Overview
St. Augustine Pier is a sand-bottomed beach break that peels both rights and lefts. Like most beachbreaks, its quality comes and goes with the sand, so the peaks shift as the banks build and fade. When the bars line up it earns its decent reputation, and it has drawn a real crowd at times.
When It Works
The pier pulls in a wide band of swell, working on anything from north-northeast through east to southeast (NNE-E-SE). It's usable from 0.6 m / 2 ft to 3 m / 10 ft, leaving plenty of room from small, playful days up to serious overhead surf. Autumn, winter, and spring are the seasons to focus on.
Wind and Tide
Look for west-southwest (WSW) offshore wind to clean things up, with a workable wind window running from south through west-southwest to northwest (S-WSW-NW). It breaks through low, mid, and high tide, though a rising tide is generally the better call.
Local Tips
This is a friendly, all-levels wave that suits everyone from beginners to experts and handles just about any craft, whether you're on a shortboard, funboard, longboard, fish, bodyboard, or skimboard, or bodysurfing. The lineup tends to stay fairly quiet and can feel a little reserved. Paddling out isn't too bad on average, but it gets tougher as the surf picks up. Be aware that sharks are a hazard here.
Access
Park along A1A right next to the break.
