Point Breaks & Surfing Terms - Endless Summer Surf & Skate - Mission Beach

Point Breaks

A Point break is a surf zone where the waves start to break in front of a headland or point and wrap into a bay or cove as they continue to break. This style of break usually allows for very long rides thanks to the wrapping nature of the waves. Point breaks can have a variety of bottom surfaces, ranging from sand and rock to sharp coral. 

Point Breaks usually require a solid groundswell for them to really work to their potential. Like reef breaks, point breaks often have fairly defined lineups and take off zones. However, unlike reef breaks, point break waves can often offer multiple take off zones along the point. Some of the most famous California surf spots are point breaks and include Rincon in Santa Barbara, Malibu in Los Angeles, and Trestles in San Diego.

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