Page 421 - California Diving and Surfing
P. 421
SIDE 2 SURF DESCRIPTIONS HUNTINGTON BEACH for every kind of surfer with every
SAN ONOFRE: Actually in San SURFING:”Surf City U.S.A.” was kind of surf-riding vehicle, including
Diego County, San Onofre is a great so-named by Jan and Dean in their bodysurfing. It is fortunate that those
place to camp and hang out on the “Surf City” song of 1969. 12 million incoming Fall and Winter swells also
beach, & it offers a variety of waves people come to Huntington Beach often coincide with calm winds, or
for the wave hungry traveler at: THE every year, with more than just a few better yet, with offshore Santa Anas.
POINT: Good right break, popular wanting to share the waves with the It doesn’t get much better.
with the older guys;. OLD MAN’S: local experts. Huntington Beach is BOXCARS (aka TROLLEY CARS):
Longboarder spot, which breaks way surfing on a scale that is surpassed During low-latitude NW swells
out & then reforms to break again only by Oahu. Huntington Beach over 8’ an outside cloudbreak erupts
inside. Often the whole San Onofre does well with surf of all varieties, & over a submerged, artificial reef on
area is referred to as “Old Man’s”; if there is any surf at all, it is being the north end of Huntington Cliffs.
DOG PATCH: Just S of Old Man’s, surfed somewhere in Huntington Boxcars only breaks decent when the
it is mushy beginner surf; NUKES: Beach. The great surfing only adds to tide is low and the swell is between
Nukes is right in front of the power the city’s festive mood. However, it 8’-12’. It is a long left which occasion-
plant, & is a break over its coolant is after the crowds have gone, when ally walls up nicely and. or a giant,
pipes; SIRENS: Just S of Nukes & of- the seasons have changed to Fall mushy right. Paddling out can be
fers fun peaks & clean sections. The and Winter, that Huntington Beach’s difficult if you don’t time it right. A
extreme south end of the San Onofre, surf really goes off. The beaches are big wave board is a must just to catch
including TRAILS has less accessible just enough west-facing to receive these rolling monsters. When the
but fun peaks and clean sections at the gifts of winter. There is no “best swell is larger than 12’ a few other
low tide while the north end is the spot” when it’s on, so the surfers cloudbreak go off in the immediate
perfect place to grab a cooler, your have to decide whether the great area but none of them have a prede-
family, a longboard & relax. San waves in front of the cliffs, or take on termined take-off zone like Boxcars.
Onofre is always crowded so don’t the consistent break of the pier, or Rating: Advanced
expect to surf alone. anywhere else from Surfside to the
Santa Ana River. There is something
