About Palos Verdes Cove

Palos Verdes Cove has a rich and colorful history dating all the way back to the 1930s, but the focal point for surfing here nowadays is Middles. Comprised of fun lefts and rights that generally offer playful waves for longboards and funboards, as things start to get bigger on a solid NW or SW, the waves get more challenging. The wave is also affected by the tide and can get drained out when it gets too low. The Boneyard on the inside offers a shallow lefthander that can get hollow and pack a punch when the conditions align.

Source: Palos Verdes Cove Surf Guide

Ability Level

Intermediate - advanced

Beg Int Adv

Because there are a few options at PV Cove depending on swell, it caters to a host of different talent levels. The waves can range from user-friendly to heavy and serious.

Local Vibe

Intimidating

Welcoming Intimidating

Palos Verdes is one of the last bastions of localism in Southern California. The crew that surf here regularly know each other and don’t welcome outsiders. However, PV Cove isn’t as fiercely defended as nearby Lunada Bay.

Crowd Factor

Heavy

Mellow Heavy

Can get busy with local PV surfers, and the Boneyard can be competitive when it turns on.

Spot Rating

Fun

Poor Perfect

A fun, user-friendly longboard spot most of the time that can offer hollow lefts on the inside Boneyard section when conditions come together.

Shoulder Burn

Medium

Light Exhausting

The lineup is a ways offshore and takes some work to get out to. It’s pretty cruisey on small days, but gets progressively more challenging as the swell fills in.

Water Quality

Clean

Clean Dirty

One of the more pristine areas in the L.A. zone, Palos Verdes Cove is a protected marine preserve with healthy sea life, including offshore kelp beds that help provide glassy conditions.

Additional Information

Hazards

The bottom and angry locals are the biggest issues you’ll face here.

Access

Access by a dirt footpath at Flat Rock Point.

Bring Your

Shortboard, fish, funboard, longboard

Seabed

Sand and rocks on the beach with a rocky bottom.

Best Season

PV Cove will break throughout the year, but solid groundswells really maximize the bottom bathymetry. Summer and winter are both viable seasons with different moods and temperaments.

Swell Consistency and Wind Overview

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