Strands

Strands is a shifty beachbreak that often closes out, sitting in a small cove between the Headlands and Salt Creek. When conditions line up—short-period South or West-Northwest swells, Southeast to South winds, and mid-tide—it can produce fast, steep barrels, particularly on bigger days reaching head-high to triple overhead. The bottom is a mix of sand and rocks, with a significant hazard of randomly submerged rocks throughout the break that make the spot sketchy and better suited to intermediate and advanced surfers on shortboards. Winter north Pacific swells provide the most consistent energy.

Strands has been part of Dana Point's surf culture since at least the late 1950s, though it remains less visited than the more famous Salt Creek break immediately to the north. The area's broader surfing heritage dates back to the 1930s and 1940s with legendary breaks like Killer Dana, though that particular wave was destroyed by harbor construction in the late 1960s.

Access is from free parking at Strands Vista Park on the bluff, with a long flight of stairs descending to the beach—steep and sometimes slippery with sand in places. A funicular is available for those unable to make the walk. The beach becomes very narrow at high tide, and water conditions can be affected by runoff after rain.