Photographers often see unique perspectives and viewpoints in certain communities. What better way to get a unique, inside perspective of surf culture in Northern California than to ask the individuals photographing that very surf culture? I recently asked a handful of surf photographers what they thought about the surf in NorCal and they had a lot to say, as well as a few photos to share. But first, a photo to warm you up:

Ocean Beach, San Francisco 2019. Photography © Amanda Roosa, follow her on Instagram.

What does NorCal surf culture feel like to you? How would you describe the lineup, the local nuisances, and the surfers?

Brian Feulner:

The majority of surfers in the Bay Area come from somewhere else. I can say that Ocean Beach (OB) surfers that are from OB are definitely protective of their spots. And I do think there’s a little bit of chest thumping that comes out sometimes. But, I don’t think localism is too bad here, or at least I haven’t felt it. There are definitely some spots where you need to be more on your A game when you’re surfing. Those are spots I’d never photograph at, just out of respect for the local crew and my friends. The attitude at each spot is different depending on a few things. Take Pacifica, just south of San Francisco. There’s a huge range of experience there and on the weekends it can get extremely crowded. If you’re someone that surfs there a lot and you’ve got people kooking out on you left and right on a Saturday, which is common, it tends to get a little frustrating. People make mistakes, it happens. I make mistakes all the time. A place like Pacifica can go either way with attitudes based on how good the waves are, how many people are there, etc. In some sense, Northern California has a blue-collar, hard-working, and gritty feel to its local crowd, but with so many transplants with so many different backgrounds, it’s hard to put people around here in a box.

A surfer drops a wave at Pleasure Point in Capitola, California on February 10, 2019. Photography © Brian Feulner, follow him on Instagram.

Marco Mazza:

True NorCal surf culture is pretty humbling and gnarly. The ocean here isn’t nearly as habitable as Hawaii or Southern California where that kind of stuff really took hold. It wasn’t until wetsuits came around that surf culture up here really took root. But it’s a culture rooted in more than surfing. Fishing for Salmon and Dungeness Crab, or Diving for Abalone is all part of being a NorCal waterman when the waves aren’t Ideal. It’s about being cold and enjoying the short windows when the ocean is actually inviting. It’s not about finding a spot that is big enough to produce a longboardable wave, it’s about finding a spot that is small enough to even attempt surfing. It’s about taking your beatings and being humble about it. It’s about keeping quiet when someone lets you in on a secret. It’s about putting in the effort and surfing for yourself, by yourself, without the presence of cameras or 200 other people in the lineup.

The ocean here is not as “user-friendly”. Much of the coastline is rugged and drops off into deep water and there’s not much to dissipate the power of the swell. SoCal definitely has its spots, but NorCal is all around gnarlier and more inaccessible. The water in NorCal is much colder as well. In Mendocino and Humboldt, the water often drops into the 40s (Fahrenheit) during the winter. Even on the Central Coast or in the Bay Area, 5/4 wetsuits are a must.

NorCal is fickle and can require a lot of effort to get the good waves when they are actually good. In my opinion, there’s a greater volume of talented surfers to come out of SoCal than Norcal. The coastline down there really is, for lack of a better term, “made for surfing”. But bring any Average Joe SoCal guy up to NorCal, throw them in a 5/4 when the air and water are both 50 degrees, tell them about all the adult white sharks that have been cruising the area, have them hike in and scramble down a bluff just to get in the water, or have them even just attempt to paddle out at big OB, and it’d be quite different from their crowded early morning warm-latte surf check from the HB pier parking lot.

That said, local lineups certainly have their pecking order. This applies to most places in the world, but areas like Santa Cruz are world renowned for their heavy localism. If the spot is questionable, show up alone and know your spot in the pecking order, respect and stay out of people’s way and you’ll be fine—as long as you can surf well. If you’re a beginner and unsure of where to surf, a good rule of thumb is to surf in areas that have people of your same skill level. You’re not likely to run into any heavy locals that will slash your tires in these areas.

An early morning solo endeavor. Photography © Marco Mazza, follow him on Instagram.

Miles Jackler:

Surf culture in Northern California is a bit schizophrenic. In the city, there are a lot of weekend warriors and fair weather surfers, but a strong tight-knit community has been nestled in the dunes for some time. Santa Cruz is a lot like Southern California, where surf culture is a part of the community as a whole. If it’s cold and the waves are lackluster it’s downright frosty in most lineups. When the sun is out and it’s pumping people tend to pull down the hood have a chat. The tolerance level for ultra-competitive, hyperactive, paddle for everything surf jocks is zero regardless of weather and conditions. Same goes for the Huntington Hop. If you live by the waves you hang at the coffee shops and nature zones adjacent. Otherwise, people are usually on a tight schedule and don’t spend much time in the beach hoods.

It’s not really ever warm, and the surf tends to be bigger, heavier and less perfect. You may get some sunshine and high pressure, but the water is always there to remind you of your place. There are fewer all day beach burnouts, more individuals on surgical strikes between coffee shop refuels.

The coast is exposed to 180 degrees of swell and wind which can be a good or bad thing. While premier spots near city centers are more crowded than ever, there are still far fewer surfers, far fewer humans in Northern California. If you have the time and patience you can find your empty tubes here and there. It’s pretty much never flat, which is great if you can paddle out with a very positive attitude into some onshore short period wedges.

A Turn for the Birds, Tyler Payne, Northern California 2014. Photography © Miles Jackler, follow him on Instagram.

Ryan Morello:

If there’s one word I can use for the surf culture around here it would be “localized.” The surf community here is pretty tight-knit, everyone knows everyone, and if no one knows you…you’re probably a kook, or at least will be treated as one. Most surfers around here tend to hang out at their local breaks. Farthest north and across the Golden Gate is the Marin crew. South of that there’s the San Francisco/ Ocean Beach/ Kelly’s Cove dudes. South of that is the Pacifica crew (where I’m from #utfds.) Then there are the Half Moon Bay guys (or better known as the Jetty Rats.) We obviously all surf each others’ home breaks, but that being said, each town still has its own secret spots, and you should know better than to paddle out on an all local session.

Well, first and foremost, it is a lot colder. I’ve personally never lived in Southern California, only spent short periods down there. Considering I’m a 4th generation Northern Californian, NorCal has a very special place in my heart and my opinion is definitely biased. Southern California always felt very transplanty to me. Don’t get me wrong, there’s definitely the main core dudes that were born and raised down there, but the majority of people seemed they moved there just to live a “surfer lifestyle.” I felt like many people I met moved from somewhere in middle America. NorCal isn’t really like that. No one moves to the bay area to “become a surfer.” To be a surfer here, you have to be dedicated and constantly find ways to keep the stoke level high, especially when your putting on a wet wetsuit and trying to squeeze a session out before work at 9 am and the water and air temps are in the 50’s.

On a BEAUTY. Photography © Ryan Morello, follow him on Instagram.

Andrew Dipkin:

NorCal surfers are a cool bunch and for the most part, they like the cold, heavy waves. Going out when it’s 10 feet at 15 seconds is something we all want. Most lineups are friendly as long as you know what you’re doing. I usually surf with friends, and everyone gets and gives waves. Given the geography, every few miles there’s a surf town and each has its core locals and spots. We all surf the different towns but the locals get better waves. The spots in between are fun to surf since everyone is pretty chill in the lineup. In Pacifica, the local crew is pretty tight. We all know each other, but there’s a subtle difference between the guys who grew up there and those who moved there. I’ve lived here for 12 years and there are still some people who don’t acknowledge me as being local. Most of the local surfers in Pacifica are blue collar, but that’s changing. We see lots more people coming from the Silicon Valley communities to surf here and they come in packs riding Wavestorms and don’t really understand the lineups or surf etiquette, so the locals are starting to get grumpy. It’s also getting more dangerous to surf places because of the growing crowds. Surf Linda Mar on a Saturday afternoon with a 3 ft swell and you’ll get run over and get dropped in on multiple times. I don’t surf there on the weekends anymore unless the swell is big and I’m at the very north end of the beach. As with anywhere else, people should learn to respect the local community they are entering.

NorCal has a lot of room to move and it’s a lot easier to find uncrowded waves. The winds in NorCal are rarely good and if they are it’s usually for brief windows of time. You have to be willing to drive around and check the nooks and crannies to find surfable waves, especially when the swell is big. There are some great waves to be had, you just have to be willing to put yourself into the food chain and hike or climb to get to some really cool waves. It’s definitely a place for exploration that’s loaded with secret spots.

A red rooster among the mayhem. Photography © Andrew Dipkin, follow him on Instagram.