Pelican Point

My parents and 20 of their retired military friends come here every year and rent a house and put up camping trailers. There is even a hotel for Grandpa to stay at.
You can hear the waves hit the rocks and if you are close enough, you may get sprayed. The stars are amazing, the beach is great, water ice cold, and a great bonfire.
This is on a Navy base so only military can come but it is a great little secret for people to enjoy.
I love the laughter of hanging out and hearing old stories.

Pelican Point… another military-​owned surf site of world-​class caliber. Most people, let alone most surfers, have never even heard of the place. And with good reason. This is one of the hardest places to get into to surf. Strictly controlled, enforced and regularly patrolled, if you lack the proper ID and clearance, you are given the big Navy jackboot right out of there, no questions, no arguments, you’re history. The activities that go on here as well as liability concerns makes your wanting to surf a non-​sequitur. Don’t like that? Wanna complain to someone? Well, too bad, go back to Ventura or join the Navy because no one around here will listen to you.
Now I’ll tell you why you should enlist or get a gravy DOD job that grants access:
Pelican Point juts out into the deep-​water channel and if there is a Continental Shelf, it by-​passed this area. It almost has that Newport Wedge set-​up only it’s hairier. This keeps the water cold all times of the year and the best thing is west swells have nothing to slow them down, impede wave height or fracture the shape. Waves slam up against an underwater wall and throws jacking, pitching barrels down the beach. It is a beautiful and majestic sight that can easily be observed from the rock jetty that protects the harbor area and the parking lot. The water is blue-​on-​blue and the foaming crests contrast starkly white against this pure blue. On a big day, the swell will throw fast, hollow tubes shoreward to be quickly absorbed by the sand where terns, gulls, plovers and sandpipers vie for sand crabs and other flotsam that finds it’s way to the beach. Now and then, a surfer crying over his broken board finds the same beach.
It’s a very fast, pitching drop, paddling skills required. If you hesitate a nano-​second on take-​off, you’ll be face-​planted in the trough, rag-​dolled and clawing for the surface to gain a breath of air just hoping and praying you don’t find yourself bouncing against the unsympathetic rocks of the jetty. I’ve been there, I know these things. And God help you if you’re caught inside as a set pounds it’s way into shore. You better know how to swim. You better know how to hold your breath and not fight an ocean that doesn’t care a whit about you, your dog or all the great things you’ve done. But catch some big lefts here and you’ll be saying Pipeline be damned, Pelican Point was on fire!
And I have to relate this story: I met a girl who had transferred over from Florida, being a Naval officer, and she thought because she had surfed Sebastian Inlet on some big days, Pelican Point would be no problem. It was and she nearly drowned. She said it was because of the cold water… but we knew better. She never picked up a board in Cal again. Wimp-​dom from a Significant Emotional Event.
Nevertheless, many people would love to get in here to surf and enjoy the water but I’m very grateful that only a few can. I’m glad controls are in place.
Then again, the Navy recruiter is located down the street at your local mall. Join up, surf the Point and it’s Anchor’s Away my friends.