When big winter swells arrive, surfers from around the world watch a reef off Pillar Point, north of Half Moon Bay.
The name
According to Wikipedia, the spot is named for Maverick, a German shepherd belonging to the roommate of Alex Matienzo. In early March 1967, the dog swam out to Matienzo and two other surfers at Pillar Point. Waves there regularly top 25 feet and can exceed 60. Jeff Clark paddled out alone in 1975, at 17, and became the first documented surfer to ride it. Seafloor maps NOAA released in 2007 show the rock ramp that makes the waves rise so sharply. A contest, later known as Titans of Mavericks, ran on and off from 1999 to 2016.
Watching from land
San Mateo County Parks says the break is about half a mile offshore, due west of the Air Force tracking station, and is best seen from Pillar Point Bluff with binoculars. The 220-acre bluff park, acquired with help from the Peninsula Open Space Trust, has a 10-car lot on Airport Street in Moss Beach and the Jean Lauer Trail. The county also warns visitors about very high tides this season.