The Ditch

The Ditch is a fun and consistent surf break on the west side of Kauai. Located on Kaumualili HWY after passing through Kekaha, look for the Catholic Church on the right at the end of town. The ocean should be bordering the left side of the road. As the road curves to the right you will see a life guard stand and a small park area to the left. This is the Ditch and its varying peaks that stretch northwest. The Ditch is a mix of reef and sand. Breaking on west, NW and large north swells, peaks will form in various places. The more westerly the swell, the more peaks you will find. The more north in swell direction and you will find more stacked lines peeling down the beach. The break is fun at waist high and can hold about a double over head swell. When the north shore gets giant, northerly wrap will make this the premier spot to check out. Some tube sections with a crumbling lip. An outside break that can reform and provide some great shore pound making it attractive to bodyboarders. Depending on the swell direction and tide, this place will offer various types of waves and power. The wind can be a little fickle here. Normally trades will blow it out so variable winds tend to lend to the best conditions.

Wave Type: Reef/Beach Break
Swell Direction: West/North
Bottom Terrain: Reef and Sand
Experience: Beginner to Average Ability
Photo: Bodyboarder - John Bader
Photo: Taken by Becky Wold.

Brennecke’s Beach

Located along Hoone road in Poipu Beach on the South Shore of Kauai, Brennecke's Beach unfortunately has seen better days. In 1982 Hurricane Eva laid waster to this once sandy and pristine beach. In 1992, Hurricane Iniki pounded the coastline again sucking more sand out to sea leaving Brennecke's Beach rocky and barren. Despite the storm damage, Brennecke's still performs well on a nice South swell. Known by some as the birthplace of bodyboarding, Brennecke's is just that, a Bodyboarders paradise.

Tucked in a small cove near Poipu Beach Park, Brennecke's is now a small sandy inlet guarded by lava steps on both sides. Really a small stretch of rideable wave area, Brennecke's still seems to offer a very fun shore pound wave. Breaking on mostly sand, summer swells will find their way into the small cove and mostly close out barrels will crash on the sand. Despite very few makeable waves, Brennecke's provides a very fun, hollow tube and can deposit you and your board right up on the beach. Not as shallow as Sandy's, it is still a sand sucking wave that will barrel you everytime.

Normally very crowded with younger riders, it is still a worthwhile stop if you sponge. Just imagine how good this break must have been before the Hurricanes! I have seen this spot fun at waist to chest high and carnivorous at double overhead. If you like thick sandy tubes, this break is worth exploring.

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Wave Type: Beach Break

Swell Direction: South

Bottom Terrain: Mostly Sand

Experience: Beginner to average ability

Photo: Bodyboarder - John Bader

Photo by Matt Lareau

Poche Beach

I mention this surf spot because it is unique from many other surfing beaches in Orange County and even San Clemente. Probably less crowed than many other SC beaches, Poche is located in north San Clemente on PCH at the corner of Camino Capistrano. Metered parking can be found along Camino Capistrano or in a parking lot adjacent to the gas station on the corner. If you park in the parking lot beware as portions of it require a club or community parking sticker. Access the beach by crossing PCH or using an underground access tunnel. I like Poche because it is more local and quiet than other nearby beaches. For example, you can walk south of the small beach club house there and you will find a relatively unregulated stretch of sand. There locals will bring their dogs, coolers full of beer and even build beach fires in the sand. There are not many places like that left in Orange County! This beach kind of gives you an old school feeling of how the San Clemente beach scene was 30 plus years ago.

As for the wave, well there you sacrifice a little for the beach culture. Poche breaks best on a southwest swell. When under head high, this is primarily a beach break and can get a little inconsistent and weak. Breaking both left and right, you can find peaks from the mobile homes sitting to the south of the beach to the larger homes of Capo Beach to the north. On a larger south or southwest swell the reef will break outside off the creek that spills into the ocean. This is when Poche can impress: Expect a rolling left and right off of a deeper water reef. Poche is best at mid tide and when the wind is off shore. There is no specific paddle out point so just time the sets. You will find waves all year and even larger winter swells will break on the outer reef with hollow pealing rights at the correct tide. The beach is notorious for its urban runoff pollution but in California that is a small price to pay for a rather uncrowded beach that still possesses culture reminiscent of the 1970s. Just take a shower after.

Wave Type: Beach break with outside reef
Swell Direction: North and West , best on South
Bottom Terrain: Mostly Sand
Experience: Beginner to average ability

Photo: Bodyboarder unknown – Photo by Graeme Thickins/Fickr.com

Hanalei Bay, HI

Hanalei Bay, located on the Garden Island of Kauai, is a premier outer island North Shore Surf break in Hawaii. Located on the northern coastal reaches of Kauai, you can find Hanalei Bay by driving through the artist town of Hanalei. Look for signs that lead you to the pier and beach park area, where you should find ample beach parking. As you can see from the image taken by Timothy Moore, Hanalei Bay can hold a large winter swell. The paddle out spot is along side the pier. When it is huge it is best to paddle as far outside in the channel, along the fringe of the break, to avoid getting caught inside. It can be a rather long paddle, but in most cases it is worth the effort. Hanalei Bay can be fun when it is small; pealing over a shallow reef with several different peaks available. When it gets double over head or bigger, large winter swells will roll in from the deep water with large tumbling rights that will peak in several spots including a less frequent but safer deep water left inside, closer to the channel. Large north swells will wrap into the bay providing several tiered areas to ride so people do not have to be condensed into one primary spot. Hanalei Bay provides a steep drop, powerful bottom turn and then depending on tide and swell, the wave will mostly likely tube especially as you near the shallow reef area. Normally not a top to bottom tube, Hanalei Bay provides a mixture of deep water rollers with very hollow inside barrels. Bodyboarding is challenging here because the wave breaks fast and if you are not in the right spot at the right time Hanalei Bay will gobble up spongers. Nevertheless, if you make the drop and trim up in time staying ahead of the peak, Hanalei Bay can provide some long and very rewarding rides for Board Surfers and Bodyboarders alike. This break can get crowded and breaks best glassy or with a light offshore. The view from the water of the green Kauai mountains and waterfalls makes this place that much more special.

Wave Type: Reef Break
Swell Direction: North
Bottom Terrain: Reef
Experience: Expert

Photo: Surfer unknown – photo courtesy of Timothy Moore/Pbase.com

T-Street, CA

Located in the heart of San Clemente, CA., T-Street Beach sits just south of San Clemente Pier. Access it by Trafalgar Street (now you know why they just call it T-Street) and park in numerous free spots up and down the street or there is metered parking closer to the water. T-Street is well known for being consistent year long. For reference, look straight out to the ocean from the pedestrian overpass (access over the train tracks) and you will find the main reef that comprises T-Street. On a solid South Swell, long rolling lefts will form on the outer reef and as you enter the inside section the wave will bowl on the inside on a rock and sand reef. There is a shorter right on certain swells that can be fun to ride as well. T-Street is optimal on a head high swell and best at low tide and with glassy or blowing Santa Ana conditions. It is best to catch this place early in the morning for sake of beating the westerly winds and crowds. There is really no specific paddle out point as with most California spots, it is more about timing the sets to reach the line up efficiently. In the winter you will mostly find rights that thrust you into a solid shore break section. This spot does break on most south, north and combo west swells, but it is the summer south swells that make this place special. In the summer months board Surfers are black balled from the line up which means this is a spongers heaven. Worth noting a finicky winter break just to the north called Cropley’s which can provide a fast freight train right when the north swell is hitting perfect. Just to the South is the “Beach House” which breaks less consistent than T-Street but is always less crowded. T-Street is a great break for Drop Knee riding as you can really get some fun long rides with a small shore break finish.

Wave Type: Outer reef break with inside shore pound
Swell Direction: South, West and sometimes North
Bottom Terrain: Rock and Sand
Experience: Beginner to Moderate Skill

Photo: Surfer unknown – Photo courtesy of Beneath Blue Skies/Flickr

10th Street, CA

10th Street in Laguna Beach, CA – named after the street there off of HWY 1 just outside of Dana Point, CA heading north on PCH. Also known as Thousand Steps Beach, it literally feels like hiking up and down a thousand steps to reach this surf spot. I believe I counted 227 steps on the last hike up. Parking is mainly along the HWY and look for the public access beach route between 9th and 10th street (nearer to 9th I believe). Below the steep stair case you will find a quaint cove and for the most part a quiet local beach. 10th street and its neighbor 9th street provide some fun waves for Bodyboarders and Skim Boarders alike. Best on South swells, this break is a bit finicky for shape but if you are just looking for a shallow sand sucking barrel on the beach, then you have found your home. On the right south swells, the typical waist to head-high waves will A-frame up mostly into lefts but also rights with short hollow tube rides that run right into the sands edge. Throw in occasional backwash and side wash (something the Skim Boarders love) and this will make for an interesting day as sometimes you will spend more time in the air than on the wave. Not for beginners and you do run the risk of breaking your back here. Like most California spots, it is best when it is glassy or offshore. Watch out for Skim Boarders entering the waves from the beach as they enjoy the shorebreak in a reverse fashion. If you like this spot, check out Aliso Beach just up the road - similar dynamics and only minutes away.

Wave Type: Shore Pound
Swell Direction: Mostly South
Bottom Terrain: Mostly Sand – some rock
Experience: Moderate skill to Expert (depending on size)

Photo - photo courtesy of discoverlaguna.com

Kaisers, HI

Kaisers is another fun Waikiki South shore surf spot on Oahu. Named after Henry J. Kaiser who purchased 8 acres of Waikiki beachfront property from the John Ena Estate, which is now the Hilton Hawaiian Village. Located in front of the famed Rainbow Tower and near the Ala Moana boat harbor and Hilton Lagoon in Waikiki, Kaisers can be reached by paddling out through the Hilton Pier channel used by the Atlantis tour boat. Most surfers will navigate the rocky breakwater wall that sits in front of the break – from the edge of the breakwater, most will jump into the water and then paddle through the channel markers and then to the right where Kaisers breaks. Most park their vehicles in the harbor parking lot adjacent to the HHV. Kaisers breaks both left and right but it is the right that really provides a fun, hollow wave. The right will peel along the reef near the channel ledge. Surfing the left provides longer walls and potential close outs. Farther toward the harbor will take you toward “In Betweens” and farther along the rocky breakwater and harbor entrance is “Rock Piles”. For reference, “Three’s” breaks on the Diamond Head side of the Hilton Pier Channel. Kaisers breaks on coral and operates best on South swells. It has a fast drop in and can really pitch at low tide providing a challenging surfing experience. Watch out as it can get shallow in the inside section. Always crowded, this is a great spot to catch early in the morning to beat the crowds. The Waikiki sunrises are breathtaking from the line up. Watch out for falling embers and flaming debris from Friday night fire work shows. I haven been caught in a torrent of ash and brimstone paddling in after sunset as the fireworks explode over your head. For Bodyboarding this can be a fast a rewarding wave and if it is too crowded one can paddle to the other above mentioned spots and find a less crowded peak.

Wave Type: Reef Break
Swell Direction: South
Bottom Terrain: Mostly Coral
Experience: Moderate Skill

Photo: by Annamarie Bader