Surfside Jetty surf guide
Surf: The best wave at Surfside is the right bomb, which breaks off the jetty at the north end of the beach. Check it during a big W swell and low tide. Heavy waves with heavy currents. Fairly inconsistent.
Directions: Access is by walking up from Anderson Street to the south.
Surf: General: The story goes that before founding Surfline, when Sean Collins was just developing his passion for surf forecasting, he used to sit up on the roof of his Surfside house and time south swells hitting the Huntington Harbor jetty with a stopwatch. Located just south of Seal Beach, the gated community of Surfside offers a unique and interesting study of wave dynamics and refraction. A sandy beachbreak, during the summer months large south swells hammer the Huntington Harbor jetty and the energy bounces off, creating perfect A-frame wedges in two distinct spots known as “The Bowl” and “The Hole.” A popular spot with the dedicated local crew, Surfside is best early in the morning on a lower tide. The onshore northwest winds can be unrelenting here in the summer after about 10:00am.
Tides: mid to high
Size: shoulder-high to 3 feet overhead
Wind: Glassy, E, or NE Santa Anas
Swell: SSE, S, WSW; W prefers mid and long-period 16sec+
Bottom: Sand
Paddling: When it's on, you'll be working.
Spot Rating: Rippable wedges slingshotting off the jetty.
Access: Park at Anderson St. and walk up the beach or have an in with someone that lives in the gated community right out front.
Crowds: Crowd Factor: Peaks off the jetty are highly contested.
Local Vibe: Can be heavy.
Environment: Not great after a rain and watch out for tar.
Hazards: Parking on PCH and running through guard gate, stingrays, baby white sharks.
Season: Best on solid W or NW swells November-February, but can be good on solid S swells.