The Dos and Don’ts of Learning to Surf SoCal

With its constant sunshine, beautiful landscapes, and countless defining characteristics, Southern California is unlike any other area of the United States. The ample coastline and warm water of the Pacific Ocean also make SoCal a haven for surfers, many of whom venture as far north as San Luis Obispo and as far south as San Diego to find that perfect break.

Jordan Persiani is one of those people. A self-proclaimed “regular guy who likes to surf a lot,” he grew up along the coast of SoCal and watched as his father and uncle hit the waves on a regular basis. After moving to Shell Beach in 2009, Persiani decided to go all-in on surfing and has not looked back. You can now find him in the water up and down the coast five days a week — most often at a point break called Pleasure Point — and whether he admits it or not, he has become an authority on what it takes to successfully immerse yourself in SoCal’s surfing culture.

We recently had a chance to talk with Persiani about how a neophyte should approach his or her first time out on the SoCal waves. Whether you’re a complete amateur or very experienced in the water, we learned that it’s very important to adhere to The Dos and Don’ts of Learning to Surf SoCal.

With their sandy floors that provide a soft cushion for your inevitable wipeouts, Cayucos and Morro Bay are both ideal spots for you to go when first starting out. According to Persiani, Cayucos’ main virtue is its relative wave consistency. “It’s got a consistent beach break, so it spits out a pretty consistent wave,” he said. “But the wave doesn’t have a lot of volume—there’s not a lot of water going behind it—so even when it’s decently big, you can’t really get hurt that badly, which is awesome.”

At Morro Bay, all you need to do is head to “The Rock.” It might sound intimidating and rather dangerous, but just a few hundred yards away from this giant rock formation is soft sand and a regular crowd full of friendly people who won’t bust you for minor violations of surfing etiquette. Although the waves are a bit stronger and less consistent than in Cayucos, Morro Bay is still an ideal location to ease into SoCal.

When you’re learning how to manage this new area, you’re going to fall off your board. Like, a lot. And that’s fine, except you don’t want to be slamming your body on rocks every time you do.

In order to avoid that kind of unpleasant experience, Persiani suggests that you skip a couple of spots along Shell Beach. “There are two places that have really shallow rocks, and if the surf is big and there’s a low tide, you could really get hurt badly,” he said. “One of them is called Silver Shoals, and the other is called St. Anne’s. You definitely want to avoid both of those.”

The time of year when you start out can actually make a huge difference when it comes to the quality of your experience. You want to ease your way into surfing SoCal, so hitting the water when the waves are at their optimum size and strength is key. Persiani said the best time of year to do that is the late spring through late summer; once you hit the early fall, the waves really start to get bigger and a little intimidating.

There’s a financial component to this as well. The water cools down in the fall, and you will need to buy multiple wetsuits, which anybody can tell you is a sizable financial investment. If you stick to when the water is warmer, you can avoid needing to spend money on cold-water accessories like booties or a hood.

It’s Surfing 101, but it is a huge point of emphasis out in SoCal: Don’t take anybody’s wave, ever. “Learning how to surf can be a really frustrating experience,” Persiani said, “especially when you also have somebody trying to bring you down for a mistake in etiquette that you made, and [wave stealing] is probably the biggest one.”

The basic principle is that the person closest to where the water is breaking gets that wave. No exceptions. To violate this rule is to do so at your own peril.

Following proper wave etiquette isn’t just for others’ benefit, either. “Every moment out there, especially the moment when you’re trying to get onto a wave and looking forward to riding it, is precious,” Persiani said. So don’t spoil it by breaking one of the very few rules.

Resisting hitting the “snooze” button when that alarm chirps in your ear early in the morning is certainly easier said than done. Whether you’ve got work, school, or something else going on, a few extra hours of sleep always sounds a lot better when you’re already in bed. However, to get the most out of your SoCal surfing experience, you’ll need to resist that temptation.

Early morning hours are the best time to get out on the waves. “During the morning the winds are lower and they can really have an effect," Persiani said. The water is smoother and the beaches are quieter, giving you a kind of tranquil experience that you can’t find anywhere else. In the afternoon, “the wind can make the surface choppy, which makes it harder to get your footing on the board,” Persiani said. "It can just kind of blow waves out and make them totally worthless.” Sorry, but you’re going to need to get yourself out of bed a little earlier if you want to have a worthwhile experience.

Although some of this comes down to personal preference, you should probably trust Persiani. After all, he’s done this before. “I’m partial because I learned on an eight-foot funshape board,” he said. “It’s really just like a boat, but you can still turn it reasonably sharply.”

A board longer than eight feet sacrifices maneuverability, and going much shorter than that is going to take away from your stability. Although eight feet is the ideal sweet spot, it’s also important to be mindful of your own body size. “If you’re above 200 pounds, I’d say eight feet,” Persiani said. “And if you’re below 200, you can go anywhere in that seven-to-eight-foot range; you need the buoyancy and the stability.”

We’ve all seen the YouTube videos of surfers pulling ridiculous tricks out on massive waves. You know just from watching that it’s tough to do, but a small part of you probably thinks that, with a little practice, you can pull it off. Maybe you have a couple of really nice early rides when you hit the water in SoCal, and all of a sudden you think that you’re Kelly Slater out there. Well, you’re not. And the SoCal waves will humble you if you’re not careful.

“Don’t get out of your league,” Persiani said. “You could really hurt yourself or someone else if you are still learning and go into bigger surf when you haven’t conditioned your breathing. It’s like a whole different animal from any other sport, and people can get themselves into some really scary situations without thinking it through ahead of time.”

Technology has penetrated basically every single part of society, and surfing is certainly no exception. Although you don’t have to be tethered to your cellphone to have a positive surfing experience in SoCal, you’re going to want to download the Surfline app or go to their website. It’s the best way for you to find all the information that you could possibly need about conditions up and down the coast, which should make picking your next spot much easier.

And when you’re choosing your next spot, don’t forget the practical side of things. Old-fashioned tactics like proximity and word of mouth are certainly valid criteria to use when deciding where to go; if you’ve got limited time, means, or both, sometimes it’s as simple as finding a place you can get to.

The summer in SoCal is hot. Everyone knows this. You might think that you can just dismiss the heat when you’re out in the cool Pacific Ocean and are constantly immersed in the water, but traditional surfing attire can be problematic in such situations. “In Southern California, if you wear a wetsuit in the middle of the summer, you can get really sweaty,” Persiani said. “If you’re anywhere from Newport Beach to San Diego, you don’t necessarily need a full wetsuit any time from May to August.”