Located in La Jolla, San Diego County, California, Tourmaline is a pretty decent reef break with a few peaks perfect for ripping into and cruising. The waves here are pretty easy to surf and break for up to 100 meters over a rock and sand bottom. There are three main peaks: Old Mans with is a longer mushy wave, Pumphouse which is the beach break, and Channels in the middle with can be shorter and faster than the others.
What are the best surf conditions for Tourmaline?
Gets good between waist-high and double overhead. We recommend riding a longboard here when smaller and a shortboard then step up as the size picks up. This break is suitable for all levels of surfer. The surf here usually has a wave (5/10) and will get quite crowded (8/10). The best winds are from the Northeast. The best swells are from the South and Southwest. Works on a mid to high tide best but low will also work.
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.
