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El Porto Beach is a popular surf spot located in the South Bay area of Los Angeles. It attracts surfers looking for consistent waves, especially during the winter months. The beach is known for its crowd factor, which can get heavy when the conditions are good. There's a parking lot at the bottom of 45th Street, making access relatively easy. Just keep in mind that you might have to pay for parking.
The surf at El Porto can vary quite a bit. It handles swell sizes from 2 to 10 feet (about 0.6 to 3 meters), and it generally offers beach breaks that can go both left and right. The preferred wind directions are from the east, and the waves can be surfed at all tide levels—low, mid, or high. On a good day, the waves can be chest-high to double overhead (approximately 1 to 3 meters), providing a challenge for intermediate surfers. It often has several peaks, but the tricky part is finding spots that aren’t just closeouts, especially after beach nourishment efforts have turned parts of it into quick closeouts.
During the autumn and winter seasons, El Porto really shines with NW swells, making it a go-to for local surfers. When it's firing, it can get crowded, so be prepared to share the waves. On days when it's not so good, you might find it feeling pretty desolate. It's worth checking out with various board types—shortboards, fish, funboards, longboards, and even bodyboards all have their moments out there.