Windansea Surf Guide
Surf spot guide
Ideal Surf Conditions
Swell Direction
NW, WNW, SW, SSW; straight W swells are blocked by San Clemente Island
Wind
E
Surf Height
chest high to double overhead
Tide
medium-low to high
Windansea Surf Guide
Cobalt water speckled on the horizon where the kelp bed has stopped short of its urge to reach for the sky; shape-shifting peaks emerging and reacting with elemental choreography; the inside shorepound, arid sandstone ledges, rocky shoreline and the iconic shack at Windansea - this stretch of San Diego coast from PB Point to La Jolla Cove is peppered with reefs. In the early days, these reefs contributed more to California surfing than most any other length of the coast in the state. The peak at Windansea has been the main stage of the area since the 1930s.
Ability Level
Intermediate - Advanced
Intermediate to advanced
Local Vibe
Intimidating
Surly, competitive, one of the least friendly places in Southern California.
Crowd Factor
Heavy
San Diego Zoo without the zoo-keeper, mobbed.
Spot Rating
Fun
Regional classic.
Shoulder Burn
Medium
A decent amount of work, especially when it is pumping.
Water Quality
Clean
Typically ok but gets dicey after a rain.
Hazards
Drop-ins, water fist-fights at Windansea, snaking around you at Big Rock, clean-up sets, and getting washed into the caves at The Cove.
Bring Your
Shortboard, Fish, Funboard, Longboard, Bodyboard
Access
Parking right out front or on adjacent streets, if you can find an open spots when it's good.
Bottom
Rock, sand, eelgrass
Best Season
January-December
Do you have local knowledge about Windansea?
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