Where I live, Ventura County, has right around 42 miles of coastline. Are there places to surf along the 42 miles? Absolutely.

Coming up the coast from just a short distance past the L.A, Ventura County line is a surf spot called County Line. It’s a very popular destination to surf for both L.A. surfers and surfers that live in the east south east inland area of Ventura County.

But County Line is just the first of…. well, I don’t know how many places there are to surf along those 42 miles of the coast. I’ve surfed many but not surfed them all. That could be a fun exercise. Go to every place there is you could surf along the 42 miles of coastline that fits inside Ventura County California.

I’ll tell you what…. You’d find some really good ones.

I know of one that can handle size and produces spitting barrels at size. I know of another that can offer up such a long line your legs laterally will tell you they’ve had enough. And, you’ll either straighten out or pull out because you don’t think you can make another turn off the bottom without collapsing. Honestly for all the surfers in the world few experience that sensation.

There is a spot at the county line of Ventura and Santa Barbara.  At the end of the  42 miles of coast line from the spot called “County Line”.  Speaking of the world of surfers….   This spot is known the world over and is a destination spot for surfers that travel to California to find surf. It has a name but is often called the Queen of the Coast. Why? Because it is the Crown of the surf spots of California.

I was recently told that a certain surf magazine publication turned away a story about Morey-Pope. The  60’s surfboard company from Ventura  and it’s very significant contribution to surfing and it’s history…..  My response was to say… “Typically the Ventura area and into Santa Barbara is mostly overlooked by the more populated southern end of the California coast surfing community.”  So it wasn’t really a surprise to me. But sad.

The city of Ventura is a beach town. The street to enter down town Ventura is California Street. California Street is just 3 and a half blocks long. It starts at the beach and goes those 3.5 blocks straight up to a majestic looking building that is the Ventura City Hall. Climb the steps to the front doors to City Hall turn around and look back down California Street. You’ll be looking a the start of a surf spot best known as “C” Street, short for “California Street”

Keeping in mind that surfing is the state sport of California… I think The City of Ventura is the only place in California that the City center looks straight at a surf spot. Just a short 14 miles up the road from “C” Street is the “Queen” of the coast. From there back down to “C” street there are 3 other fine point breaks. “C” Street being one of them. Someone tell me out side of the area of coast called The Ranch , which is all private property, is there any other 14 mile stretch of coast in California that has 4 very surf able point breaks?

How many thousands of surfers have developed their skills at those surf spots? How many surfers travel specifically to Ventura to surf those spots?  Plenty!

Ventura has largely contributed and is still contributing to surfing and its history. Morey-Pope was a part of that contribution during the earlier days of surfing.   

D.R.

If and when you find this spot looking like this and you pick off one of those waves... It can lead to wobbly legs as mentioned above.