north/central California coast in fall/winter?

been living in SF part time the past few months due to work.... job may require that I pack up my stuff in Seattle and move to SF full-time for a year or two.

now i know that the swell along California can be pretty mellow during the summer, so my meager skills and preference for longboarding have been a decent match for the conditions I've seen this summer...but when the summer ends, is there anywhere on the coast that reguarly has sub-head high conditions or does it all get big and experts & shortboards only?

not asking to place-name...just curious if spots like Cowells (or similar) still remain regularly mellow...hoping to rely on surfing to keep me sane in the winter if I move down to California, cause I will no longer be able to get an after-work fix at Alpental and thats gonna hurt.


edit- thanks to the mag who PM'ed me with all the details & info I was hoping for

Not that these are any secrets.

OB is not hudge every single day, and is often sub head high. That said, it offers a lot more umph come fall.

Santa Cruz offers the best bets. Cowells get powerful about once every 3 or 5 years for a few days. Mostly it is just a gutless long roller.

Pleasure Point can range in size. It is rare that some where along the greater point is not small. Even on a gigantic 20' @ 20 second swell about a decade ago, there was still surf in the double over head range available. And that kind of size is once in a decade kind of swell.

Linda Mar, which is often boring, can get a bit more fun in the winter. Much smaller and weaker than OB.

All these spots can get crowded.

I would suggest either getting a fun shape or a big wave long board for your quiver - if not a short board. It is not all big surf - lots of nooks and crannies, but it does not hurt to get used to some more size. Make trips down to SC. Pleasure is so tame compared to OB, and plenty of options in between.

thanks! i've got a 7'6" egg when conditions get too big to punch my 10' single fin out through the whitewater....just have a preference for noseriding so i'm usually surfing the log. i'll be bringing both boards if i move down for the winter.