El Porto Surf Guide
Surf spot guide
Ideal Surf Conditions
Swell Direction
SW, WSW, W, WNW combo swells.
Wind
E, SE.
Surf Height
Chest-high to double overhead.
Tide
Mid.
El Porto Surf Guide
Despite its many personalities, El Porto is not particularly known for outstanding wave quality. It is, however, a NW swell magnet and it's almost always bigger than any other spot in the South Bay during the winter months. The trick is to find the zone with the "holes," as the locals call them, referring to breaks in the relentless closeouts up and down the beach. With spring sandbars and/or a crossed-up swell, El Porto can get really good, and really crowded. In years past, the area has taken hits from beach nourishment programs, wherein tons of sand were trucked in, turning the place into walled-out closeouts. Nonetheless, El Porto does, at times, get machine-like.
LOCAL RESOURCES: South Bay Boardriders Club | Meet Up: South Bay Surf | South Bay Surfrider Foundation | Heal the Bay | Stoked Mentoring
LINEUP TIPS:
Etiquette | Surf Safety Basics
Ability Level
All Abilities
Beginner to advanced.
Local Vibe
Welcoming
Minimal.
Crowd Factor
Heavy
Heavy when it's firing, desolate when it's not.
Spot Rating
Fun
Typically a hopeless closeout but can be really good when the rest of SoCal struggles.
Shoulder Burn
Medium
Not bad when it is small, plenty of work to be had when it is pumping.
Water Quality
Fair
It's the middle of LA.
Hazards
Water quality and board-breaking closeouts.
Bring Your
Shortboard, Fish, Funboard, Longboard, Bodyboard
Access
Parking lot at bottom of 45th Street.
Bottom
Sand.
Best Season
October-April.
Do you have local knowledge about El Porto?
If you have any insights or information to add to this spot guide, drop us a note at [email protected]