Wrightsville vs Carolina Beach

[xbodyboardx]

I have often heard different people argue over the quality of waves at Wrightsville Beach versus grittier Carolina Beach. Some people in CB swear to me their wave is punchier and more hollow. Some in WB swear their wave is better formed. I have been to both on many occasions, but never on the same day. Has anyone noticed a difference?

[bonaire126]

There some decent bodyboarding waves in and around this area, it just depends on the swell and conditions on which one will be working.

[xbodyboardx]

I have been to Pelican Watch. What are other popular bodyboard spots? I am the only bastard with a sponge usually.

[surf910]

Its been my experience recently that the sandbars in cb seem to be formed better & give longer lines with a little more punch.

[bonaire126]

I have been to Pelican Watch. What are other popular bodyboard spots? I am the only bastard with a sponge usually.

Take time to explore different locations on different swell, wind, tide, etc combos. I will say that I have never seen Pelican Watch worth getting wet for; if there are waves there, its a lot better some where else.

[Eastsurfin]

Well CB and WB face different directions so take that into consideration #1....swell direction! Number 2.........wind direction, obvoiusly affects waves differently and since they face different directions..........well there you go. Finally, i believe that the waters off of CB are deeper so the waves can be bigger than WB as well as offer more punch....................this all goes back to numero uno............swell direction.

[Eastsurfin]

Take time to explore different locations on different swell, wind, tide, etc combos. I will say that I have never seen Pelican Watch worth getting wet for; if there are waves there, its a lot better some where else.

I have surf Pelican Watch going off before with only 4 friends out. I have also surfed it when it looked twice as big as anywhere else. Living in WB i would still travel to CB to catch surf. I dont konw if anyone remembers the Feb 28 swell in 05 (i think, it could have been 04), I surf Pelican and it was absolutely perfect, but a lot of spots were that day! Pelican surely looked a lot better than a few other spots. It was all good that day! Can we get another good one soon....................please!

[hanna]

hmmm...Wrightsville Beach? leash laws? surf zones? no parking? packed line-up? you mean that Wrightsville Beach?

on any given day, the waves in CB will be comparable, without any of the above aggravation.

[mmt]

I'd have to say that the waves at CB are generally better than at WB. I've lived there for five months now after moving from WB and the waves at CB are just way stronger. A 4 foot wave at CB packs way more punch than a 4 foot wave at WB. I think it probably does have to do with the offshore bottom contours/depth like someone else already said. just look at pics from the TS Barry swell a couple months ago. Compare the photos from wblivesurf and other photos posted by people from CB on the forum. if anything there are just more options for spots at CB/KB/FF. however, to each his/her own.

[surfsidesurfs.com]

what a setup south to south central NC. the OBX is another ball game altogether, but Ocean Isle and Holden and Oak island or Kure CB. Wrightsville is always so fun and over there is the icing on the cake. waves in Topsail and up to the Emerald Isles. in there lots of good hollow wave potential. wb is getting really packed though. there is more beach between ff and cb so the guys spread a good bit. makes for less packed waves. i really consider myself pretty blessed to live within an hour or so to great quality wave potential. Gotta love those Carolinas.

[bonaire126]

what a setup south to south central NC. the OBX is another ball game altogether, but Ocean Isle and Holden and Oak island or Kure CB. Wrightsville is always so fun and over there is the icing on the cake. waves in Topsail and up to the Emerald Isles. in there lots of good hollow wave potential. wb is getting really packed though. there is more beach between ff and cb so the guys spread a good bit. makes for less packed waves. i really consider myself pretty blessed to live within an hour or so to great quality wave potential. Gotta love those Carolinas.


I will assume your joking. Southern NC is the most frustrating place to be a surfer on the east coast (with the exception of SC & GA). Do you not realize that when we receive the same amount of swell as locations up north, we have far less size and power, which is directly caused by the fact the continental shelf is relatively farther offshore (ie it is way more shallow offshore causing the waves to disamate their power/size). Furthermore, we don't have that many options, especially when the wind is onshore; up north has a lot more jetties, coves, and protected areas. Can WB & CB even get double overhead? Of course we have surf reports claiming overhead surf on good swells, but I haven't seen anything above 1'-2' overhead in the last 5 years. Yes, we have our days, but more likely than not, other places are a lot better, unless you longboard and like knee high mush.

[enjoytheride]

yeah man you gotta be jokin

[surfsidesurfs.com]

i thought the point was to praise one or both of the breaks in question. i do have quite a bit of fun around here. given it's super fickle and small in july, but if you hunt around there are some waves. no i'd never say WB to Follow gets double OH or rare OH at all. i'm still a realist.

[speedbump]

I think WB is always better. If you want to be disapointed go to CB. I live in CB and have to drive to WB to get real waves.

[swampfox]

yeah it must be all personal preference cause i live at wb and drive to cb for waves i enjoy them all no matter what size they r

[enjoytheride]

oh yeah, well I have to drive all the way to costa rica to get real waves, it sucks

[Neo]

Many good points in the above conversations. Would agree wholeheartedly, the east coast generally lacks what we have all enjoyed on the coastline boardering the pacific. However, for those of us with deep roots here, the east coast, if watched closely, and prioritized appropriately, can yield fun rewards. I have now lived at WB for five years, and donw at CB five years prior to moving here (WB), and see it as others have: swell direction, intensity, wind intensity/direction, tides and so on all factor in. One main reason for my move to WB was the dramatic difference in the bathymetry of floor changes so much from one end of the beach to the other. Mason inlet is shallow for quite a distance, where C-street is relatively deep. Seems to contribute to the chances of finding something...
Just another view point.

[mrossj1]

No question about it, the jetties around the Myrtle Beach area (ie: bird island, hog island, cherry grove) are the best waves in the N/S Carolinas area. Never been there? Then you don't know squat! When a swell is on its way, check these places and not only will you be alone, you will score ton's of clean peeling waves.

North of WB are empty line-ups with only a very few people in the water. Then the OBX, enough said.

Best waves on the EC are in NJ & NY, which holds the biggest, cleanest Nor-easter & Cain swells. This is, of course, if you can get past the whole Jersey/NYC "yo, yo, MTV vanilla ice acting, gangsta wanna be, OG side hat, droopy pant wearin soprano clone".

Or

Florida, which is just like NJ & NY except its warm.

[Chicama]

I live smack dab in the middle btw WB and CB so I have been trying to figure this out myself. However, it is totally swell dependent. I think WB seems to catch swells with some north component better but still I get surprised with a friend's call sometimes telling me CB was going off after I had a sub par session at WB. I like the clear water at WB compared to the murky water at CB. And for the people that say WB is too crowded, that because they go to the piers or south side. There are plenty of bars in btw that are not crowded. However, I have to say CB is still my favorite b/c of a punchier wave, cheaper parking and its fun to see all the people with mullets (the hair style not the fish).

[Chicama]

By the way, I surfed Long Beach in New York plenty times and never saw anyone that looks like Vanilla Ice. Isn't he from Iowa or something? New York waves are way better than SNC but I don't want to freeze my ass off in summer. Overhead surf is what surf trips are for.

[hanna]

I live smack dab in the middle btw WB and CB so I have been trying to figure this out myself. However, it is totally swell dependent. I think WB seems to catch swells with some north component better but still I get surprised with a friend's call sometimes telling me CB was going off after I had a sub par session at WB. I like the clear water at WB compared to the murky water at CB. And for the people that say WB is too crowded, that because they go to the piers or south side. There are plenty of bars in btw that are not crowded. However, I have to say CB is still my favorite b/c of a punchier wave, cheaper parking and its fun to see all the people with mullets (the hair style not the fish).
and let's not forget the Tiki Bar in CB - where else can you surf to live music?

[Treyliar]

to tell you the truth, im 12 and i looked at the wblive report after surfing sunskipper this afternoon. i scored overhead surf, and wrightsville was looking at thigh to knee

[SurfnSnow02]

North of WB are empty line-ups with only a very few people in the water. Then the OBX, enough said.

Best waves on the EC are in NJ & NY, which holds the biggest, cleanest Nor-easter & Cain swells. This is, of course, if you can get past the whole Jersey/NYC "yo, yo, MTV vanilla ice acting, gangsta wanna be, OG side hat, droopy pant wearin soprano clone".



Wow, could you be anymore of a stereotypical SC/NC resident by criticizing the surfers of the NY/NJ region, im sorry you have lived in the south your whole life and can't accept other people (Even though 99% that surf North EC arent anything like what you described). By the way the Outer Banks are not OBX, that is a vacationers sticker for their car.

[jah-knee]

Wow, you bash some guy for a lame stereotype of NY/NJ surfers then provide an equally lame stereotype of NC/SC surfers. Nice job.

[surfer2118]

I lived on CB for about a year, and I lived on C-Street for 3 years, and it definitely depends on swell direction. WB has more size on any swell with a northerly component. CB works a lot better with a southerly component. A far as wave quality between the two, CB definitely can hold size better, packs more punch, and towards the north end barrels like crazy on a high tide. Hope this helps.:cool:

[4theride]

wb and cb face the same direction. They catch swell and winds about the same. I think the diference is the crowd. Somedays the waves are better at wb, others cb is better. The ocean floor and tides likely have the most impact on the push of the wave


Well CB and WB face different directions so take that into consideration #1....swell direction! Number 2.........wind direction, obvoiusly affects waves differently and since they face different directions..........well there you go. Finally, i believe that the waters off of CB are deeper so the waves can be bigger than WB as well as offer more punch....................this all goes back to numero uno............swell direction.

[Swellinfo]

cb is a little more east facing than wb.

[surfer2118]

By the way the Outer Banks are not OBX, that is a vacationers sticker for their car.

Actually, they are the OBX. The state was putting that on license plates before the sticker.:D

[xbodyboardx]

This has proven to be an interesting topic to post for discussion!
Well, after numerous visits to both CB and Wrightsville, I have noticed some differences. This does take into account swell direction, so these are generic observations.
When at CB:
1. The waves seem to wall up and just hang like a steep cliff before breaking suddenly. Its funny to watch how long the wave just seems to stay almost vertical. Lots of power. Can be violent if you are not used to taking an abrupt drop and getting the hell out of the way of lip. I have gotten beat down in my kayak on big day before. Fun for bodyboarding. At high tide on a good day I have even bodyboarded the shorebreak without breaking my neck. Watch out for fisherman on the shore with lines in the water.
2. Loads of beachfront with decent waves. Lots of space to spread out. I have only seen CB get zoo-like near the north pier, where its seems to get the bigger sets and longer barrels. Even here though, people were hooting and encouraging one another...even the bodyboarders
3. Lots of public beach access. Free or cheap.
4. Sandpiper was a fun spot when others were not.
At WB:
1. The waves at WB seem to break more symmetrically, predictably, and gradually. WB is a pretty beach with pretty waves. Less balls than the CB waves on the same day. Excellent for kayak surfing.
2. WB = Zoo most good days, particularly due to the limited space and how much "nicer" WB is than CB. Its cleaner, more refined, and accessible in some respects. This is more of the beach you can take a girlfriend/family to if forced to drag others along on your surfing trip.
3. Less friendly atmosphere. Plan on being snaked and/or dropped in on a day with decent waves. And regulars who have been dropped in on and snaked are pretty sick of this and you can tell. I never saw anything break out - its just the vibe I got.

Sadly, I am leaving NC and moving to the Tacoma/Seattle area, where I will learn about what defines surfing in La Push and other spots along the Pacific Northwest coastline. Thicker wetsuits, thinner crowds, and more indians is what I am told. Potential for some massive days though - the storm off the coast recently was pumping double overhead according to Swellinfo! This has been a great forum for gaining situational awareness up and down both coasts. Hail!
Btw, here is a death metal song I recorded - its about surfing, believe it or not.
www.warboundonline.com/music.html - Its called "Dragged Underwater". Good look understanding the vocals. If that is too much for you, you can listen to the instrumental version and sing the Beach Boys to yourself if you prefer. :)