Overview
Camp Pendleton is a jetty-fed beachbreak in Virginia Beach, tucked between the 1st Street Jetty and Croatan and flanked by an army training camp to the south. It offers a bit of a respite from the busier breaks on either side of Rudee Inlet, peeling both left and right over a sand bottom. When everything lines up, the outside sandbars can even throw the occasional barrel. It rates below average overall and isn't as dependable as neighbors like Croatan, but it has its windows.
When It Works
The spot draws swell from northeast through southeast, and it really comes alive with the bigger east, southeast, and south swells of hurricane season. It's usable from 0.6 m / 2 ft to 2.4 m / 8 ft, running chest high to overhead. Autumn is the prime window, when tropical cyclones and later frontal systems and nor'easters push swell this way. Pendleton can also surprise during nameless northeast windswells, though it's generally less consistent than the spots to the north and south. Those outside sandbars are most likely to barrel on a lower tide when the swell direction and period cooperate.
Wind and Tide
Look for west-southwest (WSW) offshore wind, with a workable wind window running from southwest to west. It breaks best through low to mid tide, and a rising tide is generally the better call.
Local Tips
With a mellow beginner-to-intermediate feel, Pendleton suits just about any craft, from shortboards and fish to funboards, longboards, SUPs, and bodyboards. The lineup stays fairly quiet and somewhat reserved on the base, though it gets busier toward the Croatan end. Paddling is usually manageable, but hurricane and bigger southeast swells can turn it into more of a workout.
Access
Access is restricted. The break sits on an active military base, so stay clear of amphibious vehicles from the Marines.
