Blackball is in effect - do you know where you can surf?
June 23rd, 2008, 5:35 pm · 12 Comments · posted by Jeff Malanca, contributing writer
Well, summer is in full effect - so it’s likely that your local surf spot could be shut down to surfing by lunch time each day.
The yellow flags with a black dot in the middle are being posted on many lifeguard towers along Orange County beaches starting now! Some of the beaches guaranteed to blackball are Huntington Beach from the southside of the pier all the way to the river mouth at Brookhurst street. Also, just about every spot in Newport will be closed to surfing once the flag is up, except the River Jetties which is open to surfing all day long.
Some of the breaks where you can paddle throughout the day in HB start from the northside of the pier all the way up to at least Golden West street, possibly even a little farther north. Seal Beach’s river mouth is another spot where you can break out the boards all day. Meanwhile down south in Laguna some stretches of coast there have designated areas. Salt Creek and Doheny in Dana Point also have posted areas for surfers.
is open for surfing all day on the northside of the pier, while on the southside down to T-Street it blackballs. And lastly all of Trestles is open for surfing year round. Beaches that throw up the blackball flag will do so from now until at least Labor Day weekend in September.
Check out the image below for exact spots where you can and can’t surf:
Year round 44th to 48th st. gets a black ball so that body body boarders can have a place of their own(lame, we share with them)-and during the summer the surfers get the short end of the stick when it comes to a place they can surf.
We’d like to enjoy the warmest sunniest part of the day also, why should we be confined to early mornings and evenings. There ought to at least be a couple of jetties from Newport Pier north that will allow surfers to catch west and south swell during mid day. Shutting the beach off entirely is “totally” unfair, why not have designated surfing areas? Designate maybe 36th to 40th and 48th to 52nd st. for surfing. And not black ball it automatically all the way up to River Jetties. Newport Beach is known for its summer swells, when the waves are big people aren’t in the water and surfers are blackballed-leaving waves wasted. Surfing is part of our culture we shouldn’t shut it down we should embrace it.
It’s very upsetting to be kicked out of your favorite spot or home break. Especially when its going off and getting betting around noon.
Why can’t we have two or three jetties for surfing… 36th st. perhaps? that leaves essentially 98% of the beach in Newport open for swimming.
Aren’t residents just as important as the 909′rs that come to my home and spend their money and leave their trash on my beach…? I’m the one paying taxes here?
Dustin G. Newport beach.
This is pretty dumb. I grew up in Hawaii where surfers, bodyboarders, kite surfers, windsurfers, and swimmers all used the same beaches at the same time…with out incident. I think that as a society we have gotten so worried about getting hurt that we have forgotten to look out for ourselves, and take responsibility for our fellow citizens that we now count on lawmakers to do it for us. As an OC resident, it infuriates me that my tax dollars are going to waste telling surfers where they can and can’t use the ocean. There is no LEGITIMATE reason to penalize all surfers for a hand full of irresponsible beach goers. For the record, I am not a surfer, and feel that they are being victimized…the Surfrider Foundation should get involved.
Maybe if HB wasn’t blown out by 11 every morning, I’d complain. With the whole summer mob scene - bigger than ever - and the wind, I’m usually on my way home or lounging on the beach before those flags go up.
All the black ball rules were created in the 60’s & 70’s to protect the swimmers from the old balsa wood board before there were leashes. In NB they still use the same Municipal Code even though boards have changed and everyone wears a leash. It’s pretty lame.
The blackball from May to October is from 40th to 44th, not 44th to 48th. That is a beach between two jetties designated for spongers. As a surfer, I don’t mind that the spongers get their own break during that time period. No big deal, Now what they do in HB, on the North side is crazy. No black ball on the north side, but south side only? that is a recpie for continued disaster. The lifeguards should force the swimmers on the south side if they aren’t going to black ball during the day.
BTW, if you’ve surfed Blackies, hardly anyone wears a leash.
Amazing. A city that has capitalized on surfing and has gone so far to protect and fight for its “Surf City” status is cutting off its own nose. Maybe Santa Cruz should be crowned “Surf City”.
I GOT A GREAT IDEA LETS PUT UP SURF SHOPS ON EVERY CORNER,HAVE DINERS,COFFEE SHOPS AND RETAIL REVOLVE AROUND SURFING AND FIGHT FOR THE RIGHT TO BE CALLED SURF CITY AND BLACK BALL ACTUAL SURFING DURING THE SUMMER FROM SEAL TO SAN CLEMENTE.LETS DRIVE AROUND IN OUR CUTE YELLOW BOAT POLLUTING THE OCEAN AND SURFERS WITH TOXIC FUMES AND GAS TO SAVE THE 909ERS.
BLACK BALL IS A WASTE OF TIME AND ENERGY…..HOW ABOUT THIS..ITS AN OCEAN NOBODY OWNS IT…..REMEBER THE SAYING “ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK?” HOW ABOUT WE BLACK BALL CARS DURING THE SUMMER,I MEAN IM TRYING TO RIDE MY BIKE HERE MAAAAANNNN…
First off, Mark, you need to get your facts straight. Its between 40th and 44th st. that the flag is up 24hrs a day for spongers. And secondly, its not year round. Its May 1st to Oct 31st. If you werent such a barney and actually surfed “year round,” you might actually get to paddle out at your beloved stretch between 40 and 44. Surfing IS part of our culture in Newp, and so it is our responsibility to ensure that all beach-goers have a good time and don’t leave with a bad taste in their mouth about us surfers.
Long story short Mark, get your mom to come in your room and wake you up a little bit earlier and you can enjoy more waves… We all know it blows out with the west wind about noon anyway..
Thanks for the correction Drew, somebody’s already pointed it out. I guess you’re stoked to have the black balls up during summer- that way you and the beach-goers you’re looking out for won’t leave as many bad tastes in each others mouths.
I also like how you speak for “us surfers” and “we all know” bla bla bla…that’s cool but I voted that the blackball was unfair to “us surfers”
I guess you think it’s fair to NOT have the option to surf most of Newport for the majority of the day and are a kook. I’d like a few jetties to surf at, I’m not trying to ruin anyones good time, just suggest a fair resolution. Maybe you should keep the black balls out of your mouth and leave them on your chin.
Black balls in your mouth. That is hilarious. Surfing is lame anyways.