About Santa Barbara County Surf Travel
Santa Barbara County could actually be cleaved in two: the lower east-to-west stretch from the county line up to Point Conception is generally classified as SoCal, while the striking shift in coastal direction above The Ranch usually exhibits the moniker of a truly authentic Central Coast.
The surf culture of South County truly is in another orbit from its North County counterpart. Just saying the words, “Santa Barbara” tends to evoke images of Robin Leach — gated estates and $100,000 automobiles (Ronald Reagan and Michael Jackson both had ranches in the Santa Ynez hills that surround the area). Our hunch, though, is that the surfers of the region would gladly trade in their larger-than-life neighbors’ gated estates for a better swell window.
Nature played a cruel joke on Santa Barbara when it carved out the coastline: SB has at least a half-dozen ideal point setups that lie dormant most of the year due to the eternal shadow cast by the Channel Islands. Many spots in Santa Barbara don’t even start stirring until there’s a solid 6-foot northwest swell running, and you can forget about pulling out your board during the summer.
Santa Barbara County Surf Crowds:
Seeing as how it’s so damn fickle, there are frothing crowds at almost every wave in South County almost every time they break. Especially when the jewels like Rincon or Sandspit start firing, you’ll be sure to share the lineup with a couple hundred of your closest friends as well as any California pro who made the drive that day.
Santa Barbara County Surf Hazards:
Boredom and tourist overload in spring and summer. In winter, the water quality at Rincon is usually pretty bad due to the rivermouth, and the crowds (see above) can occasionally swell to unhealthy proportions, complete with drop ins, board lobs and angry local guys.
Best Surf Seasons in Santa Barbara County:
1) Fall
This is when you want to be here. Oily glass, long-interval west swells, neoprene-warming sunshine all day — yeah, it happens, usually in September and October. Autumn is a transitional period, so you should expect the best and the worst. However, the tourist influx subsides dramatically after the Labor Day weekend, so fewer gawkers translates into more quality exploration room for you. Autumn is also the time of year when lower Santa Barbara County awakens from its summer hibernation, and those fabled right points can become downright magical.
2) Winter
This is hands-down the most consistent time of year for the pointbreaks. Aleutian storms can turn everywhere north of Point Conception into a rowdy mess, but once the swells start filtering around the corner, the whole area turns into a thigh-burning pointbreak wonderland.
3) Summer
Generally flat and dismal, although this can be good for the beachbreaks north of Point Arguello, most of which are only surfable when they’re small and clean. The fog can hamper onshore breezes, but persistent wind in the outer waters often makes for junky conditions, despite calm air at the beach. Lower Santa Barbara County is just plain depressing this time of year, and it’s no surprise many locals travel elsewhere for a month or two. Jalama’s really the only call.
4) Spring
Sucks. Minimal swell and mucho northwest wind translates to flat, onshore surf. Plus, the NW winds create upwelling, so the water’s as cold as it gets all year.