San Diego advice

**shera** · 09-09-2007, 07:25 AM

I'm surfing next week - Tuesday-Friday. Taking a lesson at Mission Beach on Tuesday, then I'm on my own. Where should I take my big foam board?

Small clean long break preferred. Something easy and fun. Sandy bottom.

...ps - I suck at surfing.

Sheesh, I looked at surfline and the conditions should be poor (ankle?), so maybe I can go somplace with a bigger break than Tourmaline. But not with any crazy currents or rocks where I can get worked ever. I would like to grow out of being a gaper in one piece.

**nutcase** · 09-09-2007, 11:38 AM

tourmaline doesn't have a sandy bottom. Just south of tourmaline is sandy. North of Crystal pier is much better than south IMO

**Ottime** · 09-09-2007, 12:45 PM

If you are a newbie you should be just fine with *no* waves. There will be a little something down there on the beaches. Some background south energy and a little of north dribble will keep you paddling and figuring out.

Don't know SD too well, but Black's picks up what is out there, and since no swell is scheduled, the crowd factor will not bother. Good luck - it is worth learning. Just got out of the water a little while ago - it tends to put you in the best of moods.

**tarkman1** · 09-10-2007, 02:51 AM

1) Go back to the same area that you had the lesson. The place will be familiar to you. That said, I'm not a big fan of Mission Beach. Where's the surf camp? Ostend Ct?

2) Pacific Beach. Try Law St area.

Go out and have fun.

**Tye 1on** · 09-10-2007, 09:20 AM

Having only had one lesson on same big foam board [and freakin lovin it!!!!], I only know one place, Moonlight in Encinitas. Took my instruction thru http://www.kahunabob.com/, and think they do rentals too. Have a blast SheRa!!

**Atlas Q. Powmonger** · 09-10-2007, 06:37 PM

^^^^^^ Good call. Cardiff Reef is also pretty friendly on a small day - just stay on the inside or out on the shoulder.

I highly recommend you not learn to surf at Black's.

**nutcase** · 09-10-2007, 09:25 PM

Originally Posted by Atlas Q. Powmonger

I highly recommend you not learn to surf at Black's.

Agreed. But just south at Scripps would probably be a good place.

**fullers2oh** · 09-11-2007, 08:21 PM

yeah echoing the last poster - "just south at scrips" is a good mellow beachbreak that does pick up just about the smallest of swells and will be fun, called la jolla shores. have fun!

**seanpistol** · 09-11-2007, 09:43 PM

PB has a lot of babes?

**shera** · 09-12-2007, 07:53 AM

Well, yesterday was interesting. The break is small (which is fine) but soooooo short. I remember Tourmaline being so much longer. If you got up, you could ride a long time and fool around with turning. And I'm not going to get started on the shoddiness of the lesson. Still thinking over how to deal with that.

I have equipment for the week. We need to go back to Mission Beach for the next couple of days so I can try to deal with the "surf lesson", but then I'm really thinking about going back to Tourmaline. I had a beginner lesson there a few years ago and it was so fun. What do I need to know about the rocks there?

tkx,
Mir

**Brocktoon** · 09-12-2007, 11:00 AM

There isn't really much rock concern at Tourmaline. The break occurs between the pure beachbreaks of PB to the South and the cobble/reef break of PB point to the North. The amount of exposed rocks at Tourmaline depends on the tide and how filled in the sand bars are. Regardless, if you paddle out right in front of the parking lot, you should be pretty good.

If the waves are better to the North and you are drawn that direction, just be aware that the bottom can be a little more dicey. Tourmaline is such a mellow wave that you really have to be inspired to put yourself in a compromising situation (especially with the current lack of swell).

**Brocktoon** · 09-12-2007, 11:02 AM

Originally Posted by fullers2oh

yeah echoing the last poster - "just south at scrips" is a good mellow beachbreak that does pick up just about the smallest of swells and will be fun, called la jolla shores. have fun!

There are a bunch of peaks between Scripps proper and La Jolla shores proper, referred to collectively as "green wall", that tend to be a little less crowded than either. If the sand bars are in good shape they can be a blast.

**shera** · 09-16-2007, 07:48 AM

Thanks for the info on Tourmaline. I didn't remember any danger there. Maybe go there next time.

We surfed at Mission Beach every morning. Although it was a short ride, there were maybe three different breaks, getting bigger as you go out. I couldn't really handle the furthest one, but my son was out there mostly. One morning there were some dolphins with him. So cool.

I ended up riding a lot of little waves and really started learning the way of it, experimenting with ways to get up and all that. And started to get a feel for managing the speed of the board (nose down) as I'm first catching the wave. I was able to rescue some rides where the waves were getting past me. Other times the nose would go down too far and I would get beatered pretty good.

It was so fun. I think I'm hooked. It'll take a long time to get any good at it though, especially since I don't live there.

**seanhav** · 09-20-2007, 08:32 PM

If you visit san diego to surf in the furture head north up the coastline and check out La Jolla Shores/Scripps - Del Mar 15th St. - Cardiff. Don't be concerned with rocks/reefs at any of those spots or almost all spots in San Diego County. If you can head farther north go to San Onofre State Beach. Cardiff (and San Onofre) can offer long slow rides with soft shoulders. You will spend more time surfing then struggling to catch waves. Cardiff also has a very friendly crowd (relative to mission/ob/pb crowds) with lots of families (groms and ol' timers) surfing it.

http://www.surfline.com/reports/repo...el.cfm?id=4237