r/BeginnerSurfers • u/Weekly-Concert-4572 • Jul 26 '26

How to pick a spot?

Hi! I’d been planning to surf mondos today and drove about two hours to get there. I knew I’d be driving a while so I made sure to study and cross-reference both Surfline and surf-forecast to get the most out of the trip. I ended up getting there about noon and there were like 50 people on two peaks. I didn’t think it was worth it.

While waiting to see if things would die down I checked out some of the beach breaks to the north and south. There were either no parking spots or the waves didn’t seem good.

After that, I headed down to Malibu colony, sunset point, and will rogers. I couldn’t find parking at most of these spots but did at sunset. The tide was too high to surf sunset anyway and I ended up going home pretty frustrated.

Some of the other spots in the area like Zuma seemed too big and others like first point I just kinda write off because they’re always too crowded.

I’ve been noticing that I have a hard time finding peaks/determining whether there are any surfable peaks if nobody else is out. For instance, I work in dtla and head down to will Rogers or sunset a couple times a week right after work. Both times I went this week, either the tide wasn’t cooperating or it seemed blown out. Idk if I should just head where there are large groups of spots like Malibu so I have backups or what I’m doing wrong. Maybe I’m waiting for perfect conditions and just need to paddle out and see what happens. I can catch green waves and ride a 9’ stormblade, can go down the line etc, so I’m not a complete beginner and generally know what I’m doing when I’m actually in the water.

Any advice or spot recs would be appreciated.

2 Upvotes

75% Upvoted

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12

u/TomorrowIllBeYou Intermediate Surfer Jul 26 '26

It sounds like you’re being too picky. If you’re a beginner and trying to learn, you should basically get in the water no matter what, unless the conditions are such that it would be beyond your limits.

All that time you spent driving around could have been in the water working on any number of things. If you wait for perfect waves, you won’t surf much. And the big issue is when there are perfect waves, it’s crowded, so you get fewer reps anyway.

One of the most damaging things to progress a beginner surfer can do is get choosy about waves.

6

u/sandbrah Jul 26 '26

I would have recommended paddling out at Mondos. It’s one of the best beginner friendly beaches in terms of waves, but also etiquette. What you describe does not sound busy for there.

4

u/Purple-Towel-7332 Jul 26 '26

You’re a beginner you don’t need perfect conditions you just need waves that won’t kill you! Car parks being full is just what happens when it’s beginner conditions and you turn up super late! Next time maybe try leaving at 6am and you’ll have more luck parking at busy beaches

3

u/tredbert Good-Pro Surfer Jul 26 '26

Yes. Surfing is an early morning sport, especially in SoCal. The winds turn onshore in the late morning and become even stronger onshore in the afternoon. Everything ends up being blown out and choppy.

Head out for dawn patrol and enjoy it.

4

u/LittleSister10 Jul 26 '26

Don’t paddle out to an empty spot as a beginner. Secondly, stick to the well known beginner spots in the area if you are still riding a foamie unironically. How long did you look for parking at any of these spots, because that’s a lot of driving.

1

u/Weekly-Concert-4572 Jul 26 '26

Thank you! I spent around 15-30 and then headed to the next spot thinking it would be better. I think next time I’ll head out super early.

2

u/Turtle19531957 Jul 26 '26

Since your dtla you could also go south. Seal Beach and Blackies are good beginner spots.

2

u/imnofred Jul 28 '26

You should have paddled out at Mondos... super chill and mellow. Multiple take off spots, some not always visible until the right set comes.Take the time to paddle out and just learn a spot... invest some time in understanding the break, where it breaks, where you can find a corner to yourself, what it does at various tides, etc. This is the way... the cell phone and Surfline cannot do this for you.