Piedras Blancas Surf Guide
Surf spot guide
Ideal Surf Conditions
Swell Direction
SW, W, NW
Wind
NE, E
Surf Height
Chest high-overhead
Tide
Low for the reef, medium for the beach break
Piedras Blancas Surf Guide
Pico Creek at the north end of downtown San Simeon. It will be either a thick, right-hand reefbreak wave during clean conditions or a peaky, rocky beachbreak on smaller days. The reef sits in front of the creek's mouth and is clogged with seaweed and boils, yet manages to produce a rather decent right which peaks on the outside, backs off, then reforms and bowls into the inside section.Popular with surfers of all types, Pico Creek is a fairly reliable spot if the swell is bigger than chest-high. If it isn't, walk south of the short staircase. There you'll find a wide beachbreak punctuated with several boulders and patches of shallow reef. Unsurfable on anything bigger than a few feet overhead, the beachbreak proves valuable during the summertime.
Ability Level
Intermediate - Advanced
Intermediate-Advanced
Local Vibe
Intimidating
Definitely there. Be polite. A more subtle form of localism comes from the resident elephant seals and invisible white sharks.
Crowd Factor
Moderate
Medium. 10-15 surfers is about the maximum occupancy for Pico.
Spot Rating
Fun
Fun.
Shoulder Burn
Medium
Depends on size but generally a lot of paddling, especially when overhead.
Water Quality
Fair
Depends, could be dirty after a rain.
Hazards
Sharks. Nearby San Simeon has a big elephant seal rookery.
Bring Your
Shortboard, Gun
Access
Take Highway 1 into San Simeon Acres, where all the hotels are, and turn west onto Pico Avenue. Park in the tiny cul-de-sac at its end and take the staircase down to the sand.
Bottom
Sand, rock and reef
Best Season
June-February
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