Found in North Orange County, Southern California, The Wedge is a notorious novelty wave that careens and wedges off of a jetty before exploding onto a stupidly shallow sandbar. The waves here are difficult to surf with a very low surfing make rate, it is primarily a bodysurfing and bodyboarding spot. Most hours of the day surfing is actually not allowed here. The Wedge is a freak, known for its board and body snapping ability as well as its wide, slab-like barrels that often closeout. It is a bit of a circus when it is on, many will be watching from the shore enjoying the carnage that takes place very close to shore.
What are the best surf conditions for The Wedge?
Gets good around head high and up, gets very big. A shortboard is the only surfboard that will work well here, a step up is usually too long for the jacking take off. The Wedge should only be surfed by advanced and professional surfers. The surf here is semi-consistent (6/10) and will be ridiculously crowded when breaking (9/10). It needs a big South or Southwest to start working, offshore winds come from the North, and it works on all tides.
We recommend wearing a 3/2 wetsuit in the summer when water temperatures hit 20 degrees. In the winter when water temperatures drop to 15 degrees a 4/3 might be in order. See the temperature chart below for more data on this.