Santa Cruz and heading south but where?

[Surf Hound]

Hi guys. I moved to Ca (Los Gatos, which is right outside Santa Cruz) 5 months ago from Honolulu, HI. I know -I know - Why? Moved for a job which would allow me more time at home and being a single parent that was huge. Anyway. My son is off visiting his mom for the holidays so I have this coming New Years weekend off which constitutes 4 days.

Surfing in CA has been an adjustment with the getting used to wetsuit, booties, cold water and constantly going right. Santa Cruz is the land of the rights and being a goofy I really really miss going left. I want to head south this coming weekend as I am off for 4 days and without my son means I am free to go anywhere I want. What I want is warmth, decent waves and to go left. I know the water is still going to be cold which I am cool with but some decent weather like 67-75 degrees and sunny would be cool. Call me what you want but the last few times I drove to Santa Cruz to surf the weather was 55, cloudy etc and I just said f-it and went home. I am ok with the cold water but it just too f-in cold outside of the water.

So any ideas on where I should head this coming week. Again, looking for decent waves, preferrably a point break, definately lefts and not too cold. I have a 4-3 wetsuit and I understand even after a 5 hour drive south the water will still be cold. Oh yeah, I would sacrafice quality of the waves for less crowds so I am not looking for the well known spots where I am jockeying for a wave all day. Any advice would be great. I know I am not asking for much - just warmth, waves, no crowds and lefts. I am hoping someone would be on a decent area where I am not spending the whole 4 days driving around.

Thanks.

[billie_morini]

Surf hound,
I usd to surf a lot in Santa Cruz when living in NorCal. Now that I movr too far south to go there, I miss it a lot.

Some notes for your surf safari:
- you will not find water as warm as HI in CA, especially in Winter; the farther south you go, the warmer it gets
- i'd avoid LA; too many surfers
- try Cayucos pier and Pismo beach pier while driving south for warmer water
- you might beach pier; if you get lucky you can catch it on slow day
- surf at Trestles in north San Diego county
- head on down to San Diego; before you do, see if you can get some detailed info from the math teacher; he lives and surfs in san diego

[Surf Hound]

Many thanks. Pismo beach pier is actually what I scouted out via internet, surfline etc. I never went last weekend as the forcast was not good for that weekend weather wise and did not feel like doing the whole safari solo in those conditions. Nonetheless, I plan on heading that way next time conditions look right and make it a long weekend for me. Appreciate the input!

[billie_morini]

Surf hound,
glad to know you didn't waste time and money.

There is botched statement in my previous post: "you might beach pier; if you get lucky you can catch it on slow day"

It was supposed to suggest visiting/surfing Huntington Beach Pier. While in that neighborhood, be sure to get a hearty breakfast or lunch at the Sugar Shack Cafe at 213 1/2 Main St, Huntington Beach. This has been a surfers' and locals' haven since 1967 and is operated today by the notable surfing brothers, Timmy and Ryan Taylor.

[IB_Surfer]

Honestly, I surf up in that area two or three times a year when I go visit my daughter at her college. I found pismo to be smaller than Morro or Cayucos.

Morro gets the most crowded, but has a bunch of peaks so it's usually not that bad, and it has great form. I have surfed it 2ft and fun to 6ft and perfect, so no matter what the forecast it is fun. Cayucos is a bit steeper but usually bigger.

The water is usually in the high 50's, so it's not much warmer than Santa Cruz.

If you want warmth you might want to drive as far south as San Diego. It has been non stop for the past several weeks. Big and small, but always waves.