Cape Kiwanda Surf Guide

There's a good righthand reef peak on the south side of the cape that works when the sandbars are right on a big clean W or WNW swell. There's a clean beachbreak on the inside that's sheltered from N and NW winds. Cruiser walls for the mal brigade when smaller.

The main Pacific City beachbreak gets more crowded each year. It's a State Park and parking is limited, typically filling by 10am on spring weekends and earlier in peak summer season. The surf contest held here each August is known for being a real gathering of the Northwest tribe and a fun event. Celebrity guest stars of recent years have included John Peck and Gerry Lopez. Possible shark danger, and watch out for renegade jetskis and dory boats, which are both permitted to launch from the beach. Hard to tell how Pacific City got its name, since Bob Ledbetter's South County Surf shop is just about the biggest operation in town, and it's in his home (okay, there are some restaurants and a post office!).