moving to san diego

gogglefog · Post by **gogglefog** » Fri Jul 11, 2008 3:27 pm

hey everyone,
earlier this week i found out that i'll be transferred to san diego in the summer of 2009.

i'm pretty happy about this - haven't lived anywhere with decent surf for over ten years.

i'm planning to house hunt for a few weeks between september and november. when is the best time for swell?

any information on neighborhoods would be great too.

i look forward to surfing with some of you guys.

thanks in advance for any info,
john

KEL · Post by **KEL** » Fri Jul 11, 2008 4:01 pm

wow...nice transfer!!!! you will score all year long.....I used to surf sd pretty often but not as much now with kids and all. There are plenty of people here that will help........KEL

Jack Beresford · Post by **Jack Beresford** » Fri Jul 11, 2008 4:02 pm

Hi John,

Congrats on the move. Lots to be said on this topic but I'll keep it short:

- Most would agree that winter is our best season for surf with the biggest swells rolling through December to March at breaks that take N, NW and W swells. We get S throughout the year but more so in the spring, summer and fall. Not as many S-facing beaches here as up in OC. N. Baja, however, is a short drive.

- In terms of neighborhoods, prepare yourself for sticker-shock. SoCal isn't cheap. Generally the closer to the beach the more expensive - although there are some pricey neighborhoods out east too. So it's all about your price range and how much space you need. Crappy little bungalows in La Jolla will go for $4 million but you can probably get a 4 bedroom in Clairemont (5 miles/10 min from beach) for $400,000. Not sure about rents but same general rule applies. Beyond that everyone has their favorite neighborhoods - some safer than others but SD's crime rate is among the lowest for big cities.

On the negative side, gas is running about $4.50 gal out here you may want to find a place close to work or close to public transit!

Good luck. Should be some fun surf while you're here hunting.

Jack

southpeakbrad · Post by **southpeakbrad** » Sat Jul 12, 2008 8:37 am

Hi John.

You're one lucky man!! SD is a great place for surf and it's a beautiful place to live and surf. Jack's right, you should get some surf when you're house hunting. Once you're here drop some of us a line and we'll fill you in on our particular areas, the commute issues, favorite breaks for various time of year and all of that. One more good thing is it's only humid when it rains

Brad

Smokin Rock · Post by **Smokin Rock** » Sat Jul 12, 2008 11:50 pm

gogglefog · Post by **gogglefog** » Sun Jul 13, 2008 4:29 am

thanks so much to everyone for the encouragement and the info!!!

i look forward to meeting you guys.

Bob Gove · Post by **Bob Gove** » Sun Jul 13, 2008 8:37 pm

Don't believe any of these guys, the locals are surly (especially that old fart on the orange kneeboard), lineups are crowded, water's cold in the winter, and the waves suck in the summer. But if you want to go to Mexico, now you know who to p.m. Welcome to the jungle!

randiego · Post by **randiego** » Sun Jul 13, 2008 9:43 pm

Figures... Gove's always trollin' for new victims with gas money to pay for his diesel hunting trips down south on the weekends.

OOPS

Did I say that out loud? I mean... um, er... ah... he's always lookin' for fellow rippers to find empty waves down south! Yeah that's it!

gogglefog · Post by **gogglefog** » Mon Jul 14, 2008 2:26 pm

Bob Gove wrote:But if you want to go to Mexico, now you know who to p.m. Welcome to the jungle!

I figure most of my surfing out there will be in Mex. How far down do you have to go to avoid crowds?

rooster · Post by **rooster** » Mon Jul 14, 2008 2:57 pm

[quote="randiego"]Figures... Gove's always trollin' for new victims with gas money to pay for his diesel hunting trips down south on the weekends.

OOPS

Did I say that out loud? I mean... um, er... ah... he's always lookin' for fellow rippers to find empty waves down south! Yeah that's it!

:

D

[/quote]I reckon the first one is closer to the truth

rooster · Post by **rooster** » Mon Jul 14, 2008 3:01 pm

[quote="gogglefog"][quote="Bob Gove"]But if you want to go to Mexico, now you know who to p.m. Welcome to the jungle![/quote]

I figure most of my surfing out there will be in Mex. How far down do you have to go to avoid crowds?[/quote]Just a hop skip and a jump, but if you decide to go with Gove make sure your life insurance is current. Passing 3 or more 18 wheelers on a blind curve is his idea of fun

randiego · Post by **randiego** » Mon Jul 14, 2008 3:08 pm

I figure most of my surfing out there will be in Mex. How far down do you have to go to avoid crowds?

Not very far, but bring a gun!

rooster · Post by **rooster** » Mon Jul 14, 2008 3:14 pm

A 7'6 or a .45

randiego · Post by **randiego** » Mon Jul 14, 2008 3:29 pm

A 7'6 or a .45?

Just kidding about the gun folks. HIGHLY illegal, and not very smart to boot.

DarcyM · Post by **DarcyM** » Mon Jul 14, 2008 3:31 pm

Randy is referring to lots of violence and occasional kidnapping of anyone the desperado's think will have enough cash back home to make ransom. No joke, it's been bad lately and tourism in Baja is way off. There's a shake-up with the drug cartels and police. It can be safe if you're careful, don't flash your cash, and don't go alone.

As to living locations - a lot of nice places to live and a few dumps (Clairemont, despite Jack's missive, is Not on the low end of the real estate range -- it is solidly middle class and quite centrally located). A lot will depend on where you're going to be working, as even a really nice place might not be worth it if your commute is 40 miles each way at $5 or even $6 a gallon. The rest will depend on how much you can pay. Real Estate is still quite pricey and median home prices around $400,000.

San Diego has world class surf spots. Pretty much anywhere here beats all but the best days in Florida (hey, I lived in FLA for 2+ years, I know!). There are beach breaks, reef breaks, jetty and piers. You can even find a spot to yourself every now and then. You're rarely more than a few minutes drive from great surf (unless you choose to live in the mountains). San Diego has spots that pick up all swell directions, but straight south swells require a bit of traveling to get the best juice.

Shout out to the locals when you're in town!

dm

Kneeboard Surfing USA Community Forum