New to San Diego, could you give me an overview?

Sep 4, 2019
3
0
1
Hello guys, after 3 years suffering from the waves in Florida, I finally made my way to the West Coast. Living in San Diego for 1 month, I basically surfed Ocean Beach. I'm living in Mission Valley/Gorge and OB is a fair distance that allows me to surf in weekdays, plus my GF works in the area.

I'd say I'm an intermediate surfer. I can catch my waves but work with big competition and a people swimming makes the surf more stressful than relaxing. So, I care more for it than the conditions itself.

Scripps/La Jolla seems very inconsistent. Following surf reports and MSW, never dared to go there. Is there just unluck of this month or is usually this way?

Horseshoe/Windansean/Birdrock - Any information here is welcome. Never been there

Pacific Beach / Mission beach - Only been there without a surfboard. Had the impression it is not a very welcoming environment.

Sunset Cliffs / Point Loma - - Any information here is welcome. Never been there

And last but not least, do you guys recommend any place to buy a wetsuit? Does it worth to go to outlets? Any recommended brand? I have almost zero experience with wetsuits. I do have a ONeal 3/4 but it is too small. Hard to put in and out and the water gets trapt inside, can't goes through my legs.

Thank you in advance :)
 

jkb

Tom Curren status
Feb 22, 2005
10,042
8,979
113
Central California
Stay away from the popular spots. You can always find a peak to yourself somewhere in Mission Beach and PB. Don't paddle out on top of anyone. If there is someone surfing a peak by themselves, walk down to the next peak and paddle out. Lots of open beachbreak in that region. Learn what tides it likes best.

Go to Mitch's in La Jolla for a wetsuit. Great shop.

Oneill makes a great wetsuit. Try on their Technobutter suits. Those are really comfortable. Get a 3/2 for around here.
 
Last edited:

retodd

Duke status
Feb 23, 2009
16,757
2,177
113
Cleirmount surf shop is nice



Del Mar 15 street is nice cause the swimmers are on one side and surfers on the other

O side pier has fun surf on both sides of the pier , north side being a fraction less good but a bit more mellow


 

Ranga

Billy Hamilton status
Dec 31, 2008
1,682
1,422
113
HS is a wave you'll want to avoid. Look for the softer waves in LJ, mostly in the south end. Cliffs are more user friendly for the most part. General rule: Higher tide for most of LJ and most beachbreaks, lower tides for Cliffs.
 

Waterlogged05

Michael Peterson status
May 14, 2005
1,923
1,822
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Go to the Ocean Beach Jetty and Burn everyone, especially the angry bald dude. If he gives you any lip, tell em stink bait sent ya!

JK But I did like surfing that right for the limited time I spent there.
 

92122

Michael Peterson status
Jul 29, 2015
2,597
1,023
113
Scripps/La Jolla seems very inconsistent. Following surf reports and MSW, never dared to go there. Is there just unluck of this month or is usually this way?

Horseshoe/Windansean/Birdrock - Any information here is welcome. Never been there

Pacific Beach / Mission beach - Only been there without a surfboard. Had the impression it is not a very welcoming environment.

Sunset Cliffs / Point Loma - - Any information here is welcome. Never been there

And last but not least, do you guys recommend any place to buy a wetsuit? Does it worth to go to outlets? Any recommended brand? I have almost zero experience with wetsuits. I do have a ONeal 3/4 but it is too small. Hard to put in and out and the water gets trapt inside, can't goes through my legs.

Thank you in advance :)
Scripps / LaJolla Shores is generally pretty consistent, though shadowed a bit from smaller south swells. It gets competitive and crowded, but in general beginners should be tolerated there because it's ground zero for the masses, kooks, UCSD, etc.

La Jolla Reefs... Horseshoe = Just dont, unless you are an intermediate+ surfer who knows how to deal with shallow rock/reef and a heavier wave (at times). Small Take off spot, and a handful of guys makes it crowded. Windansea = Dont be a kook and you should be okay, but again, not much will be tolerated here. Generally the access is easy and water is deeper before you touch reef. Bird Rock = Just dont unless you are really confident, too many other spots with easier access, and where a handful of guys doesnt make it crowded.

PB / MB might not be welcoming on the streets but there should be miles and miles of uncrowded & average beachbreak for you to find some easy surfing away from crowds.

Sunset Cliff / Point Loam... Rock Reef, more difficult access in and out of the water.... Needs more size to show its better side and you better be ready for more paddling.
 

Autoprax

Duke status
Jan 24, 2011
68,234
22,988
113
62
Vagina Point
My sister used to live in La Mesa and I didn't know any SD break and I just drove to the beach and ended up and OB.

The surf was so good that day and not crowded.

This was like 30 year ago. So things might have changed.
 
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Mr Doof

Duke status
Jan 23, 2002
24,855
7,753
113
San Francisco, CA
And last but not least, do you guys recommend any place to buy a wetsuit? Does it worth to go to outlets? Any recommended brand? I have almost zero experience with wetsuits. I do have a ONeal 3/4 but it is too small. Hard to put in and out and the water gets trapt inside, can't goes through my legs.

Thank you in advance :)
1 Buy a wetsuit at a surfshop.
2 It is worth it to go to an 'outlet' if you only care about price.
3 Brand isn't as important as fit.
4 Why do you have a too small of an O'Neill wetsuit? Try it on before you buy it next time.
5 Wetsuits are supposed to trap water, so I'd say your claim of having "zero experience with wetsuits" is an accurate statement. Maybe you have a wetsuit that is the proper fit and you just don't know it because you are unfamiliar with them?
6 Welcome to earthquakes,drought,and fires instead of hurricanes.
 

2surf

Duke status
Apr 12, 2004
15,284
2,052
113
California USA
www.allcare.com
Hello guys, after 3 years suffering from the waves in Florida, I finally made my way to the West Coast. Living in San Diego for 1 month, I basically surfed Ocean Beach. I'm living in Mission Valley/Gorge and OB is a fair distance that allows me to surf in weekdays, plus my GF works in the area.

I'd say I'm an intermediate surfer. I can catch my waves but work with big competition and a people swimming makes the surf more stressful than relaxing. So, I care more for it than the conditions itself.

Scripps/La Jolla seems very inconsistent. Following surf reports and MSW, never dared to go there. Is there just unluck of this month or is usually this way?

Horseshoe/Windansean/Birdrock - Any information here is welcome. Never been there

Pacific Beach / Mission beach - Only been there without a surfboard. Had the impression it is not a very welcoming environment.

Sunset Cliffs / Point Loma - - Any information here is welcome. Never been there

And last but not least, do you guys recommend any place to buy a wetsuit? Does it worth to go to outlets? Any recommended brand? I have almost zero experience with wetsuits. I do have a ONeal 3/4 but it is too small. Hard to put in and out and the water gets trapt inside, can't goes through my legs.

Thank you in advance :)
Early morning because the traffic is moving in the opposite direction.

High tide morning check the end of any court in Mission Beach. Beach break peaks.
Low tide check reef breaks, kelp protected reefs are good in the afternoon.
La Jolla shores surf gets bigger the closer you get to the pier.
Silver Strand is mostly crushing closeouts.
North County used to be the holy grail but now every parking lot is packed at dawn.
Carlsbad has great surf with miles of clean water.
Oceanside, great surf, lots of good spots.
 

fishtank

Gerry Lopez status
Jun 20, 2010
1,335
84
48
trassles is in san diego county, crowded but better than most of the spots you listed. used to surf blacks and scripps quite a bit while living in SD, not that great most days to be honest. the reefs go off sometimes but it's usually not the case. how much longer you in the area for? can give some better hints to follow. depends how far you really wanna drive, might not even be worth it. just stay put and surf the same trash that's close by, you'll save time and money.
 
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Wheelhouse

Gerry Lopez status
Jan 13, 2013
1,169
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know the swell direction and what parts of SD pull in that swell. easy to figure out. Youre going to winter breaks in summer months dummy. knee high where you go. chest+ where I go
 

nrthcty

Gerry Lopez status
Jun 30, 2009
1,172
43
48
N.S.D
North County used to be the holy grail but now every parking lot is packed at dawn. ***True - dont bother - stick to LJ/PB/MB/OB

Carlsbad has great surf with miles of clean water. ***False - water smells like egg farts and there have been multiple sharks breaching daily

Oceanside, great surf, lots of good spots. ***False - close outs at every tide from harbor Jetty all the way south to Army Navy Academy