Top Baja surf destinations

Unfortunately, few places remain that haven’t been tainted by pollution or restricted access. These are Northern Baja’s most popular surf destinations.

Baja Malibu:
Wave type: heavy beach break offering some of the hollowest waves on the west coast; mere miles from the U.S.
Access: $5 will buy you a “guarded” spot in the parking where there have been rumored incidents of car theft.
Water quality: B.M. has always been associated with the noxious chlorine smell emanating from the nearby San Antonio de las Buenas Creek sewage outflow. As new sewage treatment facilities go online in Tijuana, water quality here will likely improve.

Calafia:
Wave type: south swell right point/reef break
Access: limited; free-road parking is the only availability if you are a non-resident of the condo towers that surround the break
Water quality: there is no report indicating poor water quality.

K38s:
Wave type: right reef break
Access:  break is only approachable from a lot beneath the free road; condo towers and private homes restrict local access
Water quality: suspect due to urban run-off from the MEX 1 and local development

K55s:
Wave type: exceptional right point/reef break
Access: completely restricted; home of the infamous “own the break” sign advertising beachfront properties
Water quality: reported outflow from local condo construction

Salsipuedes:
Wave type: world-class winter-time right point break and A-frame reef break
Access: completely restricted and slated for large scale development
Water quality: quite possibly the most clean local waters on the coastline; liquified natural gas shipments to the nearby LNG terminal may jeopardize water quality

San Miguel:
Wave type: classic boulder bottom right point break
Access: $5 fee to park in coastal lot
Water quality: suspicious due to reported septic dumping in nearby arroyo as well as urban run-off

Tags: SDNN

This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 12th, 2009 at 5:46 pm and is filed under Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.