Review of Surfing on the Redwood Coast and a Seasonal Breakdown

The surf along the Redwood Coast can be temperamental. An entire month can go by in which the reef breaks are funky, the sandbars shifty, and the big-wave spots 20 feet and junky. If you're motivated and adventurous, however, the Redwood Coast is definitely worth visiting. To increase your odds of having an enjoyable surf trip to northernmost California, you'll need to bring some patience, endurance, strength, rain gear, a thick wet suit, and an arsenal of boards. There are some great spots up here if you know where to look and aren't a fair-weather surfer. The Redwood Coast definitely isn't for everyone, but the people are friendly, the views are incredible, and you might possibly enjoy some of the best waves of your life- all by yourself.

Fall is generally the best season for good swell and weather to get together. Water temperatures are usually bearable, the wind dies down, and the sun can be seen on most days. This is a good time of year to experience glassy waves all day with clean, organized, longer interval swell.

Winter can be challenging up here. You're bound to encounter huge swell, heavy rain, and strong winds. Unfortunately, the days when the surf is poor tend to outnumber the days when it's good. If you're looking for surf several times overhead, winter is the season to head north. However, these months can be the worst for fun-size surf. The majority of winter surfing in this region is done at a few spots that can handle the size. The spots that face northwest are the best, as south-southeast winds prevail December through March.

Spring tends to be windy, sunny, and cold. North winds of 40 to 50 knots are not rare. The surf gets big in spring, but there's also usually less swell activity from the Gulf of Alaska. The south-facing spots are best this time of year.

Summer definitely isn't the best season to visit this section of coast. The surf tends to be small and junky due to onshore winds. The water is still relatively cold, and the skies are foggy.

Anytime of the year it must be known that good waves can be had, but keep in mind that the ocean is always one thing: inconsistent. Some days you might expect huge waves and get nothing, others the wind will work wonders and you will have the best surfing of your life. The trick is to notice patterns in your hotspots and surf accordingly.