El Porto
South Los Angeles Surf Spots
Surf Guide
Despite its many personalities, El Porto is not particularly known for outstanding wave quality. It is, however, a NW swell magnet and it's almost always bigger than any other spot in the South Bay during the winter months. The trick is to find the zone with the "holes," as the locals call them, referring to breaks in the relentless closeouts up and down the beach. With spring sandbars and/or a crossed-up swell, El Porto can get really good, and really crowded. In years past, the area has taken hits from beach nourishment programs, wherein tons of sand were trucked in, turning the place into walled-out closeouts. Nonetheless, El Porto does, at times, get machine-like.
Ability Level
All Abilities
Beginner to advanced
Local Vibe
Welcoming
Minimal.
Crowd Factor
Heavy
Heavy when it's firing, desolate when it's not.
Spot Rating
Fun
Typically a hopeless closeout but can be really good when the rest of SoCal struggles.
Shoulder Burn
Medium
Not bad when it is small, plenty of work to be had when it is pumping.
Water Quality
Fair
It's the middle of LA.
Ideal Surf Conditions
Swell Direction
SW, WSW, W, WNW combo swells
Wind
E, SE
Surf Height
chest-high to double overhead
Tide
medium