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“I surf here when waves at Rincon get above ten feet; when they get that big, they move too far out off the reef and tend to close out. Hammonds and
Miramar never get that big, so, back in the ‘70s, I’d come up here with my friend, Al Merrick (who founded Channel Islands Surf Boards) when Rincon got
too big. The first time I surfed Hammonds was with him and I just loved the whole feeling that I had in the lineup. People in the water were really nice. It’s
not like you’re sitting there surrounded by eight-story high rises like you often get in Australia or other places.
“They’ve built a few new homes, but this stretch in Montecito hasn’t changed that much over the past thirty-five or forty years; that’s unlike any other
place in the world.
“You really notice it when you sit out in the water, because you have a different viewpoint of the community and the neighborhood. That feeling of
everything changing so fast; when you can look back at the shore that
hasn’t
changed, it gives you that connectedness with something that will still be there
tomorrow. It’s a good feeling.”
Shaun’s Surf Tips
Shaun suggests beginners head for the Miramar break: “The wave is not as critical nor as fast as Hammonds and is easier to learn on,” he says. “If you’re
more of an experienced surfer, go out to Hammonds. Regular surfers don’t like inexperienced surfers around them, so it can be dangerous.
“Families can come down to the beach at Miramar, and surfers from all walks of life and from ages two to eighty can be found there. A guy came up to
me the other day when I was surfing Miramar and started giving me
food
tips. He was a pediatrician. It’s quite a mix of people out on the water.”
As for what size board to use, Shaun recommends a longer board for beginners, something around 9 feet. More experienced surfers ride anything from
5’8” to 6’6”, he says, and there’s a hybrid in between 6’6” and 8’ that has become popular too.
A reminder: the water off the Montecito Coast is generally cold – high 50s to low 60s –, so you’ll need a wetsuit and, says Shaun, “The best wetsuit
manufacturer around is O’Neill.” He advises a four-millimeter wetsuit. “They call it a four/three: four millimeters in the body, three millimeters in the arms;
then you can pick up a pair of booties to keep your feet warm and prevent your feet from getting cut on the rocks.”
As for reliable surf shops, Shaun recommends four: Channel Islands, Beach House, A-Frame Surf Shop, and Rincon Designs. Another option would be to
go online to: shauntomson@yahoo.com, whereupon you could access Tomson’s iPhone app – the first ever approved for surfboard information and design.
Final words of advice when surfing our Montecito Coast: “Be respectful of the other surfers in the water,” Shaun cautions, “and be respectful of this
environment. Respect is very important.”
Whale Watching
For those averse to actually getting in the water, the high-speed Condor Express can
reach the Channel Islands in about 45 minutes, so Captain Fred Benko can guarantee
spotting whales on virtually every trip. Besides, whether Fred or one of his expert pilots
captains your whale-watching cruise, each crewmember is a trained naturalist, ready to
answer any question that may arise.
Info:
Fish & Game Department
,1933 Cliff Drive, Santa Barbara 805-568-1231
Island Packers
, 3600 Harbor Boulevard, Oxnard 805-382-1779
Truth Aquatics
, 301 West Cabrillo Blvd, Santa Barbara 805-962-1127
Channel Islands Surfboards
, 36 Anacapa Street, Santa Barbara 805-966-7213
Beach House
,10 State Street, Santa Barbara 805-963-1281
A-Frame Surf
, 3785 Santa Claus Lane, Carpinteria 805-684-8803
Rincon Designs
,659 Linden Avenue 805-684-2413
Condor Express
, 301 W. Cabrillo Blvd, Santa Barbara 805-882-0088
observat ions