Mavericks, Montara & Pacifica
Surfing in Northern California
Before Charlie visited San Francisco, she spent a few days on the coast a bit further south. She wanted to see the big wave spot Mavericks and Half Moon Bay.
Point Montara Light House
Charlie found a hostel not far from Mavericks and with public transport connections to San Francisco. HI Point Montara is next to a light house with direct access to a small beach and stunning views over the rough coastline of Northern California. The bus stop was in front of the hostel along the highway. From there, you can get to Daly City and then take the Bart into San Francisco.
Montara State Beach
Not far from the hostel and the lighthouse is another, bigger beach. It took Charlie around 20 minutes to get there on foot. Montara State Beach is a sandy beach with good waves for surfers. There were a few people in the water when Charlie got there, some were even wearing helmets. You could see the rocks at the southern end of the bay. The waves seemed to be steep and some of them were closing out. It requires a fast pop-up and is not suitable for beginners. A bit further north, the waves seemed a bit gentler, the rides were a bit longer with more whitewash. The surfers there weren’t wearing helmets. From the cliffs, Charlie had a great view of the whole bay.
There is a parking lot, but there are no businesses by Montara State Beach, only some private houses. You won’t be able to hire surf equipment on the beach or even get a coffee. It is well-worth a visit though!
Pacifica State Beach
Further up north from Montara is Pacifica State Beach with the town Linda Mar. Charlie took the bus to get there which took around 20 minutes. Right by that bus stop is a shopping centre with a big supermarket, cafes and restaurants.
There, Charlie was able to hire a surf board and she was impressed by this surf shop. Travelers is a surf shop with surf club and they have boards in different shapes and sizes and in excellent condition. The wetsuit too was great and kept Charlie warm in the water. It was a 5,4 wetsuit with hood and that was certainly needed. The water was cold!
Travelers also has hot showers, a heated bench and a sauna! Even if you get cold after the session, there is more than enough opportunity to warm up again at the surf shop. They offer free tea too!
Surfing at Pacifica State Beach
Before Charlie went in the water, she was given detailed information about the spot and a safety briefing. It reminded her a lot of the service at Zuma Jay in Bude. She was impressed.
Pacifica State Beach had small waves that day and they were great for longboarding. A bit further south is a creek and some rocks. The waves are usually a bit smaller there. The best waves are in the middle of the bay and that was also the busiest spot. There were surfers further up north too. The whole bay is quite sheltered and the waves are usually smaller than at Montara State Beach and better suited for longboarding.
Half Moon Bay and Mavericks
Around 20 minutes further south from the hostel at Point Montara Lighthouse is the big wave spot Mavericks. Charlie had to get off the bus in the village Princeton and walk from there for another 20 minutes. If you have a car, you can get much closer to the spot. It is still a good 10-minute-walk from the parking lot.
Big wave spots aren’t always big and when Charlie was a Mavericks, it was almost flat. There were some waves and only a paddleboarder and a foil surfer were in the water. Charlie still enjoyed the views from the beach and from the end of the jetty. She saw the boats getting in and out of Half Moon Bay and even spotted some seals
