About

Watch out for locals they are very territorial. There are a couple really cool locals that are world class surfers like Alan Cleland, Mike Johnson, Terry Gallard, Mike Gallard, who are very cool and can give pointers if you are out on huge days there because this wave can be very unpredictable at times.

Additional Info:
IB was always a safe bet on any swell when I didn't want to hassle with the long drive and traffic to North County or deal with the crowds. IB can be good during a variety of swell size (and directions), from small to huge. Up to head-high, conditions on both sides near the pier can be good, and you can usually find several peaks along the beach running south of the pier. There is also a good break in front of the "dinosaur cage." The clever among you can figure that one out on your own. IB can get crowded on good days (especially the weekend). I think the best spot is in front of the last house on the beach before you get to the estuary. The locals do regulate there, but I never had a problem with them. Just be respectful and dont bring a crowd. When it gets huge Sloughs really wakes up. If you can make it through the shore pound, there is an offshore sandbar directly in front of the mouth of the estuary. It doesn't really fire until it gets overhead during the winter swells. Personally, I think comparing it to Mavericks in size-potential MIGHT be overstating it a bit but I have never seen it close out. The bigger it gets, the further out it breaks. I have been out there in double-overhead conditions several times, and I would either be alone or with only a few other guys out. The right is fun, but its the left that goes off. You can get rides that are several hundred yards long - NO JOKE! Word to the wise though; this place is not for the faint of heart. Its kinda spooky being out there by yourself, a quarter of a mile offshore with a shifty peak and strong side-shore current, with the occaisional shark sighting.

It is very polluted from the Tiajuana River and the sharks come in to eat the garbage out of the river. It is not uncommon to have sting rays which are infecyed with diseases and to see logs, washing machines, ect floating by when you are surfing. When it gets huge it is the most under rated big wave in California.

Location

Access

Fly or drive to San Diego, drive south to Imperial Beach. Take the main road to the pier. Then walk along the beach until you reach the last house on the American side right before you cross over into Mexico. (From surfexplorer: If you start walking at the pier you will be walking far mor than 5 min. to get to the Tijuana Sloughs (I have never heard it called Bartocci's River, It is the Tijuana River)turn south on coast blvd. drive south until the road ends. On foot continue south for another football feild plus until you have reached the Tijuana river, you can't miss it. If the sloughs are doing it's thing you will need to cross the river mouth to paddle out on the south side. North side is impossible when the outer shelfs are breaking. Typically when people refer to the sloughs they are talking about the outer shelfs, which only breaks when it is BIG. The breaks closer to the shore are refered to as "Boca Rio".

Wave Characteristics

Ideal Conditions

Crowd

Dangers

Rips / undertow, Localism, Pollution, Sharks

Videos

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