This is a fun, soft, A-frame point break with a reef bottom and kelp beds a little deeper than the lineup to keep the waves clean. He took me to several breathtaking and romantic places, one of them being Sunset Cliffs. This is the place to come when its big. I Vol. A thick kelp bed several hundred yards outside the break smoothes the bump out of westerly wind, making the Cliffs an ideal place to surf when the beaches are blown out. The name Subs was from a large chunk of cliff that fell in to the water and looked like a submarine.. That is what the story was the other day. They call it one of the worlds largest man made water parks. Sunset Cliffs in San Diego County is an exposed reef break that has quite consistent surf. For the guy who said the cliffs were never really a secret didnt grow up here, obviously. Add in your four-legged best friend running around, playing with other dogs, jumping in the wave Cabrillo National Monument is named after Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, the first European explorer to reach America's Wet Coast. I always like to include a couple local tips or places to eat in these surf spot reviews. Starting from you parking spot on the street you will see it right away. While it has many names - "The Hidden Arch Cave Under Sunset Cliffs" - or the "Open Ceiling Sea Cave" - or simply "that great photo spot", all of these names refer to a sea cave that is approximately 40 ft wide X 40 ft high with an open (collapsed) ceiling of some 30 ft. Secret Cave of San Diego. The cruelty of their actions is unbelievable. From there, you can hop into the surf. All content remains copyright of Wavetrak Limited unless stated otherwise, we'd kindly ask that you don't reproduce it in any form without our permission. Sunset Cliffs Surf Spot - Go Surfing SD! You may be wondering when the best time of year for surfing Sunset Cliffs San Diego is. Time of Sunset in San Diego: November to January - 4:40 PM - 5:00 PM February - 5:20 PM - 5:45 PM March - 6:55 PMApril - 7:30 PM May to June - 7:40 PM - 8:00 PM July - 7:45 PM [10] It stretches from Adair Street to Ladera Street. maybe tom chapman knows? I have a picture on my wall of me in a stand-up tube at Rockslide in 1982 taken by the Sonshine Surf Shop photo guy, lipping two feet right over my head, that makes me smile every time I look at it. After exploring and playing all day head over to Ocean Beach to catch the sunset with a packed picnic at Sunset Cliffs. San Diego has so much outdoor adventure to offer! Also note that cliff diving is not legal, and you can be ticketed. New Break is the next one south and north are north and south Garbage. From here you'll be on the sand right in front of the break South Garbage which is a perfect point break. 619.232.3101. Level: Intermediate to Advanced (Advanced during larger swells). Its map for Sunset Cliffs and Point Loma lists breaks in order from north to south as follows: Pescadero St.; Osprey St.; Bird Shit; No Surf; Indicator; Needles Eye; Luscombs; Rockslide; Lizards; North Garbage; South Garbage; Sub; Ab; South Ab; Newbreak; Chasm; 33s; Pink House; Pillbox; and Ralphs. Surfable waves that hold up well for longer rides in prevailing cross-offshore, offshore or light wind conditions. Cardiff is a beautiful stretch of beach with reefs toward either end, and fronted by bluffs at its northern expanse. This is one of best surf breaks in San Diego. Too many go outs to count since the first one in the fall of 1970. Mills spent approximately $1 million to restore the features created by Spalding. Along this two-mile stretch, you will find numerous surf breaks. The Inn at Sunset Cliffs is the filming location for the Mars' residence in Veronica Mars. Step over the ropes and follow a clear path switch backing down to the beach. boardwalk is always bustling with activity. Share this: More It is bordered by the Pacific Ocean on the west, Ocean Beach on the north, Catalina Blvd. Find adventures and camping on the go, share photos, use GPX tracks, and download maps for offline use. Find other San Diego Surf Spot reviews here and subscribe for more reviews like this below: Please keep your parks and beaches clean by picking up after yourself. Some doubt the existence of the Green Flash due to the rarity of catching one but, there is a brewery in San Diego named after the Green Flash to give it more notoriety. 12/8/18 at the OB Library. As a final note, surfing Sunset Cliffs is always the best at low tide irrespective of the season. Our monthly and weekly newsletters will keep you informed about the latest and greatest happenings in the destination. Mission bay is an amazing SUP location of man made bays and parks located just minutes from the San Diego Airport.One of the favorite coves is the Santa Barbara cove not just because its easy to access with parking right across the road. And believe me it got especially bad at South Mission Jetty on big days. To get here, follow the first few bends on Sunset Cliffs Boulevard leaving OB. Be careful of sneaker sets as these can really test your metal. Thankfully, several of our secret spots are still secret and not mentioned above. Most of the surf breaks in the Sunset Cliffs region prefer a low to medium tide. In the following paragraphs, Ill share how to catch the best sunset at Sunset Cliffs. Finally, I like to share my favorite local spot for grub after surfing. This is the place to come when its big. The string of great surf breaks along San Diego's 70-plus miles of coastline may be a blessing for seasoned shredders, but there are plenty of spots here that are perfectly suited to first-timers, too. The rock itself eventually eroded to a nebulous shape. Reef breaks provide lefts and rights. I still find myself Barking at some dope trying to drop in on me no matter where Im surfing. Most notably friends and I waited in a long traffic line to Garbaage just to observe. Wave Height: 3 to 10 feet. There are numerous breaks dotted up and down the cliffs some are very very sketchy. adventures and follow local regulations. Work great didn't it? Not only that, this north facing break is best situated to pick up those Northwest swells that commonly arrive in winter months. I still remember Mike White, Jim Akridge or myself yelling Go Back to some poor guy paddling over from North Garbage to where we surfing at Blue Moons/ Lizards, so we could continue to surf without the crowds that were floundering over at the next break. Works best in offshore winds from the east. I love how accessible this place is. Surfing Sunset Cliffs means scrambling up and down the bluffs and paddling in and out from the rocks, but out at the tip, at a spot called Dolphin Tanks, ambitious surfers access the lineup by boat. That was a great time to surf the cliffs. Super-low tides dramatically alter the character of the breaks, making things interesting with shifting peaks and new sections. Put pressure on your Council member and educate them on why they must vote NO on SB 10. With that said, I have a couple to share on Sunset Cliffs. Waves continue to break through a mid-tide. There was MAJOR localism for decades. Such a nice view! Just take caution when getting out of the water via staircase at a mid-high tide or when there's a a lot of swell. Of course, it's also one of the most crowded and localized. Click below to view there surf guides. Works best in offshore winds from the east. The main street of the area is Sunset Cliffs Blvd. As mentioned, the reef here allows for swell up to double overhead. Hey Ken, thanks for joining the conversation. I knew all those guys: most of us were in the PLHS Class of 66 your brother Doug, David, Billy and Tim. Yes! A small commercial strip is found along the northern end of Sunset Cliffs Blvd. Furthermore, the reef bottom of Sunset Cliffs provides for smoothly groomed waves. Wind stats for Sunset Cliffs, see the variation in direction and stength by month or season on the history page here. 6 It's best on a 4-6 foot swell and only go on a mid to low tide. On your way out of Sunset Cliffs, be sure to stop at Chris Liqour & Deli in OB. https://valentinasdestinations.com/romantic-date-ideas-in-san-diego/, Beautiful sunset views, a great place to have a picnic with friends or just sit and read peacefully. More Garbage Beach / Sunsett Cliffs videos, More Garbage Beach / Sunsett Cliffs photos. The last steep section even has a rope to assist you. Interactive Sunset Cliffs surf break location map. Yep, that sector is always ready to help out. Residents throughout San Diego are uniting in solidarity on Saturday, May 6th, to peacefully protest San Diego's irresponsible overdevelopment policies. If La Jolla Can Secede from San Diego, Why Cant the Peninsula? However, some breaks along this stretch are more difficult to access than others. adventures and follow local regulations. Dogs are allowed off leash at the beach, so the great news is your pup can go for a swim while you're there. With the right board, youll catch your fair share of fun waves. We called Dolphin Tanks Moustache because it broke left and right and at that time Dolphin Tanks was a salt water conversion plant that was sent to Guantanamo Bay when Castro threatened to cut the water supply to the base. By accident of birth the Cliffs were private property! Groundswells more frequent than windswells and the ideal swell angle is from the west. You wont find a lot of beginner surfers here. The trail is breezy, much cooler than many trails inland, featuring ocean views throughout the duration. And like you, Ken Coffey, I followed my surfing into other places in 1987 and in other ways the last 34 years, and rarely got back to San Diego except to bury a couple of relatives. La Jolla Shores is one of San Diego's best and most popular beaches. And whether you're out in the water or watching from shore, with all the professional and amateur talent in town, there's a good chance you'll witness some mind-blowing action anywhere at any time but especially at spots like Trestles, Black's and Windansea. I guess Dolphin Tanks was a later name added due to the buildings and tanks used in trying to turn dolphins into weapons? Accessible parking. Try to get there a bit before the sunset if you want to snag a spot in the parking lot. First my name aint Bob its Tom. Great for longboarders and still fun for shortboarders on a 4 foot swell or more. One of the best places to go for surfing, coastal views, and an incredibly scenic beach is Sunset Cliffs Natural Park, located on the Point Loma Peninsula, right outside the neighborhood of Sunset Cliffs.. 1, No. Pier). Seaside Reef and Tabletops to the south and Cardiff Reef and Pipes to the north serve up a variety of fun waves. Along with actually being told that Southside OB Pier was a local-only zone by some dude and that I needed to paddle inuntil I threw a vertical lip bash on my mid-80s Seal Ding Repair shaped & glassed twinfin between the pilings and paddled back out. Sunset Beach. Guess there arent enough kids living in MB to justify one any longer. We surfed with a bunch of kids from Pt. "Sunset Cliffs" is the name for a long stretch of rocky, reef break surf spots along the San Diego coast just south of Ocean Beach. Moved to The North Shore of Oahu the summer of 70 and never looked back. This is what we take with us when we go, amazing memories. A friend of mine surfed fence line at inside chasum a few time when there no surf just to get wet. It does not have a large takeoff zone so the crowds will be very concentrated. There are man-made paths down to three small beaches - Garbage Beach, AB Reef Beach, and No Surf Beach. I heard Scat called it Subleo once and wasnt sure why perhaps thats his own nickname! Finally, the paddle out, currents, and wave power would lead to me classifying this wave as advanced. You gotta find the secret sea cave i believe there is a Surf. The breaks along the cliffs are not secret and probably never were except for the very early days of surfing when everything was being discovered. The cliffs are pretty vast, but filled with lots of spectators. Your local guide to Surfing Sunset Cliffs San Diego In this post, I will share a full review on Sunset Cliffs Surf Spot. We called Johnny the newbreak kid and he hung out with ziggy, zagg, Steve Lisk, and countless others. How to Choose the Best Surf Wax. For the remaining 9% of the time it is considered too small by mostsurfers but may still be OK for beginners and groms at times. Lots of paddling and most of the reefs only really start to work when it's overhead. The views are breathtaking, and there photos absolutely do them justice! Get the latest Sunset Cliffs surf report including local surf height, swell period, wind and tide charts. Some wave-magnet breaks may still work though if conditions are right (on occasion). To access most of these breaks, rocky cliffs -- and, often, exposed reef -- must be navigated. This break is built to handle big swells. Winter is the best time of year for surfing here. Surfing wise, be sure to check out the Garbage surf breaks found here during a big swell. The San Diego Tourism Authority is funded in part by the San Diego Tourism Marketing District Corporation with City of San Diego Tourism Marketing District assessment funds. Walk south until you hit the reef wall and walk along it until you get around the corner. Catch a Sunset at Sunset Cliffs, San Diego, California - The Outbound To access most of these breaks, rocky cliffs -- and, often, exposed reef -- must be navigated. The farther in you go (towards the campus) the more secluded it will behopefully.