Walton Rocks:
Walton Rocks is one of the many small, coastal parks on South Hutchinson Island. It is located about seven miles south of the South Causeway in Fort Pierce on A1A, immediately to the south of the nuclear power plant’s cooling pond. Turn east on the dirt road and follow it around to the cul-de-sac. In the post-jetty era, a powerful left fires over a well-tapered reef a few times a year, but usually the surf is weak and likes to section. The place is incredibly fickle, but seems to like a strong northeast swell, stiff offshore winds and mid-tides. Walton Rocks’ reef is very shallow. The few rights that break against the grain are tempting but gnarly, and the inside is exceptionally perilous. Be careful not to get your leash caught on the pinnacles.
A handful of folks surfs Walton regularly, but it’s never crowded since the wave isn’t good often enough to attract much attention. Some of the locals (not so much the surfers as the fishermen) really resent the snowbird populace, as well as the mindless development underway in the area, so keep your Long Island accent to yourself. Parking is free and plentiful, but — like many of South Florida’s coastal parks — break-ins are common. The power plant has a clean record, and so far no one has emerged from a barrel glowing; however, the plant’s effluent warms the water, drawing fish from every level of the food chain, including sharks.