There’s a lot to love about Bolinas, but what I love most is the surf. Recently while showing my new listing at 499 Birch Rd one of the locals told me, “I moved to a surf town where there’s no surf.”, which is kind of true, but I still love it anyway. It’s not like the surf ever gets big, all the powerful fall and winter swells charging down from Alaska are blocked by Duxbury Reef. A few years back, I surfed at the Bolinas channel on the same day when Mavericks was 50+ ft. The faces at Bo were 6-8 ft. It never gets over 8 ft, even when the tasty long period south swells hit in the summer.
I truly love the summertime south swells at Bolinas. The water and weather are both warmer. People come flocking to the beach and the water is more crowded, especially with surf school groms floundering on sponge boards on the inside. But somehow, I always get fun waves. Even when the summer surf is micro, I find waves at the groin pole and inside at what’s known as Mali-Bo.
I absolutely love the diversity in the water at Bolinas. It’s not unusual to see teenagers paddling for waves alongside card-carrying AARP members (like me). Best of all is seeing how many women are in the water. When I started surfing in 1980, I never saw women surfing in Northern California. Even when I moved to San Diego in the mid 80’s to surf, I mean go to college, I don’t recall seeing women in the water. Times have changed, and now it seems like there’s almost as many women in the water as men, which I think is great for the sport and the ocean. Unfortunately, we still don’t see a lot of ethnic diversity in the water, but I have a feeling that will be changing in the years to come as well. The more people who enjoy the ocean, the more it will be cherished and protected.
With all these people coming to Bolinas, and a parking area that is often packed, there are still plenty of good waves to be had. Because the waves are so user-friendly, I will typically encourage beginners to drop in on me. I don’t mind sharing a good wave with someone whose learning, because I remember how much of a rush it can be when you are starting to stand and turn on waves. I love watching the excitement on the face of a beginner when they catch a good wave. There are few things that can compare to that sheer joy.
I guess that about sums it up: the beach at Bolinas is a joyful place. This week, I put a house on the market on the Mesa in Bolinas as 499 Birch Rd. The house is on nearly a half acre, street to street lot, and has tons of possibilities. Among other things, it could be the perfect surf compound. It features a garden, a large greenhouse, chicken coops and a beautiful meadow. If you are thinking about moving to a surf town with no surf, 499 Birch Rd just might be the place for you!