by Stuart Thornton
Under the twin smokestacks of the Moss Landing power plant and right across the road from Elkhorn Slough, the beach break at Moss Landing State Beach almost always delivers the juice during the winter’s bigger west swells. With the mile-deep Monterey Canyon right offshore, the waves have lots of power when they hit the sandbars here.
During a big swell, the waves are smaller and more manageable at the south end of the beach near the jetty, while the breaks farther north draw the more hardcore crowd. These waves are frequently heavy and barreling.
Unfortunately, the local surf crowd here can be hostile to newcomers. I’ve seen a surf car parked on the paved state beach road that had been surf waxed on all the vehicle’s windows and even its sideview mirrors. So be on your best behavior if you’ve never been here before.
One advantage to surfing Moss Landing: you can check if the winds are offshore by looking at what direction the steam from the smokestacks is blowing.
GOOD FOR Surfers craving heavy winter surf.
NOT POPULAR HERE Beginning surfers on soft-top surfboards.
YOUR MOM WOULD TELL YOU TO be careful out there. Moss Landing has incredibly powerful waves, mean rip currents and sometimes hostile locals.
IF YOU’RE LUCKY YOU’LL get a barrel that you will remember the rest of your life.
Directions
From Santa Cruz: Head south on Hwy 1 for 25 miles. The entrance to Moss Landing State Beach is on the right about a half-mile north of the power plant.
From Monterey: Head north on Hwy 1 for about 19 miles. The entrance to Moss Landing State Beach is on the left just past the power plant.
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