Give Respect to the Locals. understand the pecking order out there, though it may not be pipeline, Socal locals don't like tourists dropping in on them,
Cali vs. EC............um yeah there's a biiiiiig difference. i would do some research about the breaks before you go, so you don't end up going somewhere and getting your butt handed to you by a heavy nugget.
Best thing you can do is go on Surfline and look at there Travle info for where you planing to go it give you info about breaks and local knowledge . Like others said your a guest in someone else's home be respect full and alway flush and there wont be any problems
exactly. And yes, it breaks very different. Even beach breaks that you would think line up the same as the EC do not. Most beach breaks in socal break out in much deeper water. Its not inside bowls etc... As the surf gets bigger, most surf stretches pretty far out to sea compared to what you are used to. Unless its really small, then it will get closer to a shorebreak. Surfline Travel is a great starting point.
surf socal depends on what kind of board you want to ride. also, what time of year you plan on going would help you decide the best socal spots to hit. south swell in the summer, north swell in the winter, both in the fall ... check out this website: http://socalforecast.blogspot.com/. I used to check it twice daily when I lived in Orange County. and fyi, don't go to trestles, it's super crowded and territorial all the time, go a few miles further south to san onofre state park. don't forget your 3/2 suit, hood and gloves not necessary, booties are nice in the winter time.
If you lived there then i guess you know more about it than i do, but the last trip i made to southern california I camped at San O and never paddled out there it was so weak and mushy. Every morning and afternoon i drove north and scored fun chest high waves at trestles....lowers, uppers, cottons, church... Was it crowded? sure, lowers and uppers were. Not sure what "territorial" means but if it means localized then no it wasn't at least when i was there. I mean i'm from Delaware, had zero attitude, didnt know anybody else and got waves just by having patience and splitting the peak when one came to me.
Yeah, trestles is not that bad of a crowd. Everyone there is either a surf tourist, or from LA or SD. Not too many of the guys there are actual locals. I would NOT recommend sitting on the lower's peak all day, just because every local pro in the area will be all up your butt crack the whole day... So just hit uppers and middles.... Much more mellow guys... Almost as good of a wave... Just wait your turn and be cool. You will get waves all day long. I have never once had a run in at trestles with anyone. I have heard some d-bag guys down at lowers screaming and carrying on. Calling guys to leave the lineup and stuff... But everyone else was getting pissed and telling the guys to shut the fu** up.... So, 48th street in OC MD in the summer when its chest high has a much worse crowd than lowers on a good day. Trestles has tons of peaks and lots of waves.... Just spread out.... Blacks is the same way. People think that its Loc'ed out, but when you go there and surf it a few times, you realize that no one in the lineup can afford the 10 million dollar homes above blacks. So no one is a local there. No one. So I always have a blast there. Its mostly college kids, a few up and coming groms and the occasional local pro.. And everything blends together well.. You can show up at blacks for the first time and get the barrel of your life if you just hold your position in the lineup and go when the south peak hits... Unless this guy is a true beginner, he will be fine at most of the popular spots... I would be MUCH, MUCH more careful surfing at places like the cliffs or random spots that only have a handful of guys on it. Cause if you see a good wave, and you arent really sure what the name of the break is or anything, thats when you should avoid it... the little packs of locals will not be-friend an out of towner paddling out.... I would seriously recommend the more well known spots. Cause no one is a local there.
