The OP

The Pacific at Point Lobos. No Californian is far from the ocean and the luckiest live by it. Stinson, near Berkeley, is a fine example and was an excuse to cut high school many a spring day. The beach located next Muir Woods and a popular day-trip from San Francisco (or the East Bay). Because it is Northern California, the fog sometimes a problem but on a glorious day - who cares? Sonnet and I went to Stinson on our second date BTW. It is surfable, but not a classic break and there are sharks: In 2002, a surfer was attacked by a 12-15 foot-long great white and while the dude survived, he received more than 100 stitches to close his wounds. The attack was the second at Stinson since '98, and the 13th in Marin County since '52. The surf off Stinson is within an area known as the Red Triangle, where there have been an unusually high number of shark attacks. Hmm I wonder if there is some kinda connection with nearby Farallon Islands where the Great Whites migrate every year to feed and mate?

Classic Norcal surfing breaks abound and the best are, just perhaps, 3 and 4 mile points or the same distances from the Santa Cruz light house. To reach the break, a surfer dude must park his car by the HW1 then walk a mile or two through lettuce or cabbage fields to get to a rocky cliff. From there, it is a downward scramble, with board and wet suit, to the ocean. There is no beach nor launch pad. The water is black and cold - 62 degrees in winter - and massive kelp beds reach from the below. Often in fog and with unnatural seaweeds touching the body, it is easy to let the mind wander: shark. Sea lions swim underneath can scare one witless (seen in white flashes). But on a good swell the hassle is worth it - there is no better way to goof than riding those waves.