Part I – Dolan Park and the surrounding area

Sonoma County is not one of the most famous surfing spots in the world, but it has a considerable quality wave. Most beaches are easily accessible from Santa Rosa or Sebastopol, head west on Highway 12 and turn right on Highway 1 after passing Bodega.

The nearest beach to Santa Rosa is Dolan Beach in Dolan Park. This beach is the worst wave of the year, except for the climax and the specific days that flow from the right direction. Doran Beach is almost completely protected by the usual northwest expansion of Bodega Head and the coral reefs of Seal Rock [also known as Bodega Rock].

Dolan usually needs at least a ten-foot bulge to get a high wave in the chest. The best time to see Dolan is the high tide after the rain, and there is good pumping expansion elsewhere. Some people like Doran ebb, which almost always has a bigger expansion bucket, but I only see one day actually has a quality…

Surfing in Sonoma County was originally published on Spring