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South of Martin's Beach are eight miles of empty, unseen and inaccessible coast until Highway 1 dips down and crosses the bridge at Tunitas Creek. Glancing to your right, you'll see a long stretch of beach, with what looks to be a promising right point on the north end.
Tunitas Creek is the first in a number of faux surf spots you'll find heading south from Half Moon Bay toward Santa Cruz. What looks to be a perfect right point on the north end of the beach, isn't. Tunitas Creek is mostly beachbreaks through the middle. Much of the time, these beachbreaks are too big, too windy or something else is wrong with them. Occasionally, though, you'll catch a glimpse of a perfect A-frame in the middle of the beach. Then you have to figure out how to get down there.
Shark story number two: The local kids don't call this place "Don't Eat Us Creek" for nothing. In August of 1987, Santa Cruz surfer Craig Rogers had just paddled out at Tunitas Creek at seven in the morning and was rocking back and forth on his surfboard, when all of a sudden his board stopped rocking. He looked down and saw a big, black eye looking back at him. A white shark had clamped down on his board. Rogers spent a few terrified seconds absolutely convinced he was going to die. He spent the next few moments paddling like mad for shore. Rogers got out of all this with just a scratch on his hand. Don't Eat Us Creek, indeed.
-- Ben Marcus
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beachbreak, so it varies
W, NW, SW
small to double overhead
E
4
sand and rock
intermediate to advanced
anti-shark device, friends, hiking boots, rappelling rope
fall, winter, spring
not exactly sure
Bring your own. You will want to have some people around to increase the odds
theme from Jaws
5. Moderate.
3. Minimal. Although any creek along here is a little suspect.
loneliness, sharks, long walks in for nothing
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Head north to Half Moon Bay or south to Pescadero, or eat that Powerbar that's been sitting in your glove box for the past six months.
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Head back to Half Moon Bay
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If you're not into beachcombing, you're outta luck.
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The nearest one is in Half Moon Bay
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