Overview
Oil Piers is a right-breaking beachbreak over sand in Ventura County, half a mile south of Mussel Shoals. It takes its name from the two Arco piers that once helped shape a well-defined sandbar here. Those piers were dismantled in 1998 and the bar went with them, leaving a fairly ordinary stretch of beach that these days breaks as an average beachbreak.
When It Works
The bank draws swell from west-southwest to west (WSW-W) and peels right. It is usable from 0.9 m / 3 ft to 3 m / 10 ft, running waist- to head-high on inside days and building toward double overhead when the outside lights up. There's a rideable window somewhere across the whole year.
Wind and Tide
Look for northeast (NE) offshore wind, with a workable wind window stretching from north to east. It comes to life on low and mid tide, and a rising tide is generally the better call.
Local Tips
This one suits intermediate and expert surfers, and it handles a wide range of boards, from shortboards and fish to funboards and longboards. Expect a busy lineup when it's working, with a somewhat reserved atmosphere in the water.
Access
Park in the pier parking lot. Keep an eye out for pier pilings in the water and broken glass in the lot, and bear in mind the beach can get rough after rain.
