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This is the East Side of Santa Cruz. Once the shy little sister to the West Side, Pleasure Point is now producing its fair share of world-class surfers. Jay Moriarity, may he rest in peace, used to live at Pleasure Point, Chris Gallagher at 41st Avenue.
Pleasure Point offers something for every possible kind of waverider, from bodyboarders to shortboarders to longboarders, and this place is very, very popular with all of that and everything between.
-- Ben Marcus
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Incoming to medium
NW, W, SW, SSW. Really focuses in long-period SSW swells
small to double-overhead
E, N, NW, glassy
4-9
rock-reef, sand, kelp
great spots from beginner to very advanced
shortboard, fun board, longboard, bodyboard, bellowing voice, kelp-cutting knife
year-round
Very crowded. This place is extremely popular with everyone. Mid-week is the best call.
very edgy, especially when it's good
3-8, minimal to moderate depending on size
3, minimal. It use to be bad at Sewer Peak but no longer
Longboarder, kelp, long lulls, angry flesh eating sea otters, crowds, guys with tattoos and bald heads
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Around Pleasure Point there are two good breakfast places. Chill Out Cafe on 41st Avenue is a great place for a warm cup of apres surf java, while across the street and just down from Freeline, the Cliff Cafe has been serving local eaters for years and has kind of a Cafe Haleiwa vibe. There's a new cafe where the Chinese shop used to be, but that's all we know. Otherwise, we'll let Wingnut show you the menu:
Wingnut's Eastside Eateries
Robert "Wingnut" Weaver lives on the East Side, surfs on the East Side, has an office on the East Side and schmoozes on the East Side. If he had any friends, he would recommend the following places in the greater Pleasure Point metropolitan area.
"For breakfast, I'd like to invite you all to my house, but my son Cameron doesn't like to share his pancakes. When I do leave home, I like Paula's Restaurant at 3500 Portola (near 36th Ave.) for the bargain "Walkaway." A mere $1.35 gets a hoagie roll, eggs, potatoes and cheese. Or for the full post-surf breakfast, go to The Silver Spur on Soquel Drive. They make the best homemade corned beef (or turkey) hash in NorCal, but it's only available on weekends. For lunch, it's either Pleasure Pizza on the corner of 41st Avenue and Portola, or Taqueria Vallarta on 41st Avenue, just up from Freeline Design Surf Shop. For sushi, look no further than Pink Godzilla on 41st Avenue, across from Freeline."
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Pleasure Point Bed and Breakfast is there at the end of 37th Avenue. For more info call: 831-475-4657. If you're continuing on south of town, there is good camping near the beaches at Manresa and New Brighton (see below). For more information on camping and where to stay, where to eat and what to do, plug into www.santacruz.org.
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Hang with the hippies and pick some kelp or drink some wheatgrass juice or something...
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The last time we looked there were nearly two dozen surf shops in Santa Cruz, which is a little silly but also useful if you need some wax or a new leash. Some of them, like the Haut Shop on the West Side and Freeline Design on the East Side, have been in business since the '60s and early '70s. Many others are Johnny-come-latelies.
The following is what we came up with:
Arrow Surf and Sport (West Side), 2322 Mission St., Santa Cruz, 831-423-8286
Arrow Surf and Sport (East Side), 312 Capitola Ave., Capitola, 831-475-8960
Cowell's Beach N Bikini Surf Shop, 30 Front St., Santa Cruz, 831-427-2355
Davenport Surfsail Repair and Equipment, 10 Marine View Ave., Davenport, 831-429-6051
Freeline Design Surfboards, 821 41st Ave., Santa Cruz, 831-476-2950
Haut Surf and Sailboards, 345 Swift St., Santa Cruz, 831-426-7874
La Selva Beach Surf Shop, 308 Playa Blvd., Watsonville, 831-684-0774
Nolands Sun and Surf, Municipal Wharf, Santa Cruz, 831-423-5500
O'Neill Surf Shop, 1149 41st Ave., Capitola, 831-475-4151
O'Neill at the Boardwalk, 400 Beach St., Santa Cruz, 831-459-9230
O'Neill Beach at the Yacht Harbor, 2222 East Cliff Dr., Santa Cruz, 831-476-5200
Pacific Wave, 1502 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz, 831-458-9283
Paradise Surf Shop, 3961 Portola Dr,, Santa Cruz, 831-462-3880 or www.paradisesurf.com
Patagonia Santa Cruz, 415 River St. #C, Santa Cruz, 831-469-1945
Santa Cruz Surf Shop, 753 41st Ave., Santa Cruz, 831-464-3233 or www.santacruzsurf.com
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