Trip Report: Surfing Indian Beach, Ecola State Park
When: 9/06/2018
Location: Indian Beach, Ecola State Park
Conditions: Foggy in the morning, then the sunshine came out! Perfect temp outside!
Duration: 7 hours including driving
Difficulty: SO EASYY!!! Anyone can do what we did today! This was my first time surfing & I had a blast!
Kid Friendly: Yes
Pet Friendly: Yes
Be aware there is a 5$ parking fee that can be paid on the way in with cash or card. On weekends the lot does fill up so get there early! Weekdays are your best bet if you can pull it off.
The Full Report:
A few friends and I left Portland at 6:30 AM to head out to Indian Beach in Ecola State Park to do some surfing! I was stoked to set off because this was going to be my first day on a surfboard ever. I just bought a used surfboard from the Next Adventure Paddle Center and couldn’t wait to try it out.
The drive from Portland took about an hour and a half. We got there at about 8am and sat on the picnic tables while making coffee in my GSI French press. We ate breakfast overlooking the beach as the sun rose and the fog lifted off the water.
After our wetsuits were on were walked down the pathway with our boards (only about an 1/8th of a mile) to the beach. We went straight to the water and jumped in! I was glad for my 5:4:3mm wetsuit I had also picked up in the used gear section because that water sure was cold! We spent about 4 hours out there having a blast.
For my first time out, I seemed to pick it up pretty quick, but I did have some humbling moments! The best advice I can give is that each time you fall off is a lesson learned! My friends also caught more waves than I did so don't give up, the more you practice the better you will get. We also saw people out there on kayaks, paddle boards, and boogie boards. We even saw a dog surfing! There are also a few hiking trails from the parking lot if you want to stay out of the water.
Whatever activity you choose I urge you to go explore the Oregon coast. It is absolutely breathtaking!
The Full Report:
A few friends and I left Portland at 6:30 AM to head out to Indian Beach in Ecola State Park to do some surfing! I was stoked to set off because this was going to be my first day on a surfboard ever. I just bought a used surfboard from the Next Adventure Paddle Center and couldn’t wait to try it out.
The drive from Portland took about an hour and a half. We got there at about 8am and sat on the picnic tables while making coffee in my GSI French press. We ate breakfast overlooking the beach as the sun rose and the fog lifted off the water.
After our wetsuits were on were walked down the pathway with our boards (only about an 1/8th of a mile) to the beach. We went straight to the water and jumped in! I was glad for my 5:4:3mm wetsuit I had also picked up in the used gear section because that water sure was cold! We spent about 4 hours out there having a blast.
For my first time out, I seemed to pick it up pretty quick, but I did have some humbling moments! The best advice I can give is that each time you fall off is a lesson learned! My friends also caught more waves than I did so don't give up, the more you practice the better you will get. We also saw people out there on kayaks, paddle boards, and boogie boards. We even saw a dog surfing! There are also a few hiking trails from the parking lot if you want to stay out of the water.
Whatever activity you choose I urge you to go explore the Oregon coast. It is absolutely breathtaking!