Located hundreds of miles offshore of San Diego County, California, Cortez Bank is an excellent big wave spot. There is an underwater mountain range here that just barely doesn’t break the surface. Massive swells hit this range without losing any power creating huge faces suitable for tow surfing. You’ll need a well-supplied boat to get here. The waves here are pretty suicidal for most of us mortals and break for up to 300 meters over those underwater mountains.
What are the best surf conditions for Cortez Bank?
Gets good at tow-in size. this break is suitable for pro and advanced-level surfers. The surf here does not break often (2/10) and will be empty (1/10). The best winds are from the East. The best swells are from the Northwest. Works on all tides.
We recommend wearing a 3/2 in the summer when water temperatures rise to 20 degrees. In the winter a 4/3 is best when water temperatures rise to 15 degrees. See the temperature chat below for more data on this.
