sharp Park / California / United States

Also known as Pacifica Pier, this is a good, consistent spot for waves but should only be surfed those with plenty of experience.

The beach here is only a thin sliver of sand with rock on the road side. From San Francisco, take Highway 1 south, turn off at Paloma Street and head toward the shore until you find the pier. It is public access and you should park on the south side of the pier, where there is always plenty of room.

Best conditions here are in the fall or spring, in winter the waves are mean and heavy. The wind wants to be roughly from the east, and the swell roughly from the west. The swell starts working at just about 1m, but don’t let the small start fool you – it will hold up to 5m and over. It breaks both right and left, and the waves here are hollow, fast and powerful. Most people keep to the south of the pier, but the north side will give a good left when conditions are right. The length is usually short, but on a decent day can reach up to about 150m.

The pier offers some basic food, but for anything else head in the Sharp Park area of Pacifica city. There are usually a few surfers staying there and there are plenty of things to do while you wait for the surf to come up, as well as accommodation and places to eat etc.

Try not to hit the pier, and be wary of the undertow and rips around here. Also keep away from some of the more militant fishermen on the pier.