SANTA CRUZ
California
OVERVIEW
The Santa Cruz World Surfing Reserve is located on the northern side of Monterey Bay along California’s Central Coast within the protected coastal waters of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. The Reserve stretches approximately 7 miles from Natural Bridges State Park on the west end of the City of Santa Cruz eastward along the city and county coast to the Opal Cliffs, just east of Pleasure Point. At least 23 consistent surf breaks are sited along this coast, including the world-class breaks of Steamer Lane and Pleasure Point.
The breaks are rated from “expert” to “beginner” and are used by surfers throughout the year. Surfing contests from pros to clubs to schools are frequent and popular. Beach and surf access is generally good along this coast and most of the beach areas in the Reserve are overseen by the California State Parks, the City of Santa Cruz, or Santa Cruz County.
- 4th World Surfing Reserve
- Approved February 2011
- Dedicated April 28, 2012
- 23 Waves
- 7 Miles of Coastline
Why Santa Cruz?
Santa Cruz has earned the sheltered status of a World Surfing Reserve because of its diverse mix of surf breaks, its pervasive and deep-rooted surf culture, and its thriving but fragile coldwater habitat.
Most surfers who’ve spent any time in Santa Cruz agree that the quality, consistency and aesthetic appeal of its waves make it the best all-around surf town in the continental United States. The reserve’s seven miles of serrated coast features more than a dozen quality spots—from one of the West Coast’s best beginner breaks to a heaving deepwater peak where big-wave legends train. The wide array of points, reefs and beachbreaks suck in Pacific swells from all directions, and the prevailing winds blow favorably year-round.
Santa Cruz’s surf roots date back to 1885, when three Hawaiian princes rode hand-hewn redwood planks in waves breaking near the San Lorenzo Rivermouth—the first documented surf session on the American mainland. A small but devoted core of local surfers kept the sport alive through the first half of the 20th Century, but it wasn’t until surf fever swept from coast to coast in the 1960s that surfing became forever woven into the very fabric of the community. In the decades since, innovative Santa Cruz surfers and manufacturers—from wetsuit designers to surfboard shapers—have influenced wave riders worldwide.
Today, Santa Cruz is home to thousands of surfers, many of whom are devoted to protecting the coast from the ongoing threats of coastal developers and inland polluters. The success of these coastal stewards is evident to anyone who ventures near the coast here on a day when the sun is out, the wind is right, and a solid swell is running. From Natural Bridges to Capitola, the surf zone buzzes with hundreds of shortboarders and longboarders, groms and geezers, heroes and kooks—all vying for sets in the cool, green, kelp-rich sea.
Attributes of a World Surfing Reserve
At least 23 consistent surf breaks are sited along this coast, including the world-class breaks of Steamer Lane and Pleasure Point. Most are reef or beach breaks with a few outstanding point breaks, and almost all naturally break right within this zone. Winter is always the best time for surfing consistent waves, and the breaks are rated from “expert” to “beginner,” so surfers of all ages and levels can find a suitable wave in the area.
Santa Cruz proudly claims to be the location of the very first board surfing ever in North America, at the “Rivermouth” break in 1885, as documented in The Santa Cruz Surf. When three visiting Hawaiian princes had surfboards milled out of local redwood and demonstrated board wave riding for the first time, Santa Cruz was immediately established forever as the birthplace of surfing on the continent. The Santa Cruz Surf Club formed in 1936 and helped solidify a strong surf culture that continues today as a key part of the area’s identity, with many local residents embracing surfing as a central part of their lifestyle.
Santa Cruz is a marine protected area located within the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. The beaches in Santa Cruz are home to many Sea Otters, Seals, Sea Lions and varieties of sea birds, along with the occasional migratory whale and/or Great White Shark. The World Surfing Reserve seeks to address three core threats to the classic coastline; marine debris, water quality, and sealevel rise. The greatest focus has been to address the chronic water quality concerns at Cowell’s Beach – one of the best beginner waves in California. The World Surfing Reserve has convened a group of local stakeholders and experts to collaboratively address the issue together and achieve measurable water quality improvements.





Protecting the surf ecosystem and natural beauty of Santa Cruz with the World Surfing Reserve and the City of Santa Cruz. Produced by Swan Dive Media.
CLEAN COWELLS INITIATIVE
A cherished Santa Cruz beach and premiere longboard break, Cowells, faces longstanding water quality issues at the heart of the World Surfing Reserve
Our commitment to address the issue has led to the formation of the Cowells Working Group in partnership with the City of Santa Cruz. Major improvements have been made and Cowells has since been removed from the ‘Beach Bummer’ list altogether after years of hard work, trial and error, and dedicated scientific research.
RESOURCES

Local Stewardship Council
Santa Cruz WSR Coordinator: Shaun Burns
President: Hilary Bryant
Esabella Bonner
Rikki Dunsmore
Tony Elliot
Tyler Fox
Jane McKenzie
Donna Myers
Bob Pearson
Al Ramadan
Dave Revell
Richard Schmidt
Tiffany Wise-West
Dan Young
Mark Dettle
WSR Booklet
Stewardship plan
Map
Santa Cruz WSR News

Representatives from All 12 World Surfing Reserves Convene at Coalition Summit
The Coalition Summit held in Santa Cruz on June 7 through June 9 was a historic event for Save The Waves and the protection of surf ecosystems more broadly. It was the first time in the history of the World Surfing Reserves program that we brought the entire network together with all 12 WSR’s represented

Santa Cruz WSR: Update on the Opal Cliffs Project
Save The Waves and the World Surfing Reserve believe that a different approach should be considered in order to protect surf resources.

Cowell’s Beach Success: Another Year of Improved Water Quality
For the third consecutive year, Cowell Beach is not included on Heal the Bay’s “Beach Bummer” list.

Kona Brewing teams up with Save The Waves on the Catch a Clean Wave campaign
On Sunday, Save The Waves hosted a beach cleanup in the Santa Cruz World Surfing Reserve with Kona Brewing for their #CatchACleanWave tour.