Cottons Surf Guide
Surf spot guide
Cottons Surf Guide
Cottons Point, the lefthander at the north end of the Trestles beaches, is a long, often-mushy left that breaks further off the beach than any of the other nearby spots. Depending on sand buildup and the tide, the wave typically offers a rather flat face that's perfect for cutbacks. However, if there's a large, long-period, southerly swell and a minus low tide, Cottons turns into a quality high-performance wave, complete with a crackable lip-line and multiple barrel sections before unloading into the menacing shorebreak. Cottons is a pretty cool novelty wave, as well as a welcomed break from the hustle and bustle of Uppers and Lowers.
Ability Level
Intermediate - Advanced
Average.
Local Vibe
Doable
Hungry, but overall, mostly cordial.
Crowd Factor
Heavy
Generally packed, especially on weekends.
Spot Rating
Fun
Wobbly, sectiony, cutback city most swells, but with a solid S swell and negative low tide it can get pretty good.
Shoulder Burn
Medium
Pretty mellow but the paddle back up the point gets long on a solid S swell.
Water Quality
Fair
Typically ok but gets dicey after a rain.
Hazards
Car rip-offs, beach backpack rip-offs, getting caught by a speeding train on the trestle, rattlesnakes in the lineup after a rain.
Bring Your
Shortboard, Fish, Funboard, Longboard, Bodyboard
Access
San Onofre State Park; or walk, run, crawl, roll, bike, e-bike, skate, back flip down the trail after parking off the Cristianitos exit.
Bottom
Sand and cobblestone.
Best Season
Best March-October, but it works year-round .
Do you have local knowledge about Cottons?
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