Surf: Fairly reliable, hollow beachbreak, the best wave being the fast, thin right on the south side of the pier when the sandbar is properly shaped. Although often a close-out, can handle up to a few feet overhead with peakier swells. The lefts can get really good with summertime S swells. Blows offshore on a N wind, making the pier a popular surf spot in spring. Environment: Shoreline structures (seawalls) appear to be threatening the surf around the Cayucos beaches. Parking nearby the break with all facilities. Surf: General: Cayucos, a quaint seaside hamlet plopped down along Highway 1 between the relative metropolis of Morro Bay and the glistening greens of Harmony (population 18), was rated last year by Men's Journal magazine as one of its 25 favorite "hideouts and secret spots." Cayucos (an Aleutian word for "kayak" or "canoe," pronounced ky-YOO-cuss) was first settled as Cass Landing, after New Englander Captain James Cass stuck down his roots in 1867. He and his bros built the 953-foot-long pier, which has since provided countless days of rideable waves for the community's ever-increasing number of surfers.

The Cayucos Pier was first brought to life for the surfing world through a 1982 surf magazine article. While the article explained the overall adversity of the area, the accompanying photographs portrayed the pier's wave to be a crispy, clean, green and predominantly right-hand barrel polished by icy offshores. Newsflash! The photos lie.

Cayucos Pier is essentially a hollow closeout, but that's certainly not to say you won't/can't stumble upon some peelers off the pilings. A long-standing affiliate of the Central Coast's exclusive Fickle Spot Club (FSC), the Cayucos Pier is definitely lousy more often than not, but one noteworthy aspect is that the place is sheltered from the prevailing northerly winds, deeming Cayucos a bit warmer than surrounding area.

This means, of course, that it's more conducive to tourists and fair-weather surfers, most of whom still wax the bottom of their boards. There are some young rippers, so don't be shocked if you see some kid boosting fat air off the end sections. All said, Cayucos Pier is a decent spot to ride some waves along the Central Coast, but don't go in expecting Huntington Beach or even Pismo. Tides: Medium to high Size: Waist high-overhead Wind: NE, provides some shelter from prevailing North and NW'erly winds Swell: W, SW Bottom: Sand, with a few rocks to the south. Paddling: Not too bad. Spot Rating: Kinda fun. Access: Exit Highway 1 onto Cayucos Drive and go west. You can't miss the pier, as it's the focal point of downtown Cayucos. Crowds: Crowd Factor: Other people in the water can be a factor, but it's fairly simple to get the pier all to yourself if you show up early on a weekday. Local Vibe: Not much. Humility and kindness will go a long way. Environment: Clean. Hazards: Fishing lines, sharks. Season: March-October