Comments...

comment by Ron Duran, 2009-08-26 07:43:58

Surfing Pt Areana in the 1970's
We locals back then consisted of Myself and Joe Hancock from the Air Force Base,Ron Vetterli was in the Coast Gaurd at the Lighthouse, Rick Caroll was in the Coast Gaurd at the Loran Station,Paul Akland was a senior at Pt Arena High and Randy Vetterli was a shaper for Haute Surfboards.
We mostly surfed Schooner's Gulch,Mote Creek,Whiskey Shoals,Irish Beach,The south side of Arena Cove pier and of course the Rights. We watched the rights for almost a year before we ever surfed it. We didn't have leashes back then. We all had single fin shortboards. We eventually started fabricating leashes when we surfed the rights. It was so hard to hold on to your board when the cleanup sets came and you didn't make it to the bullkelp. Back then we called it "The Warf". I have surfed North Shore and alot of other places but the longest I have ever been held down was the "Warf Rights".The only other surfers we ever saw were some longboarders from Casper at the south side of the pier. No localism back then...we loved to see another surfer.
Bill and Delia Hays owned the ranch at Mote Creek and when we surfed there Delia would find our clothes and hold them up till we would paddle in and pay her $5. It was worth it when a good south was hitting.
Fun Times...I miss it.
I now live in Ojai Ca. and surf Ventura breaks.

comment by Ron Duran, 2009-08-26 07:03:27

First time I surfed Pt. Arean Rights
I was one of the first 4 to ever surf the rights in 1970.
From the pier it looked like 4-5ft. when we paddled out it was double overhead. Pre leash era.Only 6-locals back then

comment by Anonymous, 2009-06-24 07:16:40

Localism Sucks!!!!
There is a BETTER righthander just south of Point Arena Cove... Around the corner from the lefthander on the south side of the pier. Ha!

comment by Anonymous, 2008-12-08 07:15:32

nor cal
heavy locals.... dont bother

comment by Anonymous, 2008-12-02 00:25:45

Re: yeah PA
That's funny. I wonder if it was the same cat who I had an encounter with a few months back... and I'm also a longtime area local. Go figure.

comment by Anonymous, 2008-10-24 10:22:51

yeah PA
yeah, its gettin' kinda crowded now a days but thats ok..this place is like alot of California..when its good its good all over...so I either walk or take a short drive to places that nobody hardly ever surfs. and I get alot more waves that way... today was a great day.. contemplated the beach, a little left I know about and checked them out... nobody out... waves as good or better than the scene that the cove has become... got maybe a dozen waves in a couple hours... if I had paddled out to the lunacy that the cove has become I woulda maybe got two or three... and i live here.... I guess I could stress over all the folks that have come up here in the last 20 years who surf. and I guess I could go out where they all surf and stress over it ... but then i would get far less waves and I would have the stress to deal with too . I really don't understand why everybody likes that place so much when theres good waves all over when its good. maybe its the proximity to the parking lot and the comforts of civilization close by... I dunno ..its sad really not that theres more people ...but how those people act... I only go out a couple times a year...the other day I met a guy in the parking lot who kinda gave me the who are you? thing...you know... are you local? turns out the guy has only been here a year and doesn't live here full time? wadda joke... he had the nerve to ask me who I was... anyways ...plenty of surf if you got the balls to go out where nobody goes....maybe thats it there all sissys and gotta surf in a clump in case something happens. sad ....

comment by Anonymous, 2007-11-21 03:34:30

Sure, there's some tweakers here, just like anywhere in rural (and urban) America. For the most part, people here are really cool. Remember that this is a poor (unless your a farmer), rural area and a small town--don't be flashy or bring a lot of aggro attitude when you visit/surf. If you're a reasonably competent, mellow, and friendly surfer, locals will usually tolerate you and will even occasionally reward you with inside knowledge of other spots, smoke you out, etc. Not common, but it's happened to me more than once. Heavy waves from here northward during winter--respect to the chargers who live here. Thanks Mendo locals for sharing your waves and the beautiful place you live in.

comment by local non-surfer, 2006-10-05 04:54:56

local nonsurfer
Hmmm...strange. I don't surf but do hang out at the Cove a bit. From the Cove Restaurant upstairs everyone gets a good full view of the parking lot and I've never seen any breaking and entering. I don't notice a lot of break-ins at Point Arena Cove in the sheriff's log, so they must not be reporting them. Escalade Boy- people in Mendo hate luxury SUVs as being aggressively materialistic. The only reason to drive an SUV is to get over mudslides, etc., in which case you don't want leather seats and white carpet and chrome everywhere. Otherwise, you are just a gas-guzzling show-off You absolutely cannot gage a local's income by his or her wheels. Glad you all can pick out the pot farmers from the non-growers; they all look alike to me. Yes, there are a couple of local assholes, like anywhere, but I know a lot of people who surf there and never have a problem as long as they are respectful and skilled enough to stay out of the way. If you are an unskilled neophyte with a fancy car and a big attitude, then by all means the locals will give you a hard time.

comment by Billy Shears, 2006-09-27 05:52:50

PA is not trestles
Parents moved there. followed them from SAnta Cruz. Colder. Heavier. More consistent. Scott Creek meets NAtural Brigdges. Married local N. Coast girl. Left. Hawaii to LA back to SC. Best waves were there in PA.
You are either in or out. The North coast is a lifestyle not an Orange county fashion statment. If you are afraid of PA locals then you really have no business in the ocean. It's heavier

comment by anonymous, 2006-05-04 03:51:58

i just moved away from this area
i was living in fort bragg, and during the winter months, i would come down to pa regularly to surf. i didnt know anyone at first, but the people here were really nice to me, and i got to know a few locals. the old man with the wood longboard is one of the best surfers up here, i think. anyway...maybe the reason i never got too much static is cause i respect the lineup. oftentimes i would surf the inside left, and thats a lot easier paddle and wave than the point. the point produces a good left, the inside produces a good right. if you go to pa, just be aware that a swell greater than eight feet produces a strong current on the south side of the pier. on the other hand, the paddle out is dry the whole way. do not underestimate the point though, i know many people who took it too lightly and got humbled there with a free trip into the rocky shelf after a long, cold hold down. the surfers here are real nice mellow people, in general. when the swell gets serious, though, watch out; there are some aggro locals who get real passionate about their wave when it's really on....