a few drinks last night and just assumed that the rest of the world could hear my inner monologue.

 

[silentbutdeadly]

I know I was just giving you crap. I want to get down there and fish/surf with K&M sportfishing

 

[Lance Mannion]

I know I was just giving you crap. I want to get down there and fish/surf with K&M sportfishing

That's kinda the reason we were down there, tagged along with a buddy that was more into fishing than surfing. We ate well!

 

[bonzer5fin]

greyhound rock. the GWS superhighway has to be negotiated on the way out. so spooky.

 

[Sharkbiscuit]

Never had any encounters in the JB area but there was a kitesurfer there about 10 years back who died in a feeding frenzy.

Hobe Sound is notoriously sharky but never saw anything there worth paddling out.

I think the zone between Blowing Rocks and Coral Cove is likely the sharkiest zone in that region. The bull sharks were a pretty much constant presence in the early 2000s. No idea if it's still that way. I will never forget pulling out of one all the way inside, looking down and as the water starts sucking off the inside reef I see a bull shark, 5 or 6 ft range, suddenly marooned on the reef just below and in front of me. I was too afraid to go in so instead paddled back out and waited a bit. Always there were always spinners everywhere. Zipping through waves and of course, spinning. I'd see one 10 feet away and remember pretending they just weren't there. I was just so desperate to surf. The sea life is incredibly abundant in that zone and weekday mornings I would just avoid the place completely despite it being empty. There was just way too much animal activity early AM. It blows my mind there's only been one minor attack there over the decades.

The upshot of farther south towards Jupiter is the water is more often clear. If the reefs between Fort Pierce Inlet and Jupiter Inlet were as consistent as NSB there'd probably be multiple fatalities each year.

 

[Havoc]

In retrospect, most freaked out I’ve ever been about sharks:
1) Jensen Beach (FL) fun beachbreak with super murky water. Got bumped hard by something from below and fully Matrix hover paddled with the next lump all the way to dry sand.
2) Hobe Sound (FL) really fun reef break waves until I did an off-the-top backside turn, board shot up and smacked me in the head. Came up to blood everywhere in a very sharky area. Friend wondered why I was spastically sprinting the 100 yards between the reef across calm water the beach until he got in and saw my scalp peeled back with the lifeguard. Staples. That paddle was horrific.

fisherman have said multiple gws swim under surfers regularly at stinson. scary place

 

[Subway]

This spot freaks me out a bit

 

[keenfish]

greyhound rock. the GWS superhighway has to be negotiated on the way out. so spooky.

Agreed. I mentioned it a few pages back and I appreciate your validation on this spot. Spooky af. I won't be attending again but it was worth it at least the one time. Some of the best waves in my memory but the spook factor still haunts me.

 

[ringer]

It is not so creepy, but there are currently lots of juvenile (non-attacking) great white sharks lurking around the warm inshore waters in Seal and Huntington Beach. The young sharks are doing a public service by eating the abundant stingrays that are stinging many people, more than usual. As stated in the immortal words of LMFAO's 2011 Party Rock Anthem: "Everyday I'm Shufflin'".