camp pendleton

[Skate]

Just booked a stay at camp pendleton at San Onofre the first week in august. I have never been to San O before. I have been all over san diego but never san o. We are camping in our motorhome for a week there. I have no way of bring any of my boards, I cant fit them in the RV. so I have to rent boards when I am down there. is there any thing that i need to look out for when I am there. I am only going to surf from church's down.

[TallDude]

Great spot! One of the perks of being in the armed forces. Thank you for your service! You will more than likely meet some zoners there. Church is one of my favorite spots. It's a steeper, faster right.  You can paddle down to dog patch and SUS with the masses.  It's about a 15 min. paddle. Plenty of board rental spots. Timmy Paterson's http://tpattersonsurfboards.com/sup-division/ , Infinity http://www.infinitysurf.com/sup/  , Brawner's Boards http://www.brawnerboards.com/. There are many more in the area (Hobie, Killer Dana, Keli's outrigger & surf, and more), but they tend to rent the generic 10'6 and 11'6 all around boards. So if you are looking for a performance rental, I'd start with the first three.
Pipe's Cafe in south San Clemente is a good post session grind. My favorite is Riders Club burgers at the north end of town. 

[Skate]

I can not take the credit for serving our country. I wish I could. My father is retired E9 for the Air force so He is the one who is taking us on this trip. Thanks for the info on the rentals. I would like to meet up with some of you guys when i am down there. It is always nice to have others you know in the line up. I have never SUS before any I want some one to show me the way.

[supsurf-tw]

I would stay away from Church then. It's probably not the best spot due to the aggressive crowd. A beginner SUSer would not have fun. If it's small and uncrowded maybe ok.

[PonoBill]

I should probably get an ID card, the surf looks pretty good down that end.

[The Kernel]

Skate:

Church(es) is pretty much my home break...

In addition to the excellent rental recommendations by TallDude, you can rent 9'8" UP Sports boards right there at the San O Camp Pen beach office. 

But here's the deal on SUSing there: 

First, the area in front of the base is not subject to control by the CA State Parks, although sometimes the State Park rangers forget that or neglect to tell you otherwise when they bullhorn you when they think you've strayed too far north.

So yes you CAN SUS there, but you probably shouldn't if it's your first time.  The prone surfers there are reasonably tolerant of SUPers, but that is pretty much EXPERIENCED SUPers.  Even then, there are still some jerks (as very experienced StandinDan can attest from his recent verbal scrap there).  If you're fumbling around at the main peak at Churches, you'll only enrage the lineup and make it worse for SUPers in general.  They DID put up with me learning there, but I already had some experience, was extra careful, and I was pretty much the definition of a local there (on active duty in the Corps) and knew a bunch of guys in the lineup.

The comment by supsurf-TW is spot on:  If it's your first time SUSing, it's not a good place.  You should strongly consider going 1/2 mile south to Dogpatch and getting your SUP legs in the inside break.  Dogpatch has a supportive crowd, they've seen plenty of newbies and they know how to give you space to learn.  If you get it down pat at Dogpatch, by all means give Church a shot if you think you can be safe about it.

Good luck with your SoCal SUP adventure!

[Skate]

well I guess I will stick to prone surfing at churches. thanks for the info kernel.

[The Kernel]

Skate:

De nada.  I'd offer to meet up with you, but am unfortunately out of the area the week you're here. 

That part the coast is chock full of surfing.  Hope the waves cooperate for you....

[Skate]

will the beach at church  be ok to take my daughter at in the water to body board?

[RATbeachrider]

Yes.  But if south swell running it will be crowded with surfers.  Might be better just in front of the Dog Patch lifeguard tower and hangout with the surf school kids.

[RATbeachrider]

Yes.  But if south swell running it will be crowded with surfers.  Might be better just in front of the Dog Patch lifeguard tower and hangout with the surf school kids.

[The Kernel]

You should be fine bodyboarding there and can just stick to the inside if there is a crowd issue.  Highly unlikely you would have to go elsewhere unless the swell is epic.

[Skate]

how far down is trail 6 form there. When I am down there surfer cross will be going on on and I want to go watch. It is at trail 6 and I just want to know if I could walk there from churches.

[Zooport]

It's about 4 or 5 miles south of Church.  Too far for a casual walk.  That would probably be the least crowded option for leaning how to SUS though.  There are peaks all up and down a 2 or 3 mile stretch of beach and it's usually not too difficult to find a little wave you can ride by yourself.  The only problem with Trails is that it is a loooong way to carry your gear from your car to the beach and you go up/down one of several pretty long staircases to get down the cliffs.  Super fun wave though.

There has been some talk here on the Zone that rangers are hassling SUPers at Trails now.  Not sure where that has gone.  I know of another buddy who SUS's there and has never reported being hassled.  So who knows?

I might can meet you down there.  I might bring buddy who just tried SUPing on the backwater behind my house and has never SUS'd before.  Stay in touch. 

[Skate]

So I am getting ready to start the trip down to so cal. I am getting all my stuff together and Putting in the RV. I go to take out my oneill mutant wetsuit and I see that there is 2 big holes in the shoulders, and they can not be fixed. The suit was small on me any ways. Now I need to get a new suit by Friday. Any one down in the San Clemente area have a suit they want to sell me. I need a size large or large tall. What is the water temp like down there right now?