Surf: World-famous, consistent, and classic. A long, perfect righthand point, usually very lined-up with several tube sections. Rides are possible from the very top of the point (above the rivermouth) all the way to the highway, but the swell has to be big enough and of the proper direction (W-NW) not to section off. Rincon can be good at all tides, but low provides the most hollow sections. The inner cove is generally a mushier, softer wave popular with longboarders, but it too can be screaming fast on the right day. Environment: Always extremely crowded. Avoid surfing Rincon after heavy rains, when the impact of outdated septic tanks combine with the Rincon Creek outfall to pollute the line-up. While sewage seeps into the ocean from the houses on the point, homeowners block efforts to provide better facilities. Plainly visible from Highway 101, accessed via Bates Road. Free parking. Surf: General: Known as the "Queen of the Coast", Rincon is one of the best waves on the planet. A classic California pointbreak, Rincon is actually the product of a rivermouth that has groomed the point over millions of years. If you can luck into a set off the Indicator, race through the section that runs across the Rivermouth, connect it to the Cove and carve to the freeway (a total distance of about 300 yards), you've completed the iditarod of pointbreak surfing. As its location is right off the highway, Rincon is notoriously crowded with more than 150 people out on nearly every good swell. Furthest out the point, the Indicator is where the marathon women and men pull out their longer boards, sit out at the top of the point and try to go the distance. The Rivermouth is an unpredictable, sometimes polluted, sometimes ultra-hollow section that links the Indicator to the Cove. The Cove is the last flawless section that starts halfway up the point and funnels onto the rocks lining Highway 101. The wave usually sections in various areas offering a number of takeoff spots depending on the swell. Many long-period WNW swells are sucked into Pt. Conception, and even though Ventura to the south may be pumping, Rincon will be smaller until the swell period drops below 16 seconds or the swell shifts more from the west-southwest. Tides: low Size: head-high to double overhead Wind: N, NE Swell: W, WSW, and WNW with swell period less than 15 seconds Bottom: Cobblestone Paddling: No shortage of work when it is on. Spot Rating: Arguably the best pointbreak in California. Access: Easy, park in the north or south lots for free. Crowds: Crowd Factor: Heavy. Local Vibe: Usually light, sometimes moderate. Environment: Pretty average most days but can be toxic if the Creek is running after a big rain. Hazards: The crowd, parking lot rip-offs, drop-ins. Season: October-February