Santa Cruz surf guide
Surf: General: It may not be home to the fabled Steamer Lane, but it is home to a renowned beachbreak - a long stretch of sand that produces some thumping barrels and reeling peaks that can rival Europe's best on its day. Home to a series of sandbanks and sand covered reefs - it even has a sand covered shipwreck from a boat that sank just after WW2. A good place to escape the crowds. Susceptible to wind so best on an offshore day.
Tides: All tides
Size: Waist high to double overhead.
Wind: SE, E
Swell: NW to SW
Bottom: Sand with some reef.
Paddling: Powerful swells come out of deep water meaning a lot of duck dives, combined with plenty of currents moving around and some arm draining rips.
Spot Rating: High quality beachbreak with numerous peaks; long, powerful lefts and rights for top to bottom surfing and occasional barrel sections.
Access: As a popular summer resort there are four car parks spaced out along the clifftop overlooking the beach.
Crowds: Crowd Factor: Peaks close to town can get busy, a short walk can yield quiet peaks.
Local Vibe: OK, best peaks can be competitive.
Environment: OK, can be polluted after rain.
Hazards: Heavy and rippy when big.
Season: Works year round but best in clean swells September to November.