Surfing Santa Monica

What's it like surfing the Santa Monica pier?

#SantaMonica provides a great #wave not only to those looking to #learn #surfing for the first time, but also to those who have several years of experience under their belt. The trick is knowing where to go.

Santa Monica is a LONG stretch of #beach.

About four miles in length. This can make choosing the right spot sort of tricky.

The #pier

The area that surrounds the pier is almost always the most #crowded with surfers in the water. Is this because it's the best wave in the region? Hell no. This is because it's got a huge #parking lot and everybody by default wants to park and hang out next to the pier.

While this does tend to be the biggest peak wave for the beach, it also breaks a little harder and a little faster than other spots.

The North Side

The #North side of the pier might seem at a glance to be a great spot to #surf in privacy. Usually, not as many surfers will be in the water in this part. There is a reason for that. It's not a great wave. The pier itself actually buffers the quality swell from hitting the #shore at a well-#shaped angle, causing the wave to suffer in quality.

Ocean Park

The #sweet spot. Located next to lifeguard tower 26 and Parking Lot 5s, this spot features the best waves for beginners and (on the right day) advanced surfers.

There are a few minor obstacles to consider. A little kids camp operates in from of lifeguard tower 27 which means you'll be dodging about 30 children on #foam #boards. Directly in front of lifeguard tower 26, there is a little bit of a community of locals who surf there every day. Most of them are friendly and #awesome. That being said, they don't take very kindly to absolute beginners with no formal training who are oblivious about throwing safety and caution to the wind. So if you surf there, and we highly recommend that you should, just be friendly and respectful of those surfing around you.

This is also the best spot within about 90 miles to take a surfing #lesson. The #shallow and smooth waves offer just enough punch to make things exciting, without getting so intense that a beginner would feel overwhelmed or unsafe.