Camp Pendleton Surf Guide
Surf spot guide
Ideal Surf Conditions
Swell Direction
SE, NE
Wind
Southwest to West
Surf Height
Chest high-overhead
Tide
Low to mid tide
Camp Pendleton Surf Guide
Flanked by an army training camp to the south, Virginia Beach’s Camp Pendleton offers a bit of a respite from the madness popping off on either side of Rudee Inlet — 1st Street Jetty and Croatan — but it gets crowded, too. A jetty-juiced beachbreak that’s capable of handling the bigger E, SE and S swells that come with hurricane season, Pendleton’s outside sandbars will sometimes even offer barrels — if the tide’s low, the wind’s offshore and the swell direction and period are just right. Pendleton has also been known to deliver some surprises during nameless NE windswells, but it’s generally not as dependable as its neighbors to the north and south, Croatan and Sandbridge. Plus, there’s that munitions thing.
Ability Level
Beginner - Intermediate
Any and all levels.
Local Vibe
Welcoming
Minimal.
Crowd Factor
Mellow
Uncrowded on the base but packed near the border with Croatan.
Spot Rating
Poor
Restricted access but fairly similar to what you find in Croatan.
Shoulder Burn
Light
Normally not bad but hurricane swells and bigger southeast swells can make it a bit of work.
Water Quality
Clean
Not bad.
Hazards
Avoid getting mowed down by the army's amphibious vehicle.
Bring Your
Shortboard, Fish, Funboard, Longboard, SUP, Skimming, Bodyboard, Bodysurfing, Kiteboard
Access
Restricted.
Bottom
Sand
Best Season
Storm dependent: tropical cyclones in the late summer and fall with frontal activity and nor'easters in the late fall and winter.
Do you have local knowledge about Camp Pendleton?
If you have any insights or information to add to this spot guide, drop us a note at [email protected]