Haskell's Beach

Haskell's is a modest beach break with peaky, racey conditions that can also close out and get walled. It works best during west and northwest swells, particularly in summer wind-swell conditions, though waves rarely exceed what would be considered mediocre by most standards. The sandy bottom shifts seasonally, and the break accommodates both reef and sandbar formations. Medium tide tends to provide the most rideable waves, while high tide pinches the beach and narrows options. Cold Pacific water in the mid-50s to mid-60s Fahrenheit demands a full wetsuit year-round.

Haskell's gained its name in the early 1960s when Mike Haskell, a local who lived on nearby Farren Road, secured access to what was then the private Tecolote Canyon Ranch beaches and began surfing there with friends. Word spread among local surfers, and by the 1970s it had become a fairly well-known spot in Goleta's regional surf scene. The Bacara Resort later developed the adjacent headland, but the beach has retained its public access and continues as a local's haunt rather than a regional destination.

The beach sits at the base of Bacara Resort with a public parking area and easy trail leading to facilities including restrooms, showers, and picnic tables. At lower water levels, surfers can walk north past the abandoned Appleford oil pier—built in 1930 and no longer public-accessible—to reach a more remote area called Naples Point. Hazards include rip currents, scattered rocks, and rusty metal debris from deteriorated oil infrastructure that appears and disappears with seasonal sand movement. Tide pools near the rocks harbor sea stars, urchins, and crabs, and dolphins are commonly seen in the water year-round.