Surf: Long stretch of exposed beachbreak, but the short south jetty of the Rogue River offers shelter from the N wind and some excellent sandbar rights and lefts. Heavy currents. Expect competition in the line-up from a gang of seals that ride the place regularly. Watch out for interesting and sometimes classic left-breaking spot (called Little Joes or Between the Jetties) inside the jetties on strong W swells at lower tides. A couple miles down the beach, check out the beachbreak at South Park or (further still) the reefs and sandbars around Hunter Creek, which can all work when a clean, long-period swell and offshores coincide. Environment: With the large seal and fish population here, sharks are definitely in the area (recent encounters). Surf: General: In a word, the southern Oregon coast is isolated. Precipitous cliffs and headlands render much of the shore inaccessible by road and, up until Coos Bay (one of the world's largest ports for forest products), only a few rudimentary arteries through the verdant Siskiyou National Forest and Kalmiopsis Wilderness link the coast with the populous interior valley.

Most of the surf spots are fickle, west-facing beachbreaks visible from the road, yet few accessible options exist. Siding the Rogue River, the south jetty at Gold Beach ("a little town...a lotta fun") is one of them: another stubby little jetty facing southwest, producing some powerful peaks with hefty currents and a massive seal population. Named for the gold that was found near here in the mid-1800s, the beach is layered with driftwood, backed by low dunes overrun with the invasive European grass. Hollow right wedges prevail given the correct wind and tide, although the bars are inept to withstand anything bigger than a foot or two overhead. The beach drop-off is relatively abrupt, causing for some heavy shorepound and frequent difficulty for paddling out.

Maddeningly fickle, the jetty shines through during windless conditions with a small swell and incoming tide. Forget about it during the wintertime, when south winds dominate and northerly swell overloads the place. Springtime can be good since north-northwest winds blow sideshore/offshore here, but don't count on the surf to settle down until April at the earliest. Considering that windsurfing is much more popular around here, it's a safe bet that the wind will be blowing upon your arrival. Tides: Medium-high Size: Waist high-overhead Wind: NE Swell: SW, W Bottom: Sand Paddling: Not too bad. Spot Rating: Kinda fun. Access: From Highway 101, turn west at the stoplight onto Moore Street. Go down the hill and steer left onto Harbor Way. Then turn right onto Airport Way, pass the boat launch and continue along what becomes South Jetty Road. You pass Oceanside RV Park on your left, but veer right at the fork and follow the bumpy dirt road to its end, beyond the South Jetty Rogue River sign. Crowds: Crowd Factor: You can surf the jetty by yourself, but chances are that if it's clean and small, you won't be solo. If you encounter the local species, just smile and nod what up. Local Vibe: Gold Beach has a tight crew of hard-core cronies who frequent the south jetty whenever it works. Surf-starved as they are, the locals generally don't take kindly to outsiders, especially those from California. Environment: Mostly clean. Hazards: Renegade windsurfers, sharks due to the proliferation of seals. Season: March-October