Want to try Dana Point and Laguna in summer

[dtmfcc]

We live up in Ventura County, so go to Ventura and Oxnard Harbor areas and Carpinteria.  Pictures of Dana Point and Laguna all look so beautiful, so I'd love to try them out in the summer.  I like to SUP, not surf, in gentle water.  Can enter/exit in gentle surf, nothing crazy.

Can anyone tell me what are best ocean spots, not harbor, and what to avoid, if anything?

Would love to RV camp, but have a feeling we are way too late unless maybe September at Doheny, but even slightly inland ideas would be fine since we'll have a car.

Thanks for all input!

[LBH20]

I live and SUP surf between Laguna and Dana Point. If your paddling out in Laguna in the summer, one of the best choices to paddle in/out if there is any surf, is Fisherman's cove, to the right of the reef (it's deep water). In Laguna, you will have to climb down many stairs to get to the beach (easier going down, than coming back up). The Laguna coastline really is beautiful from the water. If the surf is small, then Oak St., or Anita St.  are great choices. Parking in the summer in Laguna can be problematic, so plan on getting there early, and it could be a bit of a walk to actually get to the water (just an FYI). Virtually all parking near the beach is metered. Bring lots of quarters and/or credit card (most meters take cards now)
 
Dana Point harbor (Baby Beach) is where most non-surfing SUP'ers start, then paddle out of the harbor, and south to Doheny and beyond. Baby Beach has a "loading zone" for ourrigger canoes, kayaks, SUP's, etc. It's a flat sandy beach, with free parking immediately adjacent to the beach. It is the easiest way to paddle out, hands down. Doheny State beach usually has waves in the summer, so you would need to be able to deal with that if paddling out there. Also, Doheny is very rocky the second you enter the water. Reef booties would be a good suggestion, unless you don't mind climbing over rocks (at low tide).

[dtmfcc]

Thanks for this.  It seems a lot trickier than I thought,  just in terms of actual access plus carrying a board.   I'll be keeping this info.

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[anonsurfer]

I like to SUP, not surf, in gentle water.  Can enter/exit in gentle surf, nothing crazy.

Can anyone tell me what are best ocean spots, not harbor, and what to avoid, if anything?

Dana Pt Harbor (Baby Beach/Dana Cove) as previously suggested is a good spot for flat water paddling.  The hardest part will be finding parking so get there early.

If you don't want to do a harbor then try North Beach in San Clemente (just south of Dana Point), SC pier or just paddle out from Doheny State Beach.  Paddling out through the waves would be easy unless there is a decent size swell. 

[Zooport]

I'm in Newport Beach, just north of there and I surf the entire coast from Solana Beach to Bolsa Chica.  Here's my $.02.  Yes, this is a beautiful area, but it gets to be a zoo in the summer;  traffic jams and tourists by the thousands, parking is a challenge.  I used to live in Oxnard, at Silver Strand, and my experience is that it gets crowded up there, but down here, it takes crowded to a whole 'nother level.  If you are cool with that, you should enjoy your visit.  Try not to come around July 4, it's insane.

[dtmfcc]

I already gave up.   Too crazy.   I'm going camping at Newport Dunes instead

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[hbsteve]

Newport Harbor has plenty of good places to paddle.  Have a good time.

[levity]

I already gave up.   Too crazy.   I'm going camping at Newport Dunes instead

It's about 3 miles from the Dunes to the harbor entrance.  If you want quicker way to paddle along the beautiful coast just south of the harbor, you can just drive over to the small Orange County Beach Park at the Coast Guard/Sheriff Station on Bayside Drive. If you launch from there it's 0.99 miles to the end of the harbor jetty and you can explore the shoreline along Corona del Mar, Crystal Cove, and Laguna Beach.

[dtmfcc]

Thanks so much for this.   I plan to give it a try

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[JimK]

When I'm out there (My son runs Adventura Marine in Dana Pt) I teach folks at Baby beach in DP Harbor So nice and easy it's almost like cheating
Go to Baby Beach you'll LOVE IT!

JimK
Extreme windsurfing

[Zooport]

I already gave up.   Too crazy.   I'm going camping at Newport Dunes instead

It's about 3 miles from the Dunes to the harbor entrance.  If you want quicker way to paddle along the beautiful coast just south of the harbor, you can just drive over to the small Orange County Beach Park at the Coast Guard/Sheriff Station on Bayside Drive. If you launch from there it's 0.99 miles to the end of the harbor jetty and you can explore the shoreline along Corona del Mar, Crystal Cove, and Laguna Beach.

It's a fun paddle to start there and go south about 4 miles to the Beachcomber Restaurant.  It's a great little place right on the sand.  Just pull your board up on the beach, sit on the patio overlooking your board and have a great breakfast. 

[dtmfcc]

Hmm.   I may not have mentioned what a beginner I am.   It's hard to judge distances when I'm going back and forth at Carpinteria.   Sounds like something to work up to.

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[hbsteve]

I was holding off on offering some local advice.  But, as you are a beginner, here are a couple of tips.
Because Newport is a large small boat harbor, the tide can move quickly some times.  So, take a look at a tide chart before you head out.  For experienced paddlers it is no big deal, just interesting.  I talked to a lady that only SUPs once in awhile last week.  She recently had a hard time paddling back against the tide.
During the summer, the wind can go from light out of the south in the morning to strong out of the west in the afternoon.  Just check the marine forecast and plan accordingly.
Have fun.

[hbsteve]

I was holding off on offering some local advice.  But, as you are a beginner, here are a couple of tips.
Because Newport is a large small boat harbor, the tide can move quickly some times.  So, take a look at a tide chart before you head out.  For experienced paddlers it is no big deal, just interesting.  I talked to a lady that only SUPs once in awhile last week.  She recently had a hard time paddling back against the tide.
During the summer, the wind can go from light out of the south in the morning to strong out of the west in the afternoon.  Just check the marine forecast and plan accordingly.
Have fun.

[dtmfcc]

That's the stuff I need to learn about in general,  plus what my distance range is at present.   When we start going out more,  I'm going to use my phone app to get a sense of that.   I really don't know.   So far I've been very comfortable at Carp but I'm not setting out on a trek,  just as far as  I feel like going then turn around,  then repeat.   Plus never really out of sight of shore.   I would hate to have to ask for help because I  got too tired to paddle against the wind.

Oh,  to have more time I could do this a lot! I would so love that!

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