The OC Beach Scene

Hey everyone! It’s been awhile since I’ve done the Sunday Spot Check; however, this week we’ll be looking at one of the truly legendary California surfbreaks–and the birthplace of the Orange County surf scene–San Onofre. Along with Malibu to the north and Windansea to the south, San O’ is widely recognized as the cradle of California surf culture, and remains a hotbed of young talent today. Although other spots may have been surfed first, it’s in the rolling waves and driftwood shacks of San O’ where surfing really grew up in California–where it gained its character and developed as a cohesive subculture. It’s where Miki Dora perfercted his style and learned his fierce antihero ethic; it’s where freethinking surfers once again reunited in the late 80’s to spearhead the longboard renaissance. While other spots may have eclipsed San O’ in terms of popularity and media visibility in the years following the early days of California surfing–not least among them Trestles, just a 10 minute walk up the beach–the soul of the surf scene–the traditional, ancestral home of California surfing–will always rest at amongst the palm frond palapas and improptu beach barbecues of this classic California surf spot.

Hey everyone! It’s Monday, which, oddly enough, means that it’s time to do the Sunday Spot Check here at the OC Beach Scene. After our short foray into the local beach culture of Santa Barbara, we’re back in the OC and the weather is…gloomy. With heavy showers expected to keep a damper on things for the next few days, you’re probably going to want to avoid the water, so this week we’re focusing on my favorite spot to shred when the waves are flat and/or contaminated with human waste–the Laguna Niguel Skatepark. (I know, I know–it’s an outdoor park, but I’ll take slippery concrete over poo-barrels any day).

Completed in 2003, the Laguna Niguel Skatepark is a fun, mid-sized concrete park that offers a well-balanced combination of ledges, rails, and transitions. While the nearby Laguna Hills Skatepark–just a five minute drive down Alicia Parkway–is free, Laguna Niguel’s newer, roomier answer to the aging park is well worth the $10 price of admission. Unlike the dilapidated Laguna Hills facilities, the Laguna Niguel Skatepark features fast, smooth concrete, a bowl that doesn’t suck, and high, pointy fences that, for the most part, seem to keep the stoner crowd to a minimum (although some of them seem to have slipped behind the front counter).

As seems to be the case with most Orange County skateparks, the crowd at the Laguna Niguel Skatepark can roughly be divided into two subspecies of skaters–aging soul-bros who have recently rediscovered the concrete glide after years behind an office desk, and pint-sized skate punks who worship the Baker crew and secretly have their moms drop them off around the corner. While the former are mostly harmless and stick to the clover bowl in the back, the latter are loud, obnoxious, and have no problem snaking you on the mini. These kids all have long, greasy hair, spit foul obscenities in squeaky voices, and to top it off, they skate better than you. Seriously, between the hours of 3 and 10, this place turns into a sort of demented daycare full of unruly Dennis the Menaces on wheels. However, if you are able to hit a midday sesh before the after school crowd gets on it, a fun, stress-free time can still be had.

For more information on the Laguna Niguel Skatepark, including hours of operation, head on over to the park’s webpage at www.ci.laguna-niguel.ca.us/index.asp?NID=424.

Hey guys! It’s Sunday and we’re heading back up to Santa Barbara to check out more great beaches in the vicinity of this quaint coastal community! Last Sunday’s post was a lot of fun to write, and brought back many good memories of epic winter swells past; however, there is still much more to be said about the enchanting, seemingly endless Santa Barbara shoreline. This week, we continue our journey south down the Santa Barbara coastline to visit the hidden coves of Montecito and the world-class waves of South Santa Barbara County.

Montecito: This exclusive community just south of Santa Barbara proper is known for its towering hillside estates and celebrity residents such as Oprah; however, in my mind, Montecito’s true charm lies in its miles of empty, exquisite shores. Found at the end of oak-lined, cobblestone streets and hidden behind stately, Tudor mansions, the quiet coves of Montecito abruptly appear to the visitor as a revelation–striking in their beauty, yet seemingly out of place amongst a scene that otherwise evokes images of Victorian England or perhaps even the Antebellum South. I’ll never forget the first time I walked down the steps at Miramar, one such Montecito cove, only to be greeted by a woman riding by me on horseback. Her simple smile in response to my awestruck gaze seemed to say it all–”Duh, we are in Montecito after all.”

The Sunday Spot Check heads north! I just got back from visiting some friends at my alma mater of UCSB, so I thought it would only be fitting for me to review some of my favorite Santa Barbara beaches for this week’s Sunday Spot Check! For those of you who have already visited Santa Barbara, you already know that this beautiful seaside town has some of the nicest beaches in the state! For those who haven’t, this short overview really doesn’t do justice to the miles of pristine coastline that Santa Barbara has to offer; however, I hope it inspires you to make the short trip north soon! While most visitors to Santa Barbara never make it out of the State Street/Stearn’s Wharf area, I encourage you (especially those surfers out there) to do some exploring on your next trip to the area! Below, you’ll find my take on some of the best beaches in Santa Barbara County.

Goleta/IV: While the working class town of Goleta, just north of Santa Barbara, may lack the ornate Spanish architecture and palm-lined streets of its neighbor to the south, for my money, it has some of the nicest, best preserved beaches in the county. While Santa Barbara city beaches can get crowded in the summertime, the always-empty Goleta shoreline provides a great escape from the hustle and bustle of this tourist hotspot. Sands Beach, at the north end of student-dominated Isla Vista, not only offers a seemingly endless expanse of untouched sand, it also provides fun, fairly consistent waves in an otherwise swell-starved region. There are also several fun, occasionally epic point breaks in the Goleta/IV area; however, truly good days at these spots are few and far between, and are always punctuated by thick, student-speckled crowds.

Santa Barbara (Downtown): If you’re looking for the classic California beach experience (think pier, boardwalk, beautifully groomed white sand), then head downtown to the Stearn’s Wharf area. With world-class shopping, great food, and bike/board rental shops all located within close proximity, the wide, sandy beaches of downtown Santa Barbara offer plenty of entertainment for the whole family. If you’re a surfer, checkout Leadbetter Beach, situated just north of the marina and across from Santa Barbara City College. This is a quirky, sometimes challenging righthand pointbreak that, when the conditions are right, can be a lot of fun on a longboard.

Named for the seemingly endless staircase that leads down to the sand (trust me, it’ll feel like a million steps after walking back up on a hot summer day), this beautiful South Laguna beach is well worth the trek! With its emerald blue water, white sands, and picturesque sandstone cliffs, Thousand Steps has long been a well-guarded local secret and is easily one of my favorite beaches in Orange County. However, not only does Thousand Steps offer stunning vistas and a calm, relaxing atmosphere, it’s also locally famous for its great waves, and on any given day you can be sure to see some amazing skimboard and bodyboard action!

Thousand Steps beach is divided into two distinct areas, with each seeming to attract a different crowd. Straight out from the stairs is 9th Street, so-named because–you guessed it–it is located just below the corner of 9th Street and South Coast Highway.
This stretch of beach is definitely more family oriented–expect to see plenty of beach umbrellas and Capri Sun stocked coolers. A nice feature for families is that a lifeguard is always on duty at 9th Street during the summer. South of 9th Street is 10th Street (creative, I know). While it is quite a walk down to this beach, its out of the way locale also allows for certain freedoms–such as alcohol consumption–that are less easy to conceal at family-friendly, lifeguard-patrolled 9th Street. Watch out though, as drinking is prohibited at all Laguna beaches, and you can–and will–be ticketed by the police that periodically patrol the area.

Ok, so I realize that today is Tuesday (actually Wednesday now in most parts of the world), but I’m gonna go ahead and do the Sundat Spot Check anyway because it’s fun for me to write and I didn’t have the time to do it this weekend. Also, as what is very possibly the last south swell of the season makes its way to our shores, it’s important for you, my loyal readers, to get out and enjoy today’s featured spot before it shuts down for the winter!

So, without any further adieu, I present to you…drumroll please…Doheny! Yes, the water is a disturbing shade of murky brown. Yes, the line up is always crowded with legions of foam board wielding newbies, and yes, the waves are almost always at least a couple feet smaller than those at nearby Salt Creek. However, Doheny will always hold a special place in my heart as the spot where I learned how to surf. And I don’t mean “learned to surf” as in clumsily hobbled to my feet for the first time in the forgiving backwash of an ankle high wave. I mean really surf. Doheny is where I perfected my style (or lack there of). Doheny is where I first walked to the nose. Heck, Doheny is even where, during a freak south swell in the middle of winter, I got my first legitimate barrel. (Nobody seems to believe this story, but seriously, it’s still one of the top five waves I’ve ever caught to this day).

Today, Doheny is still an important proving ground for young Orange County longboarders, and on any given summer day, you’re sure to see a whole crew of pint-sized groms getting five on ankle-slappers and squeezing into miniature barrels on classic equipment. With its fun, thin-lipped peelers and consistent, if small, summertime surf, Doheny is the perfect place for budding loggers to polish their techniques along with other like-minded, retro enthusiasts. Seriously, apart from the stray shredder who seems to have gotten lost on his way Creek, it’s like the shortboard revolution never happened here–and none of these kids seem to miss it. The boards are heavy, the surfing is stylish, and, most importantly, the vibe is always positive out in the water at Doheny.

To get to Doheny, head south on Golden Lantern until it dead ends at Dana Point Harbor. Turn left on Dana Point Harbor Dr. and then take your second right at Puerto Place. Find parking, have fun!
Local tip: Avoid the exorbitant $10 parking fee charged by the California State Park system by parking in the metered lots closest to the jetty.

Located just around the bend from Salt Creek in Dana Point, Strands Beach is a completely different world. With its quirky waves and rundown, forgotten shoreline, Strands is like the red-headed stepchild of South Orange County beaches–an outcast surf break for outcast surfers. Attracting an eclectic combination of reclusive kneeboarders, scooter-riding burnouts, and other nefarious individuals from the fringes of the surf community, the lineup at Strands is often almost as varied–and as challenging–as the waves themselves. From heaving shorebreak to dumpy closeouts to perfect A-frames, you never know quite what to expect at Strands, and that is part of its enigmatic appeal.

Unfortunately, the Strands of days gone by may be gone forever. The Strands of the weird; the Strands where the parking is free and the lineup is uncrowded. This Strands–old, familiar, strange–is quickly being replaced by the Strands of the wealthy–the Strands of the haves and the you-can-have-not. Once a last bastion of wild Orange County, a place where trees and vines and brush rose up to swallow and ensnare the few signs of human life dotted along its shore, Strands has finally been conquered–its defiant bluffs molded into graded hillsides, its unruly vegetation replaced with concrete and rebar and other ominous signs of encroaching civilization.

While it may be too late to stop the construction at Strands–the Surfider Foundation effectively put an end to their hard-fought Save Strands campaign in 2005 after exhausting all options–we still have time to prevent this tragedy from repeating itself elsewhere along our coast. Please visit surfrider.org to learn about other endangered coastal habitats and ways that you can help in the effort to save them.

Located just down the road from my house and boasting some of the best waves in Orange County, Salt Creek is where I end up going 90% of the time when I’m looking for a quick surf session. It’s easy, it saves money on gas, and even if it’s flat everywhere else, I know there will be at least something to surf at Creek. However, it isn’t just the convenient location and fun waves that keep me coming back to this great local spot–Salt Creek is a beautiful beach that has plenty to offer for surfers and non-surfers alike. With its huge grassy hill that is perfect for both romantic sunset picnics and late night ice blocking expeditions, a nice trellised patio with plenty of room to barbeque, and of course those excellent vistas that have drawn luxury hoteliers Ritz Carlton and St. Regis to its shores, Salt Creek is an excellent place to bring the whole family–or just your board and wetsuit.

Local tip: No trip to Salt Creek is complete without a visit to the snack bar, located atop the bluff overlooking the beach. A popular hangout amongst both hungry surfers and cheeky, prepubescent middle schoolers, the snack bar is almost always busy during the summertime; however, the food is greasy and delicious–a perfect pick-me-up after a long day in the sun. Try the apple burrito and never view Mexican food–or apple pie for that matter–the same way.

Hi everyone! Sorry for the lack of updates the last couple days, but I just got back from an overnight fishing trip in Catalina, and, needless to say, I was without access to a computer. Now, however, the boat is in port, the fish are in the freezer, and I am once again here to give you the lowdown on all the best beaches in our small part of the world!

Today, in our latest installment of the weekly Sunday Spot Check, I introduce you to Tablerock, a great locals-only beach in South Laguna. Hidden away in a quiet, picturesque cove well south of the busy tourist strip in Laguna, Tablerock is a favorite among locals due to its secluded atmosphere and breathtaking vistas. From its quaint, flora-entwined spiral staircase, to its shallow sandstone caves, to the quirky, eclectic locals that freqeunt it, Tablerock seems to be one of the last truly untouched, classic Laguna hideaways.

Getting there: Tablerock is located in South Laguna, just down the road from Aliso Beach. Try to find parking in one of the neighborhoods above 7 Eleven on PCH, and then walk down to the end of Eagle Rock Lane, where you will see the beach access!

Hey guys, the Sunday Spot Check is a new feature here at the OC Beach Scene in which I will be looking at a different Orange County beach each week. Expect some interesting choices, as well as some great local tips that you won’t find anywhere else. In anticipation of tomorrow’s toll road hearing, I have decided to kick off the Sunday Spot Check with a review of Trestles, one of the beaches threatened by the proposed toll road extension, and a great destination for both surfers and nature lovers alike.

Although Trestles is technically located on the northern tip of San Diego County, it has long served as a proving ground for young San Clemente surfers and is fiercely claimed as an Orange County spot by locals. Named for the train trestles that line the beach along this otherwise untouched stretch of coast, Trestles is actually a series of pointbreaks, all of which are blessed with extremely good, occasionally epic surf.

After making the trek down the trail to the beach, the first spot you see is Uppers, a long, rippable right (and occasional left) that works on both north and south swells. On a crisp Fall morning, when the offshores are blowing and a good-sized NW swell is filling in, Uppers can be absolutely magical. However, don’t plan on getting in a good session at Uppers alone. When its on, Uppers is one of the best waves in Southern California–and everybody knows it.

To get to Lowers, simply take a short walk down the beach. You know you’re there when you see the crowd of 50 frothing surfers, each eager to leave their mark on one of the perfect 100-yard rights or lefts that the break has to offer. While Lowers is often (read: always) crowded, many see it as a small price to pay in order to surf what is arguably one of the best, if not the best wave in California. On a good south swell, expect to see plenty of cameramen on the beach, a lineup clogged with boards covered in carefully-placed stickers, and at least a few of your idols from the pages of Surfer Magazine.

Getting there: From Orange County, take the 5 South to the Cristianitos exit, take your first left (away from the beach), and try to find parking in the lot full of surf rack-mounted cars. The trail down to the beach is just across the bridge on your left.
Local tip: You may want to bring a skateboard or a bike with you, as the trail is quite long, and can make for an exhausting walk on hot summer days.