At a very young age, my father and I would spend our days
surfing the awesome waves of Swami's, located in the community of Encinitas.
I can recall some of the best waves of my life at this awesome reef break.
From the three foot days with a few buddies to the double overhead days that
are captivating with their beauty and power.
I suppose I have a bias to this particular spot because I
grew up surfing at this location, but I truly feel that this is a premier
spot in Southern California. It's not just for the waves that I feel this
way but for the beauty and culture that surrounds this break. On many
occasions, I've found myself talking about that day of surfing or past
swells with complete strangers and almost instantly, I feel like I've
acquired a friend. Swami's is one of my favorite places in the world and I
only hope that everyone who surfs has that one surf spot where you just feel
at home. Swami's is that spot for me.
The Swami's view from the 101 Highway
Location:
The town of Encinitas in North County of San Diego. This
is a community with a strong hold of the surfing community and culture.
There are several surf shops, surf inspired restaurants and a variety of
great surfing all along the coast.
Click Here for
Directions
The Parking Scenario:
The Swami’s parking lot is pretty ample for it’s size
and can accommodate around 50 automobiles. When it’s an epic day at the
beach or when the surf is pumping, this parking lot will fill up by dawn and
in that case, here are some other options.
Please note: that on the Bluff side of the
parking lot (The row against the cliff facing the ocean) there are two spots
that are marked for Fire and City Vehicles. They are the first and last
spots and Police routinely come through the parking lot in looks of finding
some avid surfer parked in these spots. Watch yourself because parking in
one of these spots will put a dent in your checkbook!
The Swami's Parking Lot
On Highway 101, from in front of the Swami’s temple
until where the road narrows by the cliffs is open for public parking. Watch
out for the fire zones as there are a few. If the side of the road is
already packed full, it’s time to search and start walking! Pull around the
North side of the Swami’s temple and there is a few more streets with
available public parking.
I’ve been surfing Swami’s for my entire life and I can
only recall a few times where parking had become a problem. Most of them
were on sunny holidays and the others were on the days at Swami’s where it
doesn’t matter how far you have to walk, the long promising walls and
playful shoulders make it worth while.
Beach Accessibility and Conveniences:
The only beach access is by the stairs located at the
South side of the Swami’s parking lot, they are impossible to miss. They are
definitely long and well maintained by the City. They are not too bad when
walking down on the way to the beach but after a 3 hour long session, it
seems to take an eternity to reach the top of them
The Swami's stairs leading to the Beach
The Stairs from the Swami's Beach
There are public
restrooms at the top of the Swami's stairs toward the South side of the
parking lot. They are open from 6 am to 9 pm and are in fairly decent shape
for all of the use they receive. There is also a public shower that is
awesome for rinsing off sand and saltwater after a long session. This shower
is located at the botom of the stairs. To be quite honest, that shower is
one of my favorite things about Swami's!
The bathroom's at Swami's
Lifeguard:
There is a Lifeguard tower at Swami's.
It is located near the bottom of the stairs in the right hand side of the
picture above. Like most beaches, the Lifeguard is not on duty 100% of the
time. To the best of my knowledge, the Lifeguard tower is open throughout
the summer season, on exceptionally nice days, and on the big days that
Swami's can offer. Please remember that whether or not a Lifeguard is on
duty, please take extreme caution when entering the ocean. It is a powerful
aspect of nature and it should never be forgotten.
Continue
on to the Surf
