Corona Del Mar Jetty Spot Guide

When planning a surf trip to Orange County, the last spot anyone thinks of is the Corona Del Mar Jetty, just south of the Newport Harbor entrance. And for a good reason: the place hardly ever breaks. But when it does, it's second only to Newport Point on the perfect-o-meter.

Three critical elements are necessary for the Corona Del Mar Jetty to work well. First, you need a massive southwest swell -- at least double overhead at Newport. Second, a prevailing offshore wind is needed to hold up the wave. Finally, a medium tide helps for length of ride.

On southwesterly mackers, the tip of the jetty creates long a right-hand wave that is carvable while the rest of the coastline closes out. On gargantuan west to northwest swells, the opposite occurs on an inside finger jetty called. One local who spoke to us under confidentiality swears that is the best wave in Orange County when it's on. "It's a freak of nature," he explained. "Few people known about it, and those who do known are on it when the right swell arrives.