Book excerpt: Surfer Magazine offers the ultimate guide to catching the best waves from the redwood shores of the Oregon-California border to the wind- blasted coastal plains of San Luis Obispo County. For more than 250 spots, this sturdy manual sporting a water-resistant covers delivers a clear assessment of wave quality, prime wave conditions, and local hazards (both natural and manmade). Informative text answers the burning questions that surfers often pose: What tide? What wind? What swell? How are the locals? Are they worse than the sharksor the traffic? With helpful maps, photos, and directions, this Surfer's Guide is sure to become the gold standard for anyone looking to score the perfect wave.