When I first surfed Raul's in 1994, it was a quiet, almost undiscovered spot. If five of us made the 50 or so mile trek south from the border at San Diego, there were only five surfers in the water.

By 1998 we had 10 in the water if five of us went.  Today, well, it gets crowded on weekends and holidays.

Inexpensive primitive camping  (and I do mean primitive!) makes it attractive to Californios from up north.  Even 20 in the water makes it less crowded than just about any place in Southern California.

Where is it?  Between Rosarito and Puerto Nuevo.  Unless you travel with someone who knows, it's unlikely you'll find it.  There are no signs and a dozen other places in the neighborhood look nearly the same.

Long, crisp rights stand up quickly on the reef and provide thrilling elevator rides to your bottom turn.  A short left rolls through occasionally.  Raul's is great up to six or eight feet when the swell's at an angle.  But a straight in swell sections and closes out.

Agility is a requirement for climbing down a narrow and slippery trail to the beach.  Once navigated it's a short walk at high tide over wet cobbles to a shallow inside reef covered with thick sea grass.  But once you make it to the line up, it's well worth it.

A couple more photos

Click on thumbnails to view