Surf: Famous, high-quality righthand reef that handles big swells (up to triple-overhead) better than any spot in the vicinity. The outer peak has been compared with Oahu’s Sunset Beach – a big peak and a hollow, thick wall which lines up through a fast inside bowl over the inner shelf. Larger W swells work the best, with lower tides increasing the hollowness. A performance wave. The best spot in Encinitas, always worth a look. Extremely crowded and competitive. Directions: Located down the long staircase below the Self-Realization Fellowship’s small parking lot. Check it from the road south of the break. Surf: General: The turbaned Self-Realization Fellowship in Encinitas was built for Swami Paramahansa Yogananda, today it overlooks one of the most popular waves in San Diego County: Swami's. The right point, a rarity in San Diego, needs a decent swell to show a hint of its potential, but it's generally the daily hub of North County surfing during the winter months.

On crowded days, even the most skilled shortboarders find themselves battling for leftovers on the inside, while the established crew has its way on the outside. This is not necessarily a bad thing, being that the smaller waves are usually steeper and offer a couple of bowl sections. Pretty much any wave at Swami's is a good wave, and a rider is guaranteed at least one or two sections to hit even on the worst of days. The drop is generally mellow, and then the wave races across a shallow ledge on the inside until it eventually hits a huge channel.

Depending on the tide, the wave breaks with varying degrees of steepness. Obviously, lower tides make for the speediest waves. There is a short left that can be surfed if you are getting so shut down on the right that you need something just to keep the blood flowing. If this is the case, paddle deeper than the rest of the pack and sneak off to the left. Swami's can handle as big of a swell as the Pacific cares to throw its way-and gets better as the size increases. Tides: low to medium Size: waist high to double overhead+ Wind: calm or E Swell: W, NW (15 seconds or under) Bottom: Right-reef point Paddling: It's a long way back after a good ride. Spot Rating: Quality right point. Access: Look for the gold domes. Crowds: Crowd Factor: Hideous to unbearable. Local Vibe: A bunch of snake charmers. "I swear I didn't see you!" Environment: Typically ok, not great after a rain. Hazards: Shortboarder snakes, no-look-drop-ins, greedy longboarders, some older grumps. Season: November-March