Question for Santa Cruz surfers ....

[Ras Wes]

whats up guys...


i'mma be comin through santa cruz at the end of the month and I wanna do some surfing. I'm not a complete retard in the water... but I'm not going to try to claim that I'm better than I am. So I have an honest question: Where can I surf in Santa Cruz without steppin' on anybody's toes but still get some mediocre longboard break. I've been going to Linda Mar up in Pacifica a lot, and god knows how crappy that place can be, but even that is good enough... so is there like a linda mar equivalent in Santa Cruz.

I just don't wanna show up at the wrong spot and be just another ignorant/arrogant fool.


Let me know.


one love

[samhell]

Two words come to my mind when I think of Santa Cruz & Surfing...

1. Hardcore

2. Sharks

[rumsurfer]

I hate that 'locals only' mentality in the surfing scene. I've heard first hand stories about #### that happens over in Cali, don't know what Santa Cruz is like.

[stevie]

Cowell's, inside from Steamer Lane and west of the pier, is the main longboarding break in town.

If you're a decent surfer and there's enough swell, Middle Peak at the Lane is a lot of fun.

Pleasure Point, on the east side of town, also has a few longboard spots.

[Ras Wes]

I hate that 'locals only' mentality in the surfing scene. I've heard first hand stories about #### that happens over in Cali, don't know what Santa Cruz is like.

I hated it too at first because it seems xtremely arrogant/territorial/rediculous. But you have to see it from their perspective... you get hundreds (I mean HUNDREDS) of shitty surfers coming from SF and all the way in to the valley... and there's nothing wrong with sucking.... but when you suck... then you try to paddle out to spots that are WAY above your ability level you either put all the other surfers at risk because they could get a board to the face.... and they put themselves in danger because they don't know what they're doing... AND they just plain get in the way.

The "locals only" mentality only really applies to the best breaks in town.... because the locals don't want to see a bunch of kooks turn a great spot into an amusement park. And most of the time... if you let your surfing do the talking there is a whole lot less tension.

Basically the locals only mindset forces people like me who can't shred the best breaks (and shouldn't be shredding the best breaks because it's way out of our ability level) from trying them before I'm ready.


Now granted there's gona be some grouches no matter where you're at.... but most of the time they're just as kooky as any other douchebag in the water.


Hope that makes you understand a little better. It's not like people are going to be territorial about the beginner-intermediate breaks... because obviously the majority of people are going to stay at those ones... but when people try to venture WAY out of their ability level before proving themselves in any way... they risk hurting themselves and others and just all around bringing down the vibe in the water.


one love

[rumsurfer]

I understand the perspective described in your post. I'm not saying I have a better solution but I was referring to the absolute immaturity in which they handle the circumstances. I used to surf a little a number of years ago, I have been fortunate enough not to have been a victim of surf territorialism but I know it happens and it goes beyond protecting the best breaks sometimes. It is more akin to the kind of unsportsman-like behaviour seen on the field in other sports, rather than a legitimate and productive behaviour.

One of Australia's best (and older) surfers Nat Young was the victim of surf-related violence, it put him in hospital with serious life-threatening injuries.

Having said that, if any non-local shows up and behaves like an arrogant ass, he's probably asking to get smacked anyway. But that's applicable in other similar circumstances where a non-local behaves in a way that doesn't show any respect for locals, whether in their homes, or their city, state, or country.

I hated it too at first because it seems xtremely arrogant/territorial/rediculous. But you have to see it from their perspective... you get hundreds (I mean HUNDREDS) of shitty surfers coming from SF and all the way in to the valley... and there's nothing wrong with sucking.... but when you suck... then you try to paddle out to spots that are WAY above your ability level you either put all the other surfers at risk because they could get a board to the face.... and they put themselves in danger because they don't know what they're doing... AND they just plain get in the way.

The "locals only" mentality only really applies to the best breaks in town.... because the locals don't want to see a bunch of kooks turn a great spot into an amusement park. And most of the time... if you let your surfing do the talking there is a whole lot less tension.

Basically the locals only mindset forces people like me who can't shred the best breaks (and shouldn't be shredding the best breaks because it's way out of our ability level) from trying them before I'm ready.


Now granted there's gona be some grouches no matter where you're at.... but most of the time they're just as kooky as any other douchebag in the water.


Hope that makes you understand a little better. It's not like people are going to be territorial about the beginner-intermediate breaks... because obviously the majority of people are going to stay at those ones... but when people try to venture WAY out of their ability level before proving themselves in any way... they risk hurting themselves and others and just all around bringing down the vibe in the water.


one love

[Ras Wes]

You do have a point. I think there is a line between "productive" territorialism and "destructive" territorialism... I guess it just depends on the situation.

Either way... I'll just let my surfing do the talking... and if I still catch flack then I'd rather leave than surf a spot inhabitated by a jackass anyways.

Sometimes the locals can be as arrogant/ignorant as the "kooks" I guess. heh.

one love

[rattled]

Go to Sharks cove, on the eastside, just past the Hook on 41st Ave. Its my go to spot if I have to ride the tanker. On a good swell you can score some really long rides. I think it works best with a medium-lower tide, but I haven't surfed there enough to know for sure. Lineup is mellow and fun, I've never heard anyone call themselves a Sharks local in my life. Watch out for shortboarders who make the section between the Hook and Sharks, I get dropped in on a lot by guys who don't notice me.
Privates is really popular with longboarders too, I've never been there though so I can't tell you much about it. Its just down the coast from Sharks. there's a gate with a security guard blocking access from the street (you can get a key from one of the shops for $100 or so), but I think most people just paddle there from sharks (or ride a wave from sharks all the way to privates on a good swell).
38th Ave/Oneill's is another longboard spot, pretty kooky, usually under waist high, although it has its days on a good south swell and low tide during the summer, in which it becomes a pretty fun wave.
There are other waves around that are longboard friendly, just depends what kind of waves you want to surf, really.
There is no real localism in most of Santa Cruz, unless you show up at places like Stockton ave or some of the secret spots in and around town. Just keep a low profile, let your surfing do the talking, and you'll be fine.
DON'T go to Cowells. its kook central. When it breaks, there will be 150+ people out there, and 90% won't know what they are doing. Its pretty disgusting, actually.