Surfing UCSD

So, I am sure you have all heard about how close UCSD is to the beaches. But, many of you probably didn't know that a popular surfing magazine ranked UCSD "the third best surfing college in the nation based on academics, surf quality, life experience, cost, and partying." Now I don't know about you, but that sounds like EXACTLY what I am looking for in a school. Other prestigious magazines have ranked UC San Diego a top surfing school as well, including Sports Illustrated and Surfer Magazine.

However, you don't need to read the magazines to realize how righteous UCSD truly is. All you have to do is walk 10 minutes to the cliffs and watch the surfers getting barreled at all hours of the day.

--The closest surf beach to UCSD is Blacks. The underwater canyon creates an epic but heavy wave. I don't recommend this beach for beginner surfers, the powerful waves will make many new surfers shy away from the sport. Another thing to watch out for at blacks are the sting rays. They tend to be around in warmer waters, so the first few weeks of school are prime sting ray time. Shuffle your feet as you enter the ocean and if you get wrecked off your board, try not to hit the bottom, grab onto your board and hop right back on. This beach is also a tad bit more localized than scripps or shores, but nothing to worry about as long as you follow surf etiquette. If you have paddled out before, give this beach a try and bring your non-surfer friends along. If they can't enjoy the waves, they certainly can enjoy (or be blinded by) the nudists that roam the sand.

Biggest waves I have encountered: 10 foot

Biggest waves I have heard of: 15-20 foot

--The next beach is Scripps aka Scripps Pier. UCSD owns the pier and all of those cool buildings that surround it. I actually took a class in one of those buildings (a freshman seminar called "the physics of surfing"). The pier can get a little crowded and the waves can get a little mushy. Sting rays are a threat there as well, however, because there are more people in the water, the rays usually peace out and swim to more desolate areas, like blacks. The pier is a nice spot to learn how to surf. It is not nearly as crowded as Shores, but not nearly as heavy as Blacks. It offers some sweet rights for those of you going out to the lineup.

Biggest waves I have encountered: 6 foot

Biggest waves I have heard of: 10-15 foot

--The last beach is also the most popular beach for UCSD students, Shores. La Jolla shores is packed during the summer. Tourists from all over the world pile onto the sand in search of amazing snorkeling, kayaking, and fun in the sun, and LJ Shores offers all of that. For serious surfers, this beach is a joke. It is packed with surf schools and foam boards. However, this little beach can pick up a nice swell and kick all of those beginners out. It is my personal favorite to surf when I am looking to longboard or just paddle out and chill with some friends. It is a great place to teach someone to surf, but there will be another 50-100 people around you learning as well. Sting rays aren't as bad here because of all the people so that is another plus, but keep your eye out for sharks (read note on sharks below). And the backdrop with the palm trees and million dollar houses is a nice picture to glance at while you are watching the 5 year olds get smashed by whitewater. Your non-surfer friends are sure to like this beach the most.

Biggest waves I have encountered: 6 foot

Biggest waves I have heard of: 10-15 foot

A note on sharks:

I despise them. I am terrified by them. When I was 5, I wouldn't get into the bathtub because I was convinced a great white would swim out of the drain and eat me. However, when I moved to Southern California and started surfing, I had to get over my fear. I am still deathly afraid and occasionally when I picture a shark in my mind, i paddle out of the ocean as fast as I can. But, when you catch that perfect wave and shred up and down the face, it is hard to not go back for more. The sad truth is that there are sharks. They are out there. And they are in La Jolla. But fear not! For they are harmless. Here are the sharks in LJ:

Leopard Sharks: these are bottom feeders. As in, the eat things that are on the bottom of the sea floor. They don't have teeth, they eat small things like crabs or shrimp. They can be anywhere between 3-5 feet long and have actual black stripes along their backs. They are creepy but get used to them because they LOVE shores.

Great White Sharks: Many of you on shark-watch like me have probably heard all about the great white sightings in la jolla. They have seen approximately 6 great whites this summer. They have all been babies, who eat only fish, not seals yet. Even if they do think your shiny black wetsuit is a seal, they won't sample you. There has been no attack by a great white in la jolla that I have heard of. And there is no need to worry about these exaggerated sightings! In fact, almost every day that I surf shores, I see dolphins. And sharks want nothing to do with dolphins.

So welcome to UCSD everyone, take advantage of the epiccccc surf!!

Carolyn Liikala, Freshman Orientation Leader (Group #20)