Surf reports, surf forecasts and surf camera for Half Moon Bay, United States. It includes a 16-day wave forecast for wave height, waves, wind and tide conditions. Search all accommodations 1855 Zaballa House Aristocrat Hotel Beach House Hotel Cypress Inn On Miramar Beach Half Moon Bay Inn Half Moon Bay Lodge Harbor View Inn at MavericksMill Rose Inn Nantucket Whale Inn Ocean View Inn Oceano Hotel & Spa Quality Inn Seal Cove Inn The Miramar Inn and Suites The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay Half Moon Bay The largest surf area in Half Moon Bay attracts surfers from all over the world. Just off the coast, a short distance from the port of Pillar Point, Mavericks looms on the horizon during the winter months (November to March), when storm surges push waves toward some of the biggest waves in the world. These are waves that can reach 60 feet, water towers that challenge even the most experienced cyclists.
The Mavericks' waves are elusive. Even during a good winter, there may only be a few days with ideal conditions, and while surfers monitor the weather and currents to try to predict exactly when those perfect days will materialize, it's an inaccurate science and the public rarely knows about it in advance. Professional big wave surfers are known to leave everything behind and fly around the planet when notified of an epic day, but most of us don't plan our getaways that way. In the 1970s, the legend of the Mavericks began to take shape thanks to Jeff Clark, a Half Moon Bay native who grew up watching huge waves roll in from his high school and Pillar Point. At that time, these waves were considered insurmountable, too big, too dangerous and too cold for anyone to attempt them.
But in 1975, at just 17 years old, Clark defied expectations and rowed only to face the formidable opportunity. With waves reaching heights of 20 to 24 feet, he successfully surfed several waves that broke the left, making him the first documented person to conquer the Mavericks. Despite Clark's solo triumphs, the existence of Mavericks as a legitimate place to surf big waves remained in doubt among the surfing community for years. Few believed that waves of such magnitude could exist in Northern California.
Mavericks became the center of global surfing attention when a photo of the break, taken by Clark's friend Steve Tadin, appeared in Surfer magazine. The image captured the immense power of the waves and aroused widespread interest because of this Northern California phenomenon. Soon after, filmmaker Gary Medeiros released Waves of Adventure in the Red Triangle, further consolidating the place of the Mavericks in the world of big wave surfing. The news spread quickly and the opportunity began to attract some of the world's most daring surfers, eager to test themselves in such formidable conditions.
Today, Mavericks is well known in the world of big wave surfing, and his reputation was forged thanks to the determination and courage of those pioneers. Even if you prefer to immerse yourself in the surfers' lifestyle without getting wet, there are a lot of opportunities. Settle into Old Princeton Landing, where big wave surfers hang out after a session, and keep their boards on the rafters until the next big wave. Visit a surf shop and check out the clothes and accessories that surfers wear every day after hours.
Hang out on the outdoor patio at Half Moon Bay Brewing Company and Sam's Chowder House, even when the weather isn't nice, to enjoy the air that smells of saltwater. Look for a spot on Surfers' Beach or Mavericks Beach to watch surfers catch select waves, or just enjoy being in the water. The above wave forecast table for Half Moon Bay provides essential information for determining if wave conditions will be good for the next 12 days. The coastline encompasses the cities of Half Moon Bay, Miramar, Montara, Moss Beach, El Granada, San Gregorio, La Honda and Pescadero.
You can find a general guide to surfing in Half Moon Bay by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Search all accommodations 1855 Zaballa House Aristocrat Hotel Beach House Hotel Cypress Inn On Miramar Beach Half Moon Bay Inn Half Moon Bay Lodge Harbor View Inn at Mavericks Mill Rose Inn Nantucket Whale Inn Ocean View Inn Oceano Hotel & Spa Quality Inn Seal Cove Inn The Miramar Inn and Suites The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay. The Visit Half Moon Bay website is a cooperative effort of the Half Moon Bay Shore Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau, the Half Moon Bay Hotel Business Improvement District, and the Half Moon Bay Downtown Association. The best getaway for beginners and intermediate surfers is the Half Moon Bay pier, also known as Surfers' Beach. For more advanced surfers, there are a variety of stops to get on and off the 8-mile beach that extends north from Half Moon Bay, but changing wave, wind and sandbar conditions make it necessary to explore before deciding on a spot.
The strongest waves expected in Half Moon Bay in the next 12 days are 5.0 m 13 seconds and are expected to arrive on Thursday (March 2) at 23:00 hours. Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival, Half Moon Bay Wine & Jazz Festival, Pacific Coast Dream Machine, 4th of July fashion show in Sol fashion, Make it Main Street, Nights of Lights, live music.
