San Diego County Surf Breaks

DPRA Inc.

San Diego County contains more than 70 miles of coastline, ranging from expansive sandy beach breaks with shifting peaks and hollow barrels to rocky point breaks with long walls made for cutbacks. Depending on conditions, such as swell direction and intensity (period), there is almost always some place in the county where there are waves on which to surf.

This map illustrates the shape of the San Diego County coastline and explores how its topography interacts with its position in the region to influence the way that swell becomes surf. The Channel Islands create a swell shadow that changes position depending on where the swell originated and its intensity. The wintertime brings plunging water temperatures and large northwest swells. In the summertime, the water temperatures come back up and bring playful swells from the Southern Hemisphere. The fall, often seen as the best time of year for Southern California surfing, sees a combination of northern and southern swells along with favorable weather conditions that make the local breaks come alive.

Courtesy of Benjamin Harris.

Map Book Page [PDF]