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Teiki Mathieu Baillan surfing a self-made Alaya surfboard in Macaroni, Mentawaï, Indonesia. Photo by C. Naslain, 2009.

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 Pismo Beach

USA, California, San Luis Obispo

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Datum: WGS84 [ Help ]
Precision: Approximate

GPS History (1)

Latitude: 35° 8.296' N
Longitude: 120° 38.681' W

User rating (76)


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 Access

Hwy 101, Exit Downtown Pismo Beach. Parking lot at the foot of the pier.

English (Translate this text in English): Hwy 101, Exit Downtown Pismo Beach. Parking lot at the foot of the pier.

English (Translate this text in English): Hwy 101, Exit Downtown Pismo Beach. Parking lot at the foot of the pier.

English (Translate this text in English): Hwy 101, Exit Downtown Pismo Beach. Parking lot at the foot of the pier.

DistanceIn the city

WalkInstant access (< 5min)

Easy to find?Easy to find

Public access?Public access

Special accessDon't know

 Surf Spot Characteristics

Surf Spot Quality

Wave qualityNormal

ExperienceAll surfers

FrequencyRegular

Wave

TypeBeach-break

DirectionRight and left

BottomSandy

PowerPowerful, Fun

Normal lengthNormal (50 to 150m)

Good day length

Tide, Swell and Wind

Good swell directionNorthWest, West, SouthWest

Good wind directionEast

Swell sizeStarts working at 1.0m-1.5m / 3ft-5ft and holds up to 2.5m+ / 8ft+

Best tide position

Best tide movement

More details

Week crowdFew surfers

Week-end crowdCrowded

Webcam urlhttp://www.surfline.com/r... 

Dangers

- Rips / undertow

 Additional Information

Good beach break at Pier. Peaks in a couple different places on the beach. Peaks up nicely on the south side of the pier. You can surf the north side of the pier, and once again 150 yards north of the pier.

Pismo is generally fun. Mushy waves one day, beautifully shaped waves another day. During the winter it has been known to barrel on occasion. Generally the waves will section on you, but you can catch a long ride time to time.

Surf it in the morning to avoid the wind.

English (Translate this text in English): Good beach break at Pier. Peaks in a couple different places on the beach. Peaks up nicely on the south side of the pier. You can surf the north side of the pier, and once again 150 yards north of the pier.

Pismo is generally fun. Mushy waves one day, beautifully shaped waves another day. During the winter it has been known to barrel on occasion. Generally the waves will section on you, but you can catch a long ride time to time.

Surf it in the morning to avoid the wind.

English (Translate this text in English): Good beach break at Pier. Peaks in a couple different places on the beach. Peaks up nicely on the south side of the pier. You can surf the north side of the pier, and once again 150 yards north of the pier.

Pismo is generally fun. Mushy waves one day, beautifully shaped waves another day. During the winter it has been known to barrel on occasion. Generally the waves will section on you, but you can catch a long ride time to time.

Surf it in the morning to avoid the wind.

English (Translate this text in English): Good beach break at Pier. Peaks in a couple different places on the beach. Peaks up nicely on the south side of the pier. You can surf the north side of the pier, and once again 150 yards north of the pier.

Pismo is generally fun. Mushy waves one day, beautifully shaped waves another day. During the winter it has been known to barrel on occasion. Generally the waves will section on you, but you can catch a long ride time to time.

Surf it in the morning to avoid the wind.

Atmosphere

Fun waves, but can get hectic and closed out when it pumps with a winter swell. Sometimes a few people at the pier who think they own it, but generally chill atmosphere. If the pier isn't a happy place, paddle north a bit and you'll be set.

English (Translate this text in English): Fun waves, but can get hectic and closed out when it pumps with a winter swell. Sometimes a few people at the pier who think they own it, but generally chill atmosphere. If the pier isn't a happy place, paddle north a bit and you'll be set.

English (Translate this text in English): Fun waves, but can get hectic and closed out when it pumps with a winter swell. Sometimes a few people at the pier who think they own it, but generally chill atmosphere. If the pier isn't a happy place, paddle north a bit and you'll be set.

English (Translate this text in English): Fun waves, but can get hectic and closed out when it pumps with a winter swell. Sometimes a few people at the pier who think they own it, but generally chill atmosphere. If the pier isn't a happy place, paddle north a bit and you'll be set.

General

I like it. Plenty of beach space for beginners, but good spots for experienced surfers as well. Lots of fun.

English (Translate this text in English): I like it. Plenty of beach space for beginners, but good spots for experienced surfers as well. Lots of fun.

English (Translate this text in English): I like it. Plenty of beach space for beginners, but good spots for experienced surfers as well. Lots of fun.

English (Translate this text in English): I like it. Plenty of beach space for beginners, but good spots for experienced surfers as well. Lots of fun.

Author: Banyardi Contributors (2)

 Photos

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Pismo beach
United States of America
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Pismo beach
United States of America
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Pismo beach
United States of America
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Pismo beach
United States of America

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 Comments

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By jaxon , 11-07-2011

This is where - it all really clicked for me. Moved to the area in 1995 and, because of high wave frequency and lack of crowds (back then), my surfing improved exponentially. The sandbars farther south of the pier used to be way better (there's a deep trough now, so the outside and inside rarely connect) - I used to surf there practically solo for hours. Speaking of which, during the el nino winter of '98, the Addie St. rivermouth flooded open and I had a perfect left all to myself for days (hasn't happened again). I owe a lot to Pismo - it really made me a pretty damn good surfer.

By Anonymous , 23-06-2009

fun on windswells - groundswells tend to close out pismo...unless you're at the pier...with everyone else

Get any of the sandbars a little farther away from the pier on a windswell during a med high tide and you'll have fun...but be in shape, because you will be chasing down peaks.

there are some dumbasses at the pier that can't even surf very good, but will drop in on you and even hassle you. They think they're locals, but going to cal-poly doesn't count

By Anonymous , 17-04-2009

Pismo? - this place is pretty bad. i dont live up in slo but in sb so i have only seen it a couple of times but it is usually really bad and and really crowded. i dont think i have ever seen it when it actually was shaping up. i even checked it on a day with overhead combo swell and offshore winds and it was still a bunch of closeouts. im pretty sure kelly slater calls it the most over rated wave in california and i would have to agree with him. its pretty bad. im sure that if its good there it is epic elsewhere in the area

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