The Groins / Washington / United States

This can be a very good big wave spot when it fires, and needs surfers to be experienced.  It’s right on the exit of Grays Harbor and benefits from the funnelling of water through the gap and the meeting of different currents.

The beach here is tiny, really small, and it often gets crowded when the break is firing and it’s not uncommon to see a couple of dozen surfers out here.  There isn’t much sand, it’s more rock with a number of rock jetties, and as usual for Washington it is cold so you’ll need at least a full wetsuit.

The best wind directions here are from the south or southeast and the best swells come from the northwest or west.  It’s only good at high tide so time your visit carefully, and if you do the waves will start at about 1m – 1.5m and build up to over 5m on a good day.  It’s a point break, both left and right, and despite being big the waves aren’t anything special with regards to power or speed.  Length can be hood here, up to 150m on a normal day and approaching 300 m on a good day.

There is plenty of parking round here, mostly around the marina at Westhaven cove.  There aren’t any other facilities around though, you’ll need to head back into Westport to get anything you need.

The rip is strong so you need to be able to paddle or risk being sucked out with a falling tide.  The rocks are also everywhere and you’ll need to be observant to avoid them.