Middles

📍 Local Knowledge

Middles in South Orange County is an exposed beach break with a sandy bottom, positioned between San Clemente Pier and T-Street, offering consistent, peaky waves with a mix of lefts and rights—best conditions typically arrive in summer and early fall. Offshore northeast winds clean up south and southwest swells, generating playful shoulders and occasional punchy sections ideal for shortboarding and progressive maneuvers. The spot works best at mid to high tide, helping maintain wave shape and reducing closeouts. Middles is slightly less crowded than its neighboring breaks, though it still sees regular local traffic. Surfers should watch for rip currents and shifting sandbars. The most consistent clean waves occur in summer, especially July through September.