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California Gold Rush: West Coast Lights Up for El Niño

With pumping surf and utter perfect conditions.

BY Wes Harding |

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    Tony Morelli in green wetsuit pants in a green dirty wave. Photo: Wes Harding

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    Andrew Nemo ready for the cover up. Photo: Wes Harding

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    Kolohe Andino pumping through. Photo: Wes Harding

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    Caleb Roman on fire. Photo: Wes Harding

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    The surf culture is strong in North San Diego County. Photo: Wes Harding

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    Rare gray gem in North OC. Photo: Wes Harding

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    Hand dipping. Photo: Wes Harding

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    Bird photo bombing. Photo: Wes Harding

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    Jake Telikamp at the Morgan Wave of the Day Contest, which is held in remembrance of Mike Morgan. All proceeds of the contest benefit the Kevin Wojeck Foundation (https://explorersforlife.org). Photo: Wes Harding

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    Drew Middleton setting up. Photo: Wes Harding

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    Jesse Evans at the Morgan Wave of the Day contest.

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    Morning light hit just right for about 30 minutes in the Morgan Wave of the Day Contest. Photo: Wes Harding

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    Sunrise hacks in Orange County. Photo: Wes Harding

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    Between the trees at this point break in North San Diego County. Photo: Wes Harding

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    View from the parking lot in SD. Photo: Wes Harding

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    Cheater 5. Photo: Wes Harding

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    In the background you can make out the top of the dome of Queen Mary and Oil Island. The Surfrider Foundation has been fighting an uphill battle for many years to restore the shore and bring much needed waves back to Long Beach. Photo: Wes Harding

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    Dylan Hord above the lip in Huntington. Photo: Wes Harding

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    Morning gold. Photo: Wes Harding

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    Slow shutter in Baja. Photo: Wes Harding

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    Matt McKinney. Photo: Wes Harding

As a kid, my friends and I would pool our allowances to buy underwater disposable cameras in hopes to capture a shot of one another pulling into a barrel or hitting the lip. The photos never really turned out great, but the process inspired me to continue with surf photography into my adult years. Fast forward to today, my philosophies are still very much the same. Nothing makes me happier than sharing a photograph with my friends and seeing their reaction to the moment captured.

The majority of this photo gallery is a collection of images from recent El Niño swells that hit North Orange County and North San Diego County, as well as some of my past favorites.

See more photography by Wes Harding on Instagram.