Photo: We stood at the overlook to Sand Dollar beach for the better part of an hour watching the disorderly waves. There wasn’t a channel, save for a circuitous route around a small island which I’d used before, but once you were out, the waves were mostly closing out and unrideable. I’d brought along two Surftech SUP boards, one for riding waves, and another for cruising the coastline, but none of us were interested in taking them out in this chaos. I knew of a river in Andrew Molera State Park that would be perfect for an afternoon paddle, so we began to hike the mile or so to where the trail meets the water. Along the way we came across this tunnel in the foliage. The leaves had begun to change their colors, and the light was filtering through the treetops casting a soft glow on everything below. This scene in and of itself would have been worth the hike.
SUP and surf mission at Big Sur: 7 defining moments
Photo: We stood at the overlook to Sand Dollar beach for the better part of an hour watching the disorderly waves. There wasn’t a channel, save for a circuitous route around a small island which I’d used before, but once you were out, the waves were mostly closing out and unrideable. I’d brought along two Surftech SUP boards, one for riding waves, and another for cruising the coastline, but none of us were interested in taking them out in this chaos. I knew of a river in Andrew Molera State Park that would be perfect for an afternoon paddle, so we began to hike the mile or so to where the trail meets the water. Along the way we came across this tunnel in the foliage. The leaves had begun to change their colors, and the light was filtering through the treetops casting a soft glow on everything below. This scene in and of itself would have been worth the hike.
THERE’S A LOT OF CONVENIENCE IN HAVING a local beach near you. Effortlessly sliding into the water, surfing waves that you know and understand, and being home sleeping in your own bed has its own appeal. Even though there were excellent waves everywhere around Los Angeles, I wanted more from a surf session than just a perfect wave, I was looking for a perfect adventure. I only had a few days, so I couldn’t go too far. I had to pick between heading south to Baja, or North to Big Sur. It was adventure I was after, so I headed north. Big Sur’s cold water, craggy coastline, and ancient forests have always been a go-to spot for me when getting off the grid is part of the plan.
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