Surf: General: Surfing on the patrolled area of Clearwater's public beach is not allowed, but surfers flock to the area at the north end and take advantage of a double-sandbar beachbreak known as 880. To find it, take U.S. Highway 19 south onto Gulf To Bay Road, and stay west to Gulf Boulevard, which will take you along the beach in Clearwater. From there, just head north to 880 Mandalay Blvd. On a north/northwest swell, longboarders can catch the outside. The wave often reforms on the inside for shortboarders, but it dumps quickly, and at times painfully, in shallow water. The jetty at the south end of the beach breaks on a southwest swell, but make sure you're out of the water by 9:30 a.m. when the lifeguards take the stand. Be warned: parking is sporadic at the north end, so pay attention to the signs, and the crowds are worst during summer. Tides: Mid to high Size: Thigh-1' overhead Wind: Onshore to generate some surf, E for clean conditions Swell: W, NW Bottom: Sand Paddling: Easy most days, can be a little more challenging on the bigger windswell days. Spot Rating: Below average spot and never really gets that good here. Plus it is small dab in the center of Clearwater Beach which is jam packed with tourists and Scientologists. Most surf somewhere else. Access: No problem, but watch the parking. Crowds: Crowd Factor: Minimal. Local Vibe: Easy. Environment: Outside of occasional red tide outbreaks, water is usually clean. Hazards: Stingrays. Season: Fall-Spring, Hurricane