From Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rincon_Point):

Rincon (Spanish, "angle" or "corner") is a surf spot located at the Ventura and Santa Barbara County line in Southern California, USA. Also known as the "Queen of the Coast", Rincon is one of the most recognized surf spots in California and known around the world for its long, peeling rights. It is best at low tide during the winter. Surrounded by a private gated community, access is restricted to a trail at the bottom and top of the point.

Rincon is located near U.S. Route 101 at Bates Rd.

Rincon is divided into three parts; the Cove, River Mouth, and Indicator. The cove is primarily surfed by longboards and is closest to the freeway. Rivermouth is the speed section reaching from the top of the runoff water outlet to the large white/stone house. The Rivermouth barrels hard at low tide and needs a strong swell to be connected. Indicator reaches around the stone wall, not visible from the freeway. Indicator is the prime take-off spot on bigs days and is often rippable during the small days. Unfortunately, water quality suffers as a result of winter rains, causing occasional beach closures.

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Rincon, By David Pu'u

It is a unique few square miles of land meets sea, Rincon Point. Taking a glimpse into Native American history, one can still see today the attributes of yesterday that made the place a successful site for the Chumash to live, and to gather. A stream that would supply steady fresh water flows year round. Tide pools rich in marine life offer an amazing bounty. A sea full of life with a calm inside cove from which to launch a boat and fish, or simply float in the placid cerulean waters, beckons.

Rincon has always been that sort of unique place. I once had Dr. Norris, a professor of Geology at UCSB explain to me that the point in it’s current form had really not changed too much in the last million years. Million years. What stays the same for a million years that is not destined to be there?

But civilization has altered it a bit these past several generations, and the application of money and playing of the real estate equity card has transformed the once pastoral coastal gem, into a suburban enclave inhabited by those lucky enough and wealthy enough to live within the gates and walls that separate the place from the more common in today’s modern tribe. Not a bad thing, just a thing.

But as a surfer, and one given to enjoying the displays of nature, one cannot help but be smitten by the true uniqueness of Rincon Del Mar when the point feels the pulse of a large North Pacific storm and long, lined up blue green walls begin to stroke it’s shore. I think what described the place best for me was watching a large pod of Pacific Common dolphins streak down the point one bucolic warm Winters day. The raced a wave from the Indicator through to the cove, bursting out of that long energy pulse as if catapulted from a cannon, in, out, up down the streaked. Then at waves end, they simply turned around, swam back up point and did it again. The exploit said it all to me.

As intelligent sentient people we have a duty to those who follow after us to be good stewards of the coast. It is our children’s legacy. If we do not contain and treat waste, utilize technology, architect wise infrastructure, and exercise a reasonable duty of care, we are guilty of complicity in the degradation of something incalculably valuable and special. I would never want top be found guilty of such a thing. Who would?