Surfing Waves

I live and surf in Hawaii, in fact, I have never surfed anywhere else but Hawaii. I know, I know, the consistent warm water along with a steady barrage of waves all year long makes it tuff. The one reason I moved back to Hawaii after a 20 year hiatus was for the surfing. Now I am considering taking a job in the San Fran, Bay area of California. While I was there I checked out a couple of the surf spots - Ocean Beach & Lindamar/Pacifica and talked to guy in the parking lot about the cold. He said he wore a 5/4 all year long, which I have no idea what a 5/4 means nonetheless he said that kept him warm. My question is this, especially to those of you who have surfed warm water temps like I am used to, how cold are you in the line up? Hell, during the winter I get cold here in Hawaii with the water temp dropping to 72 degrees or so. When you are wearing one of these 5/4 do your feet, hands and face just freeze to death? Wearing a 5/4 = warm water temps of Hawaii? Yes, I know I am a puss.... but I hate the cold!

If you get a good 5/4mm wetsuit, it will keep you warm in the bay area. When the water gets in the low 50's gloves can really help. 5mm booties are a must in my opinion, and my wetsuit has the hood permanently attached, but I live up north in Oregon. If you are really worried about the cold get a good 5mm hooded wetsuit, and you will be fine. You could also visit a local surf shop in the bay area, and ask about a rental /demo program. Then you can try a wetsuit before you buy.

Surf Hound,
I used to live and surf regularly in NorCAL (north & south of SF). I have worked on 4 of Hawaii's islands and now live and surf in Santa Barbara.

"5/4" means a wetsuit in which the body's neoprene is 5mm thick and the arms and legs are 4mm thick. It’s good for water temps below 12C or 13C. I used a 4/3 nearly all year in NorCAL + light booties (2mm) and light hood (8oz). In mid-Winter, I'd wear rash guard shorts and sleeveless rash guard shirt under my wetsuit. I surfed regularly in water temps between 12C and 15C in NorCAL (Avg 13C). I wear a 3/2 in Santa Barbara and the water temps range from 14C to 17C (Avg. 15C). Air temps are warmer in Santa Barbara, so it is easier to use a lighter suit there. One thing you'll realize is that not only is the water cold in NorCAL, the air temperature is cold, too.

I'm a little bit warm-blooded and actually enjoy the cold water. It makes me know I am alive. Some years, I've gone very far north from SF for surf safari during Christmas holidays. To me, it is amusing when it gets so cold you can't feel your feet.

It's easy to go from cold to warm. It is very hard to go from warm to cold. You may be cold in the NorCAL lineup. In addition to 5/4, make sure you get a chest zip suit. The chest zip is much, much warmer than a back zip.

Ocean Beach has very strong currents. It will test your stamina and your ability to paddle. It was too much for me, but i started surfing late in life. Lindamar in Pacifica isn't that good, but when you only have time to go a short distance, it'll do. Some of my favorite winter evenings there were with really rough waves and rain. I'd suggest you go north across the Golden Gate Bridge to Bolinas (that is a town's name) and Salmon Creek. If you like head high or bigger, go to Point Reyes. I'd also suggest you go to Santa Cruz, which is not very far south. I used to go there twice a month. I often went to 38th and 41st Streets (actually in Capitola). If you are a seasoned surfer, you will enjoy surfing at Steamers lane right in Santa Cruz beside the Surfing Museum.

Oh,
get this book:
"Surfing California - A complete guide to the best breaks on the California Coast," written by Guisado and Klaas and published by Falcon Guide.

I live and surf in the SF Bay Area and although I've (sadly) never surfed in warm waters, I spent a lot of time in them in my pre-surfing life.

I'm always cold and I wear a 5/4 wetsuit (chest-zip), 5 mm booties, and 2 or 3 mm gloves all year round. I also wear a 2 or 3 mm hood when the air temp is below 60-65 degrees (well, it's more of a "cap" -- it fastens under my chin instead of attaching to my wetsuit, but it is neoprene and does keep me warmer). As I said, I'm someone who is always cold, but wearing this enormous amount of neoprene I can stay in the water as long as I want, unless the air is temp 50 or below. Then I get tend to get too cold after about 90 minutes. But most of the year, the air is not that cold.

I'm kind of of an extreme case, but most of my friends wear 4/3 wetsuits, lighter booties, and not necessarily gloves -- depending on the air temperature. About half of them wear hoods when the air is in the 50s or lower.

Tons of surfing around here. I love the waves in Santa Cruz the best (and there are quite a few different breaks around there, including up the coast a bit). But closer to SF is Ocean Beach (I haven't surfed there -- I'm still a novice and it scares me) and Linda Mar/Pacifica. Linda Mar's default state is close-outs, but it's still usually possible to get your fix there one way or another!

There is also Montara south of Pacifica, and the Half Moon Bay area, also south of Pacifica and north of Santa Cruz. (Mavericks is in the Half Moon Bay area, but there are other spots nearby that are much more reasonable!)

I don't think you'd have a hard time finding waves to ride, but it would probably take awhile to get used to dealing with the cold water. It's definitely manageable and totally worth it (when the alternative is not surfing!). I'm going to bet that the thing that would take the biggest adjustment would be the whole process of dealing with the wetsuit before and after surfing, more so than getting used to the cold water itself. I can only dream of being able to run straight into the water without the whole neoprene production beforehand!

billie_morini wrote: To me, it is amusing when it gets so cold you can't feel your feet.

billie_morini wrote: To me, it is amusing when it gets so cold you can't feel your feet.

That's the end of a session for me. Doing all the work, still having plenty left in the arms, get yourself in position, catch a wave, make the drop, then having to look down to see if you are standing on your board. Not being able to feel the board respond takes all the fun out of it.

Thanks a ton for the responses. From what I hear, I guess wearing a 5/4 actually keeps you warm out there? I have always wondered if cold water surfers were just miserable sitting in the line up and I guess the answer is no. I was really really considering NOT taking the job just because I would not be able to surf. I guess I will be able too and with some comfort. Couple more questions: 1. It seems "booties" are going to be a must in the bay area but how far south would I have to travel to not wear booties? What area of Ca would one consider scaling back the rubber, especially on the feet? 2. How long to get used to surfing with booties? I imagine back skate boarding as a kid here in Hawaii and we skated barefoot (hell we did everything barefoot back then, including school) but I started skating barefoot and as I got older I started wearing shoes but to this day I would prefer to skateboard barefoot. 3. All this rubber and board size - do you think I should sell all my boards I use here in Hawaii due to the fact I will need more foam for the extra weight in CA? I heard the waves were not as powerful in CA as HI so maybe I would need more volume in my boards? I am an average surfer with boards ranging from a 9'6 down to a 7'1". I am a big guy 6' and 230lbs and most of my boards are 3" thick. When I was in San Fran I stopped by Wise Surfboards at Ocean Beach and just looked around and had a field day as the boards seemed to be built more for guys my size as compared to my local shops as everything is 6' and under and 2.5" or less thick (smaller people, I guess). I literally could have surfed everything in the shop as here locally I generally have to go custom. Sorry, for all the questions guys but these are serious questions I have that are having a major factor on my decision to go or not go. 4. Travel.... I guess a surfer that lives in CA has to do some traveling to surf on a consistent basis - How much do you guys travel to surf? 5. I watch Discovery Channel and see those big a$$ Great Whites all the time, especially in northern CA - Do you guys wear those electronic shark repellent leashes that the battery last like a year or so?. What do you bring to the beach on a average day? Me, I bring some flip flops, wax, towl and a board and sometimes I skip the towl and flip flops.

Surf Hound wrote:Thanks a ton for the responses. From what I hear, I guess wearing a 5/4 actually keeps you warm out there? I have always wondered if cold water surfers were just miserable sitting in the line up and I guess the answer is no.

I think imagining sitting in water that cold is far worse than actually being in water that cold, provided you have a good suit/hood/gloves/boots. At the temps you're talking about a good 5/4 will keep you warm, no problem.

Surfhound,
There is tons o’ surf in NorCAL. No reason not to take job there. In contrast, I was contacted in 2008 by two managers of an engineering firm in Germany. They asked, “Are you ready to return to Germany and work with us?” Without hesitation I blurted, “You’ve got no surf!”

Onto your questions…

1. It seems "booties" are going to be a must in the bay area but how far south would I have to travel to not wear booties? What area of Ca would one consider scaling back the rubber, especially on the feet?
A: This depends on you. Many surf without booties in Santa Cruz in Summer. That is 75 miles south of SF. Majority of surfers in Santa Barbara and Ventura do not where booties; except in the coldest part of Winter. That is 325 miles south of SF.

2. How long to get used to surfing with booties?
A: Many of us in NorCAL and through British Columbia actually learn to surf with booties. But, it’ll take you 2 to 5 days to get used to it. Important element: bootie neoprene and sole thickness vary widely. So do designs. My wife wears something like a small boot. I wear something like a Ninja slipper (2 to 3mm neoprene, split toe, very thin rubber sole, no velcro closures or straps). My booties are more like slippers and I can feel the wax bumps through the sole). Whatever you do, do NOT get scuba diver’s boots. They are heavy and have a thick, non-flexible sole. In addition, diver’s bootie soles are often sloped (higher heel causing toes to point downward).


3. All this rubber and board size - do you think I should sell all my boards I use here in Hawaii due to the fact I will need more foam for the extra weight in CA? I heard the waves were not as powerful in CA as HI so maybe I would need more volume in my boards?
A: No. Do not sell your boards unless you simply don’t want to transport them to mainland. Wetsuits are not that heavy. As for wave power, it depends on where you surf. There are breaks up and down the entire coast capable of snapping your board in half or breaking your bones. There are also mild places that are good for us Old Guys and our children. Your boards that are 3 inches thick will be fine. Most of us have boards between 2 and 3 inches thick. Many longboards (boards >9ft length) here have thicknesses between 2 ¾ and 2 7/8 inches. You saw the boards at Wise’s shop, but you did not see any boards thicker than 3 inches. Did you? I’m confident about this because I used to frequent Wise. The last thing I bought there was a painting by a local artist.

4. Travel.... I guess a surfer that lives in CA has to do some traveling to surf on a consistent basis - How much do you guys travel to surf?
A: Depends. If you live near Ocean Beach, you don’t need to travel much. I used to know 3 guys that lived there. However, there are so many good breaks from Santa Cruz to Sonoma County that you’ll want to travel. SF Bay Area people are big commuters, so driving to surf is not a big deal. In fact, most Californians are accustomed to lots of driving. When I lived in NorCAL, all my favourite breaks were a 1 to 2 hour drive. I could only surf on weekends, but I’d surf all day Saturday or Sunday. And I really mean 8 hours in the water. In contrast, I had a buddy that lived in Pacifica. He surfed 3 to 4 times a week. By the way, while Lindamar is the most widely known break in Pacifica, there are many others and at least 3 of them are superior to Lindamar. If you live in Pacifica, you can take the BART (train) to work like my buddy did. (He now lives and works in Australia.)

5. I watch Discovery Channel and see those big a$$ Great Whites all the time, especially in northern CA - Do you guys wear those electronic shark repellent leashes that the battery last like a year or so?.
A: NorCAL is within the Red Triangle. There are sharks there, but Florida has the most attacks of any US state. North Carolina has more attacks than California. California is tied with South Carolina and Hawaii. No one I have known or have seen uses shark repellent leashes. In fact, have never heard of such a thing.

6. What do you bring to the beach on a average day?
A: Clothes to put on after wetsuit comes off. Includes hat and sweater / coat and long pants. You’ll find you need to warm up with clothing after you’ve been surfing in cold water. Usually bring a bottle of water and something to eat. In Winter, will bring thermos filled with hot coffee or tea. Yes, to wax and towel. Most surfers leave all this stuff in car / truck. When you come and go from the beach, you’ll arrive in street clothes, put on wetsuit if surf is good, surf, remove wetsuit, put on street clothes. It is uncool to wear your wetsuit coming and going. It is extremely rare to see someone wearing a wetsuit at the local taco stand.

Many thanks. My questions and concerns are satisified. It looks like I will be pulling the trigger and heading to the mainland. Surf was top on my list of requirements to move and thanks to your input I can put a checkmark next to surfing.

7 years later... this post and the answers were still very very useful. I sincerely appreciate you all for sharing them!

Has anything changed every since them? Like culture, locations, hints, risks to avoid, etc?

I'm an intermediate surfer used to not so cold waters from South America and moved to the South Bay Area, planning to try out the cold waters of Santa Cruz once a month...

Thanks again!