South Los Angeles

What makes the South Bay a special destination for surfers?

So many of the spots are right off the 405, like our main wave, El Porto. It's got a huge parking lot, so a lot of people can drive out here, go get a surf in, and then go to work. We kind of have waves all-year round, too, which is pretty rad. The waves are pretty easy to ride around here, too. It’s a whole beach community. There's a ton of surf history in the South Bay, and outside of that, we're an hour from Malibu north, or an hour from San Clemente south. It's a really good, little spot to be.

What kind of waves can visiting surfers expect?

We're all breachbreaks. So, we're relying on sandbars to form. You could go to the main spots, like Manhattan Beach, Torrance, Redondo, Hermosa, and find a sandbar, but there's also a handful of jetties and a handful of piers that can create their own sandbars, too. So, when the swells are a little bit more walled, which we tend to get here, I'll go to the jetties or piers, and/or if we have a good tide that mixes with a good sandbar, I'll keep my eyes on what windows work for them.

What’s the vibe?

The vibe is amazing. Honestly, it's super welcoming. It's a big melting pot of different people. You have a ton of young surfers. You have the local legends. You have some up-and-coming groms, and then you have the local pros. It's a little bubble in the South Bay, so, everyone kind of knows each other.

What should surfers bring?

I'd say you don't need a pinned-out, super gnarly pro surfboard. A hybrid board is pretty good for South Bay. Our waves don't have a ton of punch, so for the most part, probably like a groveler hybrid-type surfboard is pretty good, unless it gets a little bit bigger. You want kind of a flatter board for our waves. You don't need something with a ton of rocker. I always suggest people to hit up the local shapers, or head to your local shops, and they'll dial you in really well. We're normally wearing 3/2s most of the year, maybe even trunks in the summer, and then 4/3s in the winter. It doesn't get too cold.

When is the best time to score?

My favorite season is Fall because it's actually still super hot. You get the change of season, so you're getting different swells, but the sand is really good. So, my pro tip is that just before winter, when we get our really big swells, all the sand that has built up over the summer gets thrown around in weird spots, which can be good, until it settles down for a bit. So, that's a really good little window, and you can kind of find anything you want.

What else is there to do when you’re not surfing?

There's a ton to do, whether that's music, drinks, eating good food...Santa Monica's also a really cool zone to hang out in which isn’t far from us. Palo Verdes is beautiful. It's always fun to go down there and look around and see the tide pools and nature. The beach life's amazing in the South Bay. And if you’re into golf, there's a handful of golf courses in the South Bay. You've got the Lakes. You have Alondra. There's a cool little random golf course in Torrance called Sea-Aire. It's a fun little par 3.

What’s your favorite local food?

There's a really cool Mexican joint called El Tarasco's, which is a random little hut, right on Rosecrans, steps away from El Porto. I typically hit that after a surf. BOA Steakhouse, in Manhattan Beach, is super proper.

Where would someone go to learn how to surf?

I’d point them to Sapphire St. in Redondo Beach.

What should visitors know about the local culture?

I think it goes for all surf spots, but basically: give respect and you'll get respect. I’d also just say to go out, talk to the people in the lineup, observe who's getting waves, and you’ll find that South Bay's a super inviting place. You're not going to get rousted too hard, but the easiest way to approach any wave is to go out, show respect, and then wait your turn.