South Bay Pride...

A certain stretch in the South Bay her her glory moments every winter...

Southside Manhattan, while not always the best, has some sneaker sandbars at times...

As the above caption read... The Southside gets good ONCE in awhile.

The Northside bars and crowds have changed over the years, but she still produces some goodness.

Southside empty from a couple of winters ago...

Since moving to Southern California from Hawaii in 2001 I have lived in the South Bay of Los Angeles... This includes Hermosa Beach, Redondo, Torrance and Manhattan Beach, along with El Segundo. This was essentially my first introduction to California as an adult. Sure, I took trips here during the summers as a grom, but these trips were primarily in San Diego and Orange County.

Over the years, I have had my moments of irritation with the South Bay. Too many people started to show up to the Northside of Manhattan, lots of closeouts, inconsistent winters with barely there summers. I would drive 50 miles to Salt Creek or 100 miles to San Diego just to get good waves. Many friends asked why I don't just move down to the OC or SD. I could never answer the question. The only thing I could say is "it's home."

The truth is, I love the South Bay and do not plan on ever moving away... The communities here are like no other. Friendly, quiet and like the old beach towns California is famous for. You can still walk two streets down and find an empty sandbar on most days. I have some of the best and most loyal friends here. Friends that you only get living in a small surfing community. Even a few of my Hawaiian friends enjoy surfing the sandbars here in the winter. Now that I am primarily a photographer, I absolutely love the options in Los Angeles. Great lighting and a ton of talent.

Over the years, the South Bay has become more crowded and developed... I used to live in a studio down the street from Hermosa Pier for $600 a month. Times have changed and that place is now in the astronomical range now. Thankfully, the surfing environment has not been altered too badly. There are many nooks and crannies offering up solid beachbreak experiences from Torrance to Playa Del Ray. I won't get to detailed in this post as there are still a FEW secrets out there.

While the summer here can get good, with south swells sneaking in if they are just the right angle, this is truly a wintertime community. Every winter the local bars light up. Those who know, know precisely where to hit at the exact time. I rarely venture away from the South Bay during winter, unless it is down to the reefs in San Diego. There have been more than a few occasions where the South Bay is firing while Orange County and San Diego are blown out and nasty. One reason for this... The South Bay loves windswell and the unloved south winds.

So, if you catch yourself looking at the home break hacked to shreds and nasty, don't rule out venturing up to the South Bay. You may just find yourself falling in love. Check here for a more in depth show if you don't believe me. Link is courtesy of Surfline and local hero Alex Gray.

Have a great Sunday.

Aloha - JP

Mike Dippel on one of the best waves I've seen and photographed in L.A.

Jetty roper...

Longtime Hawaiian Friend Kyle Sumida in town and ripping...

Local Heroes Bryce Lowe White and Alex Gray teaming up...

My favorite beachbreak offering up her early morning goods on one of the best days last winter... See you out there!!! Aloha - JP