Dudes!  This IS California, right?  Tell me about surfing in the Los Angeles area.  

This summer, one of the kids wants to take up surfing in the South Bay - Torrance, Redondo, Hermosa, Manhattan and El Porto.

I was reading some online forums about the "locals only" mentality some people have (Malibu & Zuma were mentioned).  Is that mentality prevalent in the South Bay?  Are the surfers there confrontational and/or violent about "protecting their turf"?  For example, if you're from Redondo, can you surf in Manhattan without fear of trouble?  Are drugs and drug abuse part their scene?

The plan was to have a healthy athletic activity that's low cost as well as fun for summer vacation.  Does surfing fit that description,as we hope it does?



P.S. - Do you buy a full body wet suit or just a spring suit for June, July and August?

Surfing is definitely a low-cost, athletic activity, once you get past the initial cost of a board and wetsuit of course. There is some localism in the South Bay, but as always some places are worse than others. I'd stay away from Lunada Bay, it's notorious for the "Bay Boys" and they don't tolerate outsiders very well. Zuma isn't known for being too friendly either. El Porto is usually pretty good, though parking can be tough. Torrance is alright, waves probably will be better elsewhere but it's a pretty secluded place.

As far as drugs being part of the scene, it's 2014 and you'll be in LA. Drugs are part of pretty much every scene. That being said, they're not going to be forced, or even offered for that matter, to anyone who isn't already looking for them. You should have nothing to worry about there.  

No matter where you go the most important thing to remember is respect. Just like everywhere else in life, it will get you where you want to be. There is a hierarchy of sorts when it comes to surfing, and when respect is given it's returned 99.99% of the time. As far as the wetsuit thing goes, that's really personal preference. If you're kid is super skinny and gets cold easy, get them a full suit. If they tolerate cold pretty well and have some built-in insulation, you should be perfectly fine with a spring suit. Remember this too, you will more than likely have to pay for parking no matter where you go. So have some quarters handy.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to PM me. I've been surfing up and down the SoCal coast my entire life and am more than willing to help if I can.

That sounds much better than what I was reading on the other web site.  

I was hoping this would just be good, clean fun and will have to watch to keep it that way - parental responsibility and all that.  





P.S. - I keep a baggie full of quarters in the car.  They go fast during the summer.  

Yeah, like I said as long as respect is given you should encounter absolutely no problems. One thing you may want to check out is lessons. They can give a good basic understanding and are usually taught at friendly beaches. Even if you don't want to fork over the cash for them, just look to see where they're being offered and head to those beaches.

Stay away from any river outlet after a good rain. My friend used to get weird rashes after surfing at places like Seal Beach following a storm. The San Gabriel "sewer" River empties out there. "bacterial bloom"

Got it.  Heal the Bay publishes water quality reports for the entire coastline.  They check everywhere but focus on areas near storm drain outlets, hyperion plants, etc.  If there hasn't been a storm, all these beaches have an A+.

Heal the Bay Water Quality Reports



Catch-22: storms make great waves for surfing but you cannot go into the water without getting sick.  

What weight wet suit do you wear for early summer?  I am seeing ads for 3/2 wet suits?  Are they warm enough, too warm?

Is a full body suit the way to go or is a spring suit better?

Really depends on how well you tolerate the cold. Personally, I'm a wuss when it comes to the cold so I wear a 3/2 during the summer. Plus, if it ends up being too warm you can always unzip it or pull it halfway off. Much easier to cool down in a full suit than it is to warm up in a spring suit.

Makes sense to me.

I've found the earlier you get in the water the less likely you are to encounter localism. Dawn patrols are best at places like El Porto in my experience.

Thanks for the info.  I think we're going to start with a 3/2 wet suit.

What's the deal with the lifeguards' flags on the beach?  We have to stay outside the flags, correct?

Is there anything else we need to know that's unique to surfing, something one would not know after a lifetime bodysurfing at the beach?  Bring plastic grocery bags to help get the wet suit on,... stuff like that,... anything???

If there is yellow flag with a black circle on it flying on the beach (aka being "blackballed"), board surfing is not allowed. You can body surf or body board, but you cannot surf and will possibly be ticketed if you do. I've never done the plastic bag thing, but some people swear by it. One thing you may want to consider is a rash guard, especially if you've never worn a wet suit before. Pit rashes are no fun.

It's spring break this week, so we went out for the first time today.  It was very cool!
 
We got a soft top board at Costco for $100.  I was reading that these boards have caused quite a stir in the surfing community due to their low price and how many have been sold (over 100,000).

We got a Rip Curl 3/2 full wet suit from Jack's for only $80 (40% off sale going on now).

We had set fairly low expectations like just remembering how to paddle out, how to duck the waves, need three good rides, etc.  We vastly exceeded our goals - the kid was standing up on the second wave.  

The water was beautiful!  I don't think I've ever seen it so clean and clear.  It was fairly cold but we were both in the water for an hour and neither of us had on a wet suit.  The waves were perfect for a beginner - 2 feet waves in sets of three with a decent break between sets, so you can paddle back out.

We'll be back out on Thursday.  Tomorrow, its Knott's Berry Farm!