Church Surf Guide
Surf spot guide
Ideal Surf Conditions
Swell Direction
S, SW, W, WNW
Wind
E, NE
Surf Height
shoulder high to double overhead
Tide
medium-high
Church Surf Guide
Church is the farthest spot south in the Trestles arena. Also a rivermouth, Church is pretty much good year-round but prefers a W swell with medium-high tides to produce long, down-the-line rights with some hollow sections. S swells have multiple takeoff zones but a big SW can get all-time.
Ability Level
All Abilities
Beginner to advanced
Local Vibe
Doable
Cordial.
Crowd Factor
Moderate
Can get packed but not compared to Lowers.
Spot Rating
Fun
Reeling, lined-up righthand pointbreak under the proper conditions.
Shoulder Burn
Medium
Pretty mellow but the paddle back up the point gets long on a solid W swell.
Water Quality
Fair
Typically pretty clean, although the San Onofre Creek can unload after a rain.
Hazards
Car rip-offs, beach backpack rip-offs, getting caught by a speeding train on the trestle, rattlesnakes in the lineup after a rain.
Bring Your
Shortboard, Fish, Funboard, Longboard
Access
San Onofre State Park; or walk, run, crawl, roll, bike, e-bike, skate, back flip down the trail after parking off the Cristianitos exit. Or via Camp Pendleton.
Bottom
Sand, rivermouth rock
Best Season
Best November-February, but it works year-round.
Do you have local knowledge about Church?
If you have any insights or information to add to this spot guide, drop us a note at [email protected]