Head for the St. Andrews St. Park in Panama City Beach (far east end). The break is located across the pass on the channel side of the Shell Island Jetty. Its about a 10 to 20 minute paddle across the pass to the break but its well worth it.
ATTANTION - august 2005: They are dredging the pass.It's too late to surf it: (
The current inside the pass can be like a river at times sweeping you out into the gulf or into the bay. Slack tide is best but not necessary. Compensate the current by hopping off the tip of the jetty or walking north to the kiddie pool, opposite of the current. Look both ways before crossing as there are ships coming to and from port and they cant see you! amazons is by far the best wave the gulf coast has to offer, the wave is best on a south east swell. it goes off a lot in the winter because we get so many hard onshore s/e windswells that can be like chest to head and sometiems it gets overhead. due to the direction the pass is facing a SE wind is strait offshore, not to mention the jetty blocks most of the wind anyways so its almost always glassy. the jetty formed a perfect shaped sandbar that breaks just like a left pointbreak. theres even a channel. its a left that starts off crumbling and can jack up and barrel on the outside depending on the size, then once it hits the middle the barrel ends and it starts to peel again once it gets to the middle and it goes for about 25 yards before it hits the inside then once it hits the inside its usually about 3/4 the size but still super heavey and can give u a rly fun backside barrel. during hurricane ivan it was about 5-7 ft (8-12 ft faces) and offshore barreling hard.
Overview
Atmosphere
This place can fire like anywhere else that I've seen on this site. It doesn't happen much but when it doe drop everything and go. On good days the swell will wrap around the tip of the jetty and start off with a large (double overhead) crumble that peels left for 50 yards then hits the mid break and starts to line up much faster. The inside is half the size usually but can still be overhead and very hollow.
General
The vibe in the water is pretty good for the most part but there are a few that think they own the place. Even on a bad day its still 3 times better than anywhere else in the area.
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Its just sad that they dredged the pass and this break doesnt exist anymore.. it was so fun.
comment by Anonymous, 2009-05-25 03:11:40
wave priority
Live live just outside of PCB, and surf here all the time. I consider PCB my local spot. I know many of the locals if not by name, then by faces, and we always have a great time, and it's always the same people out. Generally a really good vibe. Recently, I was at the pass, and i had a wave that I was CLEARLY at the peak. Dropped in and watched a guy drop in right in front of me. He made a couple of turns and pulled out of the wave. I ended up getting a great ride after that. I am not one to start a fight or anything, so I just let it go. Later on, I was talking to the guy, and he said..."yeah, I let you have that wave...even though I was up first...you know...first up gets the wave". I just said thanks, I got a great ride, and paddled away...but really, I was thinking..."ARE YOU KIDDING!!?? Up first?!! First, thats not the way it works, second, I was dropping down the face and watched you drop in front of me!" I had some people come up to me and say, "man, i saw that guy drop in on you, glad he pulled out." Just read some of the comments on here about people getting dropped on. I just don't think that most surfers really know about wave priority. That's dangerous. Google it if you must. It gets dangerous with tons of people out. That goes for any spot, not just here.
comment by Anonymous, 2008-11-28 03:55:42
man grom is right
As florida surfers we all travel to both coasts for surf. when i travel to the Poles or St auggie or Down South I dont paddle around locals or drop in. I dont mouth off just because I have a few friends with me. For years locals have welcomed visitors in PC for hurricane swells, but our hospitallity is wearing thin. During gustav there were HUNDREDS of out of town surfers surfing a one day/one spot swell. its hard to believe that too many of you visitors had a good time at the pass during gustav. Stay home next time. Or time the swell/wind and score in mex bch, st george isl., cape san, destin, p- cola etc. You will have a better time and catch more waves.
Read - (34) Comments concerning The Pass(Amazons).
comment by Anonymous, 2009-11-18 22:55:31