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Topic Title: Monterey, CA
Topic Summary: where to plant the flag & what to expect?
Created On: 12/16/2012 04:47 AM
Linear : Threading : Single : Branch
 Monterey, CA   - ucfLee1 - 12/16/2012 04:47 AM  
 Monterey, CA   - dan - 12/16/2012 04:58 AM  
 Monterey, CA   - Greensleeves - 12/16/2012 05:26 AM  
 Monterey, CA   - dan - 12/16/2012 05:46 AM  
 Monterey, CA   - ucfLee1 - 12/16/2012 06:05 AM  
 Monterey, CA   - ww - 12/16/2012 09:09 AM  
 Monterey, CA   - surfnole - 12/16/2012 10:43 AM  
 Monterey, CA   - Whop - 12/16/2012 11:31 AM  
 by Monterey, CA   - Pablote - 12/17/2012 09:23 PM  
 by Monterey, CA   - pappanuevo - 12/18/2012 07:07 PM  
 by Monterey, CA   - UCFLeeWest - 03/02/2015 06:37 PM  
 by Monterey, CA   - ww - 03/02/2015 09:36 PM  
 Monterey, CA   - ww - 03/03/2015 12:53 AM  
 by Monterey, CA   - UCFLeeWest - 03/05/2015 06:27 PM  
 Monterey, CA   - ww - 12/16/2012 11:39 AM  
 Monterey, CA   - MoonlightMike - 12/16/2012 05:52 PM  
 Monterey, CA   - surfnole - 12/17/2012 08:38 PM  
 Monterey, CA   - shapewright - 03/03/2015 09:07 AM  
 Monterey, CA   - artz - 03/05/2015 09:13 AM  
 Monterey, CA   - UCFLeeWest - 03/05/2015 06:32 PM  
 Monterey, CA   - ww - 03/05/2015 08:43 PM  
 Monterey, CA   - LagoonSurfer - 03/09/2015 05:45 AM  
 Monterey, CA   - ucfLee1 - 03/03/2021 10:11 PM  
 Monterey, CA   - WillDarryl - 03/04/2021 02:14 PM  
 Monterey, CA   - ww - 03/05/2021 02:31 AM  
 Monterey, CA   - equipeola - 03/05/2021 08:10 AM  
 Monterey, CA   - ucfLee1 - 03/10/2021 06:19 PM  
 Monterey, CA   - ucfLee1 - 03/10/2021 06:12 PM  
 Monterey, CA   - indowaver - 03/03/2015 02:37 AM  
 Monterey, CA   - Beaglehole - 03/03/2015 07:57 AM  
 Monterey, CA   - Central Floridave - 03/16/2021 05:40 AM  
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 12/16/2012 06:05 AM
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ucfLee1

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Joined Forum: 12/16/2012

Thanks guys!I will be there for at least 3 years.Visiting faculty at PG School.
 12/16/2012 09:09 AM
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ww

Posts: 16088
Joined Forum: 08/17/2007

I'm sure the PG School can lead you to people who know where to find semi-affordable housing.  School districts also seem a big deal, affluent/agricultural communities. 

The beach at Sand City, just NE of Monterey, is famous for its regular cusps and rip currents, very convenient for researchers working on currents at beaches.  I think the area also has a reputation for sharks.  

It's a beautiful area.  The Monterey Bay Shoreline Guide (University of California Press).  

 12/16/2012 10:43 AM
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surfnole

Posts: 426
Joined Forum: 07/28/2003

I don't think that's an easy drive each day. Why not live near Monterey and have far less crowded surf with much closer access to breaks further south? Santa Cruz is always crowded, and it's not cheap. Its been years, but I remember seeing just a handful of guys out along that 17 mile drive in Carmel
 12/16/2012 11:31 AM
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Whop

Posts: 208
Joined Forum: 03/28/2006

I relocated out here a year ago but a little further north to Healdsburg. My "home" break is Salmon Creek but I'm only an hour north of OB and 2 hrs from Santa Cruz. Having said that I travel the 2hrs every chance I get. The waves are insane and the threat of Whities is minimal. Any place north or south of that can get sketchy certain times of the year. There have already been numerous of attacks, a few fatalities, and a bunch of sightings including from me. I've surfed all my life (I'm 40) at NSB and have literally jumped over sharks, been bumped by them and have seen attacks first hand, but these critters out here are different. Be safe live close to Santa Cruz you will not regret it.

-------------------------
Ponce was fun
 12/17/2012 09:23 PM
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Pablote

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Originally posted by: Whop I relocated out here a year ago but a little further north to Healdsburg. My "home" break is Salmon Creek but I'm only an hour north of OB and 2 hrs from Santa Cruz. Having said that I travel the 2hrs every chance I get. The waves are insane and the threat of Whities is minimal. Any place north or south of that can get sketchy certain times of the year. There have already been numerous of attacks, a few fatalities, and a bunch of sightings including from me. I've surfed all my life (I'm 40) at NSB and have literally jumped over sharks, been bumped by them and have seen attacks first hand, but these critters out here are different. Be safe live close to Santa Cruz you will not regret it.

 

 

^ there it is.

for my money, don't surf ANYWHERE outside of SC proper, especially, all of -Monterrey- north to Capitola, then again anywhere north of SC to,,,,,,,Alaska. anytime of year not only seal pupp'n season. That's the problem over that side now, either insanely crowded or truly deadly by the big chomp~ git some

 

oh ya, ^ bunch of us got chased outta the water there @ Salmon Cr. too by big ass mf'er, same @ Jalama, and a real, real close deal alone (like a dumby) @ Scott Cr.

Have fun brah !



Edited: 12/17/2012 at 09:30 PM by Pablote
 12/18/2012 07:07 PM
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pappanuevo

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Back in 200/2001 my job moved us out to San Fransico and then Lo Jolla. My first wave in California was at Steamer Lane in Santa Cruz. We spent time touring the coast north and south of the bay. Personally, if i was to work in Montery, i would want to live near by. But thats just me, i dont like to commute. I think if you tried to live in Santa Cruz the drive would get old pertty fast. Try to find a uniqe rental as close to a killer view as you can.

There is tons of surf around Montery and you can travel to points south. I saw perfect waves on sandy beaches that were accessable along the highway that were empty. Then again, i also saw seals and fog which i think ups the creepy factor. one time i was surfing further up north near Pacifica and after the session there was a half eaten seal on the beach. That did it for me. It was refreshing to get down to La Jolla with some clear water.

Anyway, i think that area where you are going is awesome. Surfing aside, there is a ton to take in. You should get some outdoors equipement and get into hiking. There is some great public lands in Central California that are yours to enjoy.

-------------------------
Proud member of the ACP mafia since 1975
 03/02/2015 06:37 PM
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UCFLeeWest

Posts: 29
Joined Forum: 03/02/2015

belated thanks for all of the info. Ended up in Carmel and have been able to score great surf in the area, north, south, and way south on long weekend trips. I have grown accustomed to the wetsuit hassle. I have been plenty cozy in my 3/2 and booties. There have been a few days when I would have liked more but there have also been a handful of days where I broke out the spring suit.

 

 03/02/2015 09:36 PM
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ww

Posts: 16088
Joined Forum: 08/17/2007

Congratulations on landing the job and finding a place to live in a choice location.  

3/2 and booties sounds great.  Living in Florida makes you cold sensitive, but today it was fun watching the northern tourists skinning it.  Locals are starting to do likewise, or at least shorties.

Over on NPNR, I linked to a new book on kelp forests, if you're fascinated enough.  

There's an ancient photo of me as a little kid with a monster redwood at Big Basin north of Santa Cruz.  That area also has some interesting (at least to vegetation ecologists) "barrens."  

I was on hand for a shark nibble (worth several days in the hospital) a year or so ago in Vero.  

 03/03/2015 12:53 AM
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ww

Posts: 16088
Joined Forum: 08/17/2007

Looks like we are spammed.

Update:  it was an odd incident, quickly cleaned up.  



Edited: 03/05/2015 at 08:44 PM by ww
 03/05/2015 06:27 PM
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UCFLeeWest

Posts: 29
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h

Originally posted by: ww Looks like we are spammed.

 

 

no spam ... just a change of handle since the old ones seem to be unrecoverable.

 12/16/2012 11:39 AM
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ww

Posts: 16088
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The seventeen mile drive is a fairly stiff toll, but Asilomsr, a state park, is at the north end.  Google Maps shows parking and the rock-infested beach.  The dunes there were once mined for sand, but have been restored as habitat for several endangered species.

 12/16/2012 05:52 PM
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MoonlightMike

Posts: 48
Joined Forum: 12/16/2012

Perhaps this goes without saying, but "Surfing California" by Bank Wright is essential.  It's a paperback and probably at Ron Jons for sure.  If not, Amazon has it.  It's a great book and Bank Wright is a class act for sure.  You can have one of my copies if you want (I can mail it).

There is always surf there (Central California....Northern California for those surfers who care about stuff like that, even though Northern California technically starts on the north side of San Francisco Bay).  Most people surf in packs because it always feels a little safer.  Surfing alone is a bit unnerving up there because of the Great Whites.

Don't go cheap on the wetsuit.  It's better to be warm and stiff than cold and stiffer.  Unless you're a die-hard athletic shortboarder, you're going to get cold in anything but the best gear.  Booties and a hoodie will keep you out longer.  

The waves get big.  Know your limits.  It gets just as big and serious as Hawaii.

If a local gives you crap just tell him, "You don't know me.  Don't talk to me."  Unless, of course, you screwed up.  In that case you apologize and leave.

Finally (and I always get crap for saying this):  Don't call it Cali.  Kooks call it Cali.  Might as well call Florida Flori if you're going to do that.  People born and raised there aren't in such a hurry that they need to shorten it.  The reason? Why would we shorten the name of the nation's best state?



-------------------------

Bob is my numero uno Grandpa.  

 12/17/2012 08:38 PM
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surfnole

Posts: 426
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Originally posted by: surfnole I don't think that's an easy drive each day. Why not live near Monterey and have far less crowded surf with much closer access to breaks further south? Santa Cruz is always crowded, and it's not cheap. Its been years, but I remember seeing just a handful of guys out along that 17 mile drive in Carmel


A friend of mine who I met on a surf trip is now in his 60s and surfed Santa Cruz his whole life. I have visited him a few times. He tells me that there are no sharks at Santa Cruz inside the kelp beds and the kelp beds keep the chop out of the waves. I can vouch for the glassy waves when the wind is blowing....but damn it is crowded. If he didn't tell me where to sit, what to line up on, who to take off on because they couldn't clear the peak, I would have never caught a wave. As it was, I only caught a few and one weekend session I didn't catch a single decent wave at 2nd peak...think that was the name near Pleasure Point.

We surfed Waddell one time, and he told me how nobody surfs there in October because all the seals give birth at a place called Ano Nuevo. It's great white season then I guess.

He told me a story about a guy suiting up an Waddell in the parking lot and saw a great white come and take a seal out of the lineup. He took his suit off and went home. Good stuff.

Perhaps the original poster can live near Watsonville, which is kind of dumpy, and be close to work and Monterey.
 03/03/2015 09:07 AM
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shapewright

Posts: 432
Joined Forum: 07/18/2010

I'll be spending some time up there, my youngest son will be at the Presidio of Monterey studying languages for Army intelligence for 52 months

 03/05/2015 09:13 AM
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artz

Posts: 580
Joined Forum: 10/30/2014

Great waves to be had at Moss landing right up the road from Presidio Monterey. 

 03/05/2015 06:32 PM
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UCFLeeWest

Posts: 29
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Originally posted by: shapewright I'll be spending some time up there, my youngest son will be at the Presidio of Monterey studying languages for Army intelligence for 52 months

 

 

The POM is on an incredible piece of land and both surf shops in town are just off the base on Lighthouse drive. they both have a selection of rentals if you are not interested in hauling your board. The POM MWR also rents softtops (which seem I see almost every time I am out)

 03/05/2015 08:43 PM
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ww

Posts: 16088
Joined Forum: 08/17/2007

The spamming incident was a short-lived one. Monterey appreciation resumed without a hitch.

I almost lost my ancient Slug baseball cap yesterday.

 03/09/2015 05:45 AM
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LagoonSurfer

Posts: 2002
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Originally posted by: shapewright

I'll be spending some time up there, my youngest son will be at the Presidio of Monterey studying languages for Army intelligence for 52 months



Think I'll be joining you. My son just hitched up with the Navy to do the same thing at he DLI there.

-------------------------
Brother, when you get a minute, could I get a list of the words that trigger these fits?


Hey. Where are we going? (And what are we doing in a hand-basket?)
 03/03/2021 10:11 PM
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ucfLee1

Posts: 9
Joined Forum: 12/16/2012

So Monterey was awesome! Did a few years in Pensacola. Living on Point Loma now. How have ya'll been?
 03/04/2021 02:14 PM
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WillDarryl

Posts: 16
Joined Forum: 03/08/2014

Originally posted by: ucfLee1 Living on Point Loma now.
How has New Break and Luscumbs been? Are you still wearing a leash?

Edited: 03/04/2021 at 02:22 PM by WillDarryl
 03/05/2021 02:31 AM
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ww

Posts: 16088
Joined Forum: 08/17/2007

Silly trip to Newport Beach this past summer. First time to see the Wedge in person. It was kid-sized. Weather between Denver and Orange Co. was beautiful, lots of good aerial photos from the plane window. Came back with an extra pair of Yucca fins. Didn't catch the Virus.
 03/05/2021 08:10 AM
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equipeola

Posts: 949
Joined Forum: 12/17/2009

Originally posted by: WillDarryl
Originally posted by: ucfLee1 Living on Point Loma now.
How has New Break and Luscumbs been? Are you still wearing a leash?
""Ralphy's!!!"" Most of the '70's, during the yellowtail bite, we'd drag my good friends' Dad's boat out SD harbor past whatever Naval vessels would be in, with sticks strapped up under the gunwales, and depending how much swell was actually getting in around the corner, would either hit the bait boat and go get bit down the few (read: many) miles on the Coronado's or,,, hit the Point til spaghetti arms~~ In a decades worth of zip'in across that super fun point section (a couple different sections there though) I don't think we surfed with more than a couple dozen guys. The Navy I think it was, used to call you outta there early on, (you are pretty close to navigating traffic and sensitive chit 'round 'dere) even though it was obvious what a couple knuckleheads we're doing double anchored, no one onboard, but 2 guys 75 yrds away in the water. Then it seemed they had other things to do, but we had it to ourselves most of the time and felt like diamond thieves! I must admit a couple of times I remember during surprise building ground swells from which/where/ whatever direction, we'd have hit it to the fish'in grounds, find it picked up and big ass humps all the way back in, I'd be 'wrecked' and throw'n chunks (ralph'n at Ralphy's!) seasick unable to get it together to surf, with Ralphy's undoubtedly look'n "perfect" as that place CAN look more perfect than it is, but that's part of the 'cool' of it anyway right~~ YeEw!! UCFLee1- do ya get any of that?! or do you and yours stick to the out front cliffs reefs? I miss that area and all o'Baja these days~~

-------------------------
ola ~

 03/10/2021 06:19 PM
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ucfLee1

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Got most of it I will run the rest by my neighbor over a post session to decipher the rest Been sticking to the cliffs ... pretty much from Garbage (the stairs are just around the corner) and north. Usually only have an hour or two of free time so suit up, walk down, hit it, and get home. Could be a bit better but could be a whole lot worse!
 03/10/2021 06:12 PM
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ucfLee1

Posts: 9
Joined Forum: 12/16/2012

Christmas through New Years was big and fun. Absolutely leashed it then I live close to Garbage so that is usually where I go when. Bonus that it breaks when those other spots aren't. Sure wish I woulda decided lived here when I was younger and had more free time.
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