The Surf Blog LA -Thoughts from a socal surfer

2011-11-16T16:52:00.000-08:00

Ka-blam cover error

2010-12-20T14:05:00.001-08:00

Did You Feel That? LA Earthquake.

2010-07-07T17:29:00.001-07:00

A large earthquake hit Los Angeles at about 5pm today (July 7th ).
Hopefully not powerful enough to do damage.
Maybe it'll add an extra foot to our current swell.

Did you feel it?

Where to surf in Los Angelles #1 Santa Monica- Bay St.

2010-07-07T11:04:00.001-07:00

Video by SCskim

Now that you have your surfboard, you're probably wondering where to start surfing in the LA area.

For Los Angeles surfers, Bay st or Pico in Santa Monica is a great place to learn. The crowd is mostly beginners with a few experienced long boarders in the mix. It's generally a very supportive and forgiving crowd.

The waves are also quite forgiving on a good day. Try to hit it early, before 10am, when the wind tends to pick up and make the conditions very sloppy.

On a good day it will be calm and glassy with nice peeling little waves that are fun for beginners and more experienced surfers too.
On a bigger day there can be barrels and it can be too fast and heavy for a beginner. The wave tends to close out if it gets too big.

Check the conditions before you go and try to go out when it is 1-3ft. The wave works best on a medium tide, it can be a little too shallow on low tide.

Keep in mind that the nearby Santa Monica pier is one of the most polluted beaches in LA. Bay st is slightly cleaner, but you definitely don't want to surf here after it rains as there are storm drains that empty out nearby.

There is metered parking near Pico around Cha Cha Chicken.

What kind of surfboard should I buy?

2010-07-06T09:49:00.000-07:00

The first thing anyone asks when learning how to surf is, "How do I choose a surfboard"?

There are two main types of surfboards, longboards and shortboards.

Longboards, shown in the photo above by Dave Young, are usually around 9-12 feet long. They are thick, wide and much more stable and easier to get up on. Their bulk and length also make it easier to catch a wave and a lot easier to paddle.

Shortboards, shown in the photo to the left by Richard Masoner, range in height, but are usually anywhere from a few inches to a foot taller than the surfer. Shortboards are much harder to get up on, but they allow for maximum control and maneuverability.

Most beginning surfers start out on a longboard. I recommend starting out with a 10-12 foot foam top board. Soft top Wavestorm brand boards can be purchased for about $100 at Costco, and are also very easy to find used on sites like craigslist.
These boards are very stable and easy to get up on. They are also a very safe option for beginners. Most surf accidents happen when the surfer gets hit either by his own fiberglass board or another surfer's. With a soft foam board, you are much less likely to get injured even if the board smacks into you on a wave.

If you have access to a regular, hard top fiberglass (or epoxy) longboard that is also a good option, just make sure that you start out in tiny, gentle 1 to 3 foot waves.

Learning on a shortboard is not impossible, but it takes much more time and dedication. I actually learned on a 6'4 board. I struggled for a few weeks before I could get up and ride it. Many people who start out on a long board are able to get up on their first session.

Good Luck and Happy Surfing