A picture’s truly worth a thousand words, then this Reddit upload from u/Maxposure of a surfer tackling a gnarly wave underneath the Golden Gate Bridge at Fort Point is a whole-ass Zadie Smith novel.
The image wows not just because of the great composition, light, and timing — but because it makes you go: “Wait, do people actually surf under the Golden Gate?!”
And, obviously: They absolutely do.
While most surfers turn their attention to places like Half Moon Bay and Santa Cruz, others venture into the Bay itself. But dangerous rip tides and record-breaking Maverick waves can, however, make the waters of San Francisco’s Pacific-facing coastlines equal parts awe-inspiring and downright intimidating.
This is all true, especially off Fort Point and Ocean Beach, another famous surfing hotspot in the city.
“Ocean Beach is one of the most fun waves to hit in the Bay Area for anyone seeking a challenge,” says Sammy Raymond, a thirtysomething San Francisco resident who takes to the waves off the Sunset District coastline. “There is a strong break and a rip that’ll keep pulling you down the beach if you space out, but worth it because when it hits you pick up some of the cleanest midsized waves in NorCal.”
Through its challenges and literal ups and downs, Raymond notes that “persistence is key to getting your set to surf out here.”
It’s also a pretty Covid-19 safe activity. Surfers are usually well spaced out along lineups to make sure their boards don’t knock and each has plenty of space to catch a cresting wave.
Thanks to this capture for reminding us that the Bay Area remains a surf town.
