Moving San Diego

mundus

Duke status
Feb 26, 2018
37,311
16,360
113
This is the way

As far as crowds it's actually way worse in CA, just because beginners clog lineups way worse than competent surfers. My kid was out at Pupukea a week or so ago with John, Kelly, Carissa, Steph -- 23 world titles total and like five more guys/girls from the tour, and he said there were plenty of waves. No one getting in the way, good rotation, nobody missing waves or wasting them.

Junk you have to go but CA is nice too!
The covid softtop Val revolution, rank beginners charge the peak,
 

Chee-to

Michael Peterson status
Jan 11, 2002
2,428
975
113
This is the way

As far as crowds it's actually way worse in CA, just because beginners clog lineups way worse than competent surfers. My kid was out at Pupukea a week or so ago with John, Kelly, Carissa, Steph -- 23 world titles total and like five more guys/girls from the tour, and he said there were plenty of waves. No one getting in the way, good rotation, nobody missing waves or wasting them.

Junk you have to go but CA is nice too!
It's just a different beast. In Hawaii it can be hard to get waves because the crowd often becomes a pack of people better than you sitting deeper, but when you get one you can ride it without interruption. In San Diego you generally have a lot more opportunity to take off on waves, but not a lot of room to ride them between the kooks dropping in, ineffectually scrambling to the shoulder in front of you, or just obliviously sitting in your line.
 

vanrysss

Billy Hamilton status
Mar 25, 2019
1,639
3,690
113
from Oregon, now SD
My kid was out at Pupukea a week or so ago with John, Kelly, Carissa, Steph -- 23 world titles total and like five more guys/girls from the tour, and he said there were plenty of waves. No one getting in the way, good rotation, nobody missing waves or wasting them.
That is true, I still got like five or six waves in an hour. Given the caliber of talent out there can't complain about the wave count.
 
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kane

Michael Peterson status
Sep 30, 2003
3,032
198
63
.
The few surfers I know who moved here from the Hawaiian Islands rarely surf here. 90% of the time the surf sucks and the water is cold for the crappy surf. Lots of good food and biking trails. We do have world class bjj gyms in san Diego. Where is your work located?
 
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tedshred5

Michael Peterson status
Aug 5, 2015
2,779
6,542
113
It's officially happening, I'm leaving Oahu for San Diego this spring. I'm bummed to be leaving, but my girlfriend is born and raised there and we're tired of doing long distance. It doesn't make sense for her to come out here, so I'm going there.

Anyway, question time. I know next to nothing about SD, or the surf there.

1.) What's a good zone to base out of? She's pretty keen on Encinitas area, but aren't there waves all over the place?
2.) What's an ideal quiver for SD waves? I'm planning to bring my keel fin fish, twinsman, and a 6'0" Nautilus. Should I bring my hpsb, and any of my NS stepups or guns?
3.) Good shapers or shops to get in touch with? I've got a couple Christensons, but I don't really know of many other SD shapers.
4.) What's the deal with seasons there? Are there waves year-round? Do people own multiple wetsuits?
5.) Best Mexican food?

Cheers
good luck with the move @vanrysss

some thoughts:

-Location: IMO Encinitas can be a pretty fun area for the committed relationship + no kids stage of life. If you choose coastal north county, just be ready to be in a north county bubble, most people I know up there rarely venture south

-Boards: honestly you *could* be covered for 99% of the year with a quad fish and the 1% when it's good with a step-up/HPSB. What you're bringing sounds like a good start

-Shapers: tons, like others have said, SD is a board building hub. Pyzel factory in Oside, Sharpeye factory in south SD, Rusty, Mitsven, Christenson, Bing, Sakal, lots of local shapers. Just depends what kind of boards you want.

-Seasons: waves year-round, winter better for north swell, summer better for south swell. if you have a 4/3, 3/2, and a wetsuit jacket, you should be covered

-Mexican food: as in shapers, you will not be lacking in options. Rudy's, Ortiz's, some off the top of my head. if you're missing Foodland poke, hit Hawaiian Fresh Seafood in Miramar.
 
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sdsrfr

Phil Edwards status
Jul 13, 2020
5,965
11,439
113
San Diego
It's just a different beast. In Hawaii it can be hard to get waves because the crowd often becomes a pack of people better than you sitting deeper, but when you get one you can ride it without interruption. In San Diego you generally have a lot more opportunity to take off on waves, but not a lot of room to ride them between the kooks dropping in, ineffectually scrambling to the shoulder in front of you, or just obliviously sitting in your line.
So true. In SD it’s fairly easy to find yourself being the arguably “best” surfer in the lineup.

It’s really weird that it’s like that, now that I think about it.
 

vanrysss

Billy Hamilton status
Mar 25, 2019
1,639
3,690
113
from Oregon, now SD
Gf grew up surfing, but stopped when she went off to college and hasn't gotten back in the water since. Hoping to re-ignite the stoke and scam her into a late summer Indo trip.
 
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Geopac

Billy Hamilton status
Jul 28, 2003
1,367
591
113
Ballast Point
It's officially happening, I'm leaving Oahu for San Diego this spring. I'm bummed to be leaving, but my girlfriend is born and raised there and we're tired of doing long distance. It doesn't make sense for her to come out here, so I'm going there.

Anyway, question time. I know next to nothing about SD, or the surf there.

1.) What's a good zone to base out of? She's pretty keen on Encinitas area, but aren't there waves all over the place?
2.) What's an ideal quiver for SD waves? I'm planning to bring my keel fin fish, twinsman, and a 6'0" Nautilus. Should I bring my hpsb, and any of my NS stepups or guns?
3.) Good shapers or shops to get in touch with? I've got a couple Christensons, but I don't really know of many other SD shapers.
4.) What's the deal with seasons there? Are there waves year-round? Do people own multiple wetsuits?
5.) Best Mexican food?

Cheers
1. Sunset Cliffs to La Jolla where you're guaranteed to share the lineup with illegal migrants being smuggled in from TJ. They could also recommend the best Mexican food before they get apprehended by ICE/BP.

<iframe width="935" height="526" src="
" title="25 people were smuggled in San Diego County from Mexico Wednesday" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 

Ranga

Billy Hamilton status
Dec 31, 2008
1,688
1,429
113
So true. In SD it’s fairly easy to find yourself being the arguably “best” surfer in the lineup.

It’s really weird that it’s like that, now that I think about it.
And Jedi Mind Trick the crowd into thinking so too . . .
 
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Slabsplease

OTF status
Mar 5, 2015
158
143
43
Mex Food in SD...nothing above an 8 on a scale of 1 to 10 (that's being nice). Pancho Villa Farmers Market is a solid establishment.
Surf Zones...with all due respect, better to figure out on your own...not difficult.
Wetsuits...4/3 and 3/2, maybe a top and/or shorty, it's trunkable at times but it doesn't last long, and the sun when it's trunkable is nice to have on you...so called trunkable with overcast is usually not that fun.
Plenty of waves year round and an easy drive to better spots depending on the angle.
Ideal quiver, groveler, experimental shape, high performance, occasional round pin + to be minimal about it
As some have mentioned, plenty of board builders here, go to the factories in person, strike a bargain/deal with cash and pay about 25% plus off every time...happens daily
Good luck
 
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Senor Sopa

Billy Hamilton status
Mar 11, 2015
1,374
2,181
113
Ponto
I'm searching for 10'6" gliders on Craigslist ,or maybe I'll get into foiling.

In terms of crowds idk, I just surfed the sandbar on a Saturday morning. That's like 60 pros and japanese paddling all over one another to get a wave. Is it worse than that, or are we just talking about dodging idiots on the inside?
No, it is not worse than that!!!!
 

SurfMission

Gerry Lopez status
Apr 13, 2009
1,218
1,080
113
Beaches at high tide, reefs at low, the rest you will figure out.

San Diego has excellent surf once you get it dialed. Nothing really "world class", but extremely fun.

Also, apply now for your Sentri Pass. It will give you full access to day trips to Northern Baja without having to wait in the border traffic. You will thank me.