Surf: General: There are a couple of jetties around Venice Beach, but closeouts are still the rule. Venice works best when there are holes in the sandbars or during a crossed-up swell. On a long-period SSW swell, the offshore Santa Monica Canyon refracts a lot of extra swell toward Venice. Tides: Medium coming up Size: waist to head high. Doesn't handle much over 8'. Wind: E Swell: SW, WSW, W, WNW combo swells Bottom: Sand Paddling: Not bad unless there is a strong, longer period SSW swell then the current can flow like the Nile. Spot Rating: Lots of closeouts. Needs good sandbars and a crossed up combo swell to really work well. Access: Parking lot at Bay Street is your best bet. Crowds: Crowd Factor: Almost always a few takers at the jetty and gets crowded if it's half-decent. More spread out down the beach. Local Vibe: Peace and Love. Environment: It's right outside of the city and can get particularly bad after a rainfall. Hazards: It's LA.... Season: October-April