Surfing TR - Here you go Scotsman!

Do to a recent suggestion by Scotsman, I decided to write up a TR about surfing, so here is.  It's a bit generic, but I figured not everyone is a surfer, so it's mostly for those wo don't know what's out here in WA for surfing...


   I moved out here mostly from the draw of the mountains.  The ocean was cool, but I was enamoured with the Cascades.  Until a friend's dad told me a while ago that there is surfing on the coast.  "Stugie, I can't believe you haven't been surfing yet!  Seriously, just buy a board, head out to the coast and jump in!  If you see someone that knows what they're doing, ask lots of questions."  So I did.

   After trying it once I was hooked, and for a while I was surfing and skiing every month.  But, as I like the mountains and powder better, surfing takes a backseat to skiing.  However, I still enjoy it and go out when I can.  For those who don't know, there's a few major surfing areas in WA, and a number of smaller breaks which are local areas that are hard to locate without the local knowledge.  La Push, the Straights of Juan de Fuca, Longbeach, and Westport are some of the bigger, more well-known areas in WA.  Of these, I have ties with Westport, so it's my "surfing" home.
   Westport is a small fishing town located at the southern entrance tip of Gray's Harbor.  The northern tip is claimed by Ocean Shores.  There are a large number of run down motels and small pubs/bars that splatter the town, and a majority of the town shaped by the fishing industry.  There are new developments slowly growing into condos and expensive coastal properties, and in a short time there will be a golf course next to the State Park.  There is a great surfboard company, Gallardo Surfboards, and 2 surf shops:

The Surf Shop

and Steepwater Surf Shop

The ocean though, is still the main draw for most Westport visitors and of those - many are surfers.

   The Jetty - This is the main break most people go to.  An easy area for beginners to learn, the Jetty also offers some quality surf to those willing to take the rip current out to the larger breaks.

The Jetty on a small day


   The Cove - The Cove is a good area to break a board.  The sharply shallowing beach break lends itself to some heavy waves and even heavier wipeouts.  Definitely an area for good shortboarders...or ones who have cohones of steel.

The Cove peeling

Photo by reflexdoc from www.magicseaweed.com

   The Groins - My personal favorite place, breaks between fingers of rock jetty with a magnificent view of the Olympics and Ocean Shores to the north.  This place doesn't go off often because it's protected, but when the swell hits right, this place is on.  There are three areas at the groins that can give a good ride, but when it's really on, all three can peel perfectly together.

Stugie dropping in on the 3rd Knuckle

and one last amazing photo...

The Jetty going REAL big...

Photo by Dave R. Zimmerman from www.magicseaweed.com

I also have some videos up, along with some backcountry vids. You can watch them here , here , or here

So cool, thanks very much Stugie.
I nearly , almost want to try it. Are there any sharks?
Can you rent a board and wetsuit from one of the local surf shops for a beginner to try it??

That last picture is amazing.

Surfing and skiing, very similar in more ways than one.
Waiting for good conditions, learning to progressively surf bigger waves, gear and the lifestyle.

Maybe we should change TAY to SAY-TAY( Surfing all Year- Turns all Year)!

So cool, thanks very much Stugie.
I nearly , almost want to try it. Are there any sharks?
Can you rent a board and wetsuit from one of the local surf shops for a beginner to try it??

That last picture is amazing.

Surfing and skiing, very similar in more ways than one.
Waiting for good conditions, learning to progressively surf bigger waves, gear and the lifestyle.

Maybe we should change TAY to SAY-TAY( Surfing all Year- Turns all Year)!

First of all, yeah, there are sharks. Have I ever seen any? No. The waters in the PNW are home to a number of sharks though (the gf is a zookeeper, so I get reminded of this FREQUENTLY...it's quite unpleasant really.. We have 18 different species of shark out in the PNW, none feared as much as the Great White. If there's seals around, and they split, so do you.

You can rent boards and suits from either of the surf shops mentioned, and I don't have a preference. Al owns the Surf Shop, his son shaped two of my boards (not for me, I got them 2nd hand) and now shapes for Pearson Arrow. Mattie owns Steepwater Surf Shop, and I think he's into tow-in surfing.

www.magicseaweed.com has a bunch of pictures of the various breaks, including more by reflexdoc and Dave R. Zimmerman.

And yeah, I have found more similarity between surfing and skiing, and that each has helped me in the other one. In fact, now I snowboard anytime I'm in resort because it's so much like surfing...it's like a cross between the two.

Outstanding TR.

Please post more.

What if there are no seals to begin with? Does it indicate sharks in the area, or shark just ate, and is full? I must say, you do look a bit sealish... and what about orcas and jelly fish?

Awesome report and pic,, thank you! love the one with the ominously looking dark sky in background

Nice pictures and TR!  A friend of mine from my hometown used to always say there's really two reasons he doesn't surf up here.  The water's cold and there's sharks   I think he just wants to keep the number of surfers down though!