Just inside the bay from Steamer Lane in Santa Cruz, Central California, you will find Cowells. Cowells is an alright reef break that crumbles over a rock bottom. This spot picks up all the leftovers from the heavier points closer to the open ocean. The waves here are gentle and pretty easy to surf, mushing down the line for up to 100 meters providing great opportunities for cruising and learning.
What are the best surf conditions for Cowells?
Cowells gets good between waist high and overhead. However, it needs a massive swell to get to that size. Cowells is best suited to the beginner or intermediate surfer who doesn’t want to deal with Steamer Lane. The surf here is not very consistent (3/10) and will get very crowded with foamies when there are waves. (8/10). The best winds are Northeast, it works on all tides, and a big West or Northwest swell will deliver the goods.
We recommend wearing a 4/3 in the summer when the water temperatures rise to around 15 degrees. The water temperature drops to around 12 degrees in the winter, so we recommend wearing a 5/4. See the temperature chart below for more data on this.