Surf: Excellent, extremely powerful sandbars produce some of California’s best beachbreak waves, always bigger than anywhere else inside the bay. The Monterey Bay Submarine Canyon funnels swell directly into the beach, so waves are fast-moving and thick, a showcase of quality shape and heavy barrels. NW swells and medium-high incoming tides preferred. Offshore with SE storm winds. The surf down by the jetty is usually smaller than to the north, but is also the most crowded. Environment: Beware of dangerous currents and sneaker sets. Even though there are plenty of peaks to choose from, the locals can be aggressive. There is a toll road for parking by the break. Lock your car. Camping nearby. Surf: General: One of California's best beachbreaks. During the winter, when a W swell is filling the bay and the offshores are howling out of the Salinas Valley, Moss Landing will take your breath away, in more ways than one. Just offshore, hidden under all that water, the Monterey Canyon drops down to a maximum depth of over a mile, and the Canyon has an effect on what happens along the beach. The swell that hits Moss Landing has come out of very, very deep water and hasn't been slowed down by the continental shelf. The result is a very powerful, often frustrating, beachbreak. It can be almost impossible to get out at Moss Landing, and there is always the possibility of getting hammered by a triple-overhead wave.

In the winter, Moss Landing is a very serious surf spot -- big, powerful and challenging. The surf mellows the closer you go to the jetty to the south, and it gets gnarlier as you go north, toward the dunes. There also is surf on the other side of the harbor, in front of the Moss Landing Marine Lab and the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute. Tides: Variable. Moss Landing can handle it all. Size: Chest high-2X overhead Wind: E. Straight offshore outta Salinas. Swell: W, NW, SW Bottom: Sand Paddling: Strong, but can be impossible to get out when it's big. Spot Rating: Really good. Access: Parking at Moss Landing State Park. Crowds: Crowd Factor: It can get edgy out there, but there is lots of room. Local Vibe: Very vibey at times. There have been some WWF brawls at Moss Landing between the locals and visitors. Environment: Mostly clean. Hazards: Frigid offshore winds, sharks, ice-cream headaches, icy stares, pushing through 30 waves in a set, or getting caught inside by a triple-overhead bomb. Season: September-April