Surf: Popular beachbreak peaks on either side of the pier. Takes any tide except extreme high. Closes out during large, lined-up swells, so peakier swells are the go, especially SW. An historic seedbed of surf culture, the place where Dale Velzy’s first put ten toes over the nose of his surfboard in 1951. Still consistent but crowded, with nasty commercial pollution, thanks to nearby industries. Environment: Access is at the foot of Manhattan Beach Boulevard; metered parking nearby.