Solerider Corbin Brown

Marine Street, La Jolla, CA

Marine Street is definitely a storied break complete with locals, serious waves and serious injuries. According to the Mac Meda Destruction Company website (a must check out source for La Jolla beach lore) the term "whomp" originated here and on the other nearby La Jolla Whomping grounds:

...[Marine's] claim to fame is its wicked shore break otherwise known as ‘whomp,’ or what locals dubbed when you body surfed it, Bodywhomping. The term originated in the early 1960s at the three beaches due to the sound heard when the wave closed out over you like cupping your hands and a single loud “ whomp” of  air rushed out due to the  heavy blow, slap or bang that the wave gives you..

The beach is small and steep, leading to a wicked shore pound.

Outside sets can provide occasional long soft shoulders leading into thick close-out tubes onto dry sand. When it’s smallish the take off can be handled without wearing fins in waist deep water. Head high or over it’s fins required. Regardless of the size, sand filled body scraping barrels are generally guaranteed. Often a healthy dose of kelp entanglement accompanies. Spongers rule the spot as do soft-top surfboards, and they kill it! If there’s any size, stand up tube rides over dry sand happen.

Marine Street needs a 3’ + swell from the North West, West, or South West to work. When it’s really big it washes though before doubling up on the sand. Not for the inexperienced. Needless to say it’s small closed-in beach, fickle nature, devastating pound and frothing crowds can make for a frustrating go out. But on the other hand… 

TIDE: Any but a super high tide
WIND: East
SWELL: Something with West in it. 3’ to 8’ Big swells tend to wash through.
NOTES: Attitude, serious waves, serious crowds and serious injuries.

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