Corona del Mar Surf Guide

Corona del Mar Surf Guide

When planning a surf trip to Orange County, the last spot anyone thinks of is the Corona Del Mar Jetty, just south of the Newport Harbor entrance. And for a good reason: the place hardly ever breaks. But when it does, it's second only to Newport Point on the perfect-o-meter.

Three critical elements are necessary for the Corona Del Mar Jetty to work well. First, you need a massive southwest swell -- at least double overhead at Newport. Second, a prevailing offshore wind is needed to hold up the wave. Finally, a medium tide helps for length of ride.

On southwesterly mackers, the tip of the jetty creates long a right-hand wave that is carvable while the rest of the coastline closes out. On gargantuan west to northwest swells, the opposite occurs on an inside finger jetty called.