El Capitan breaks so seldom that you begin to wonder if it's even a surf spot, but El Cap does get damn good. The setup is another dreamy Santa Barbara righthand point. El Cap only lifts a finger but a handful of times (if that) each autumn and winter season. It needs large W swells with just the right tide and wind to offer those fabled, roping, righthand barrels. Sitting deep and risking the unmakeable section will probably thrust you into the boulders, resulting in a barnacle massage.
Source: El Capitan State Beach Surf Guide