Sandy Hook, NJ - "No water Entry"

[LBNJ Local]

All of the hype about Bill this past weekend closed Sandy Hook to anyone with a sufboard. The girl at the toll booth told us that "we were instructed to not allow anyone with a surfboard into the park." That's crazy to me, I don't think they realize that we surf it twice as big and powerful all through the winter.... I'm very curious to know if anyone got through and had a chance to check the cove or Gunnison's... It was probably firing there and if anyone was able to get on it they probably had a perfect day with an empty line-up.

Don't get me wrong, I know they are only doing what's right to protect the Benny's but closing the beaches to surfers is crazy!!!

[aka pumpmaster]

Wildwood was closed for saturday but North WW wasn't so if you drifted into WW they had cops all over the beach with bullhorns telling you to come in. A couple guys ignored them and got arrested on the beach.

[snowbird]

My friend and I got out to Gunnison's little before 6:00 am and no one was out and it was peeling nice about head high. Nothing you haven't seen before size-wise. There was a lot of water moving around though for sure.

I made it into the park before anyone was at the front gates so no one was there to stop me. Apparently, two other guys made it through as well because they showed up on Gunni beach and paddled out just before we were ready to go grab the boards from the car. Then, the MAN showed up in the green and white 4X4 and told the guys to get out of the water under threat of arrest. Interestingly, my friend who was there is a Star Ledger reporter and had his vid cam to do a story on the fly about the waves. He managed to catch the whole ordeal. Check it:

http://videos.nj.com/star-ledger/2009/08/no_surfing_allowed_at_sandy_ho.html

[LBNJ Local]

Good call on the video footage; Perfect! Thanks!

[jnich74]

Re-donculous..... Good capture SL

[dave]

sad to say, I agree with the decision. Thanks to the hype, you had a lot of people out there at every spot who really had no business being out there, in general. Thankfully, the pounding shorebreak kept most of the kooks with their funboards relegated to land, but with that place, you walk 20 yards swim another 20 and your in the takeoff spot. Defo the right call.

[Zippy]

I just threw up:eek:. I have never seen Sandy Hook so big it was dangerous and thats 30 years of looking. Back in the 80's There was a hurricane swell coming and a few people had drowned down in LBI or something. It was macking down there but no bigger than chest high at Sandy Hook, if that. We all showed up at 2nd jetty (now under mounds of sand) and were contemplating going out, it was so small and weak it looked almost not worth it. A swarm of rangers arrived and warned us not to surf or be arrested due to the "strong" rip. We all laughed and said it was hardly ridable. They said don't go out and called back up. There were about 10 surfers, all locals who grew up surfing there and it was the closest I have ever been to being in a riot. It got heated and while it was going on someone sneaked by and paddled out, then we all grabbed our stuff and paddled out. The rangers were freaking on the beach and the jetty, eventually they gave up and left. I have never been sure why they gave up. The next week or so there was another swell way bigger and monsterous at Sandy Hook, the Cove was firing, fist, second jetty were going off. People were swimming at unguarded beaches, surfers everywhere. Because the swell was not hyped by the media not a word was said. If there was ever a time some benny whould have been hurt it was the 2nd swell but they let it go. I hate Bureaucracy. Sorry you went through that.

[LBNJ Local]

Some things never change zippy.... I was getting hastled by some lifeguards at one of my spots on Sunday, and it got pretty heated. The head guard and I were ready to swing on each other, but I just hooked my leash on and paddled out. He was so pissed, standing on the beach watching us blowing his whistle. He eventually gave up, but that's a perftect example of a kook lifeguard that would probably have trouble even swimming in the ocean. Keep in mind, this is a "beach club lifeguard," so he's not even in shape or knowledgable about the ocean; just a kook!

Another thing that pissed me off this weekend!

[Zippy]

Man I hate NJ, (not the NJ of my childhood), I grew up surfing Sandy Hook but sometime mid 80's things started to change. Too much government in your life up there. Down here in MD on Saturday no swimmers were allowed but experienced surfers and body boarders were. Even though I was allowed I chose not to on Saturday because it looked too big for me, but it was nice to know I could go if I wanted. The worst part of that video was the ass ranger saying "hey buddy" . That's what a cop would say to someone doing something wrong. These guys were actually the safest surfers around going up to Gunnison's away from the crowd and away from the really big pounding surf further south. He should have said excuse me "sir". What an asshole.

[stoneybaloney]

Too much government in your life up there.

Bingooo. :D

[Mr.Lipton T. Bag]

that video made me throw up in my mouth a little. maybe all the saltwater i injested in the past couple days helped too? f-n NJ for ya!

[njsurfer17]

My friend and I got out to Gunnison's little before 6:00 am and no one was out and it was peeling nice about head high. Nothing you haven't seen before size-wise. There was a lot of water moving around though for sure.

I made it into the park before anyone was at the front gates so no one was there to stop me. Apparently, two other guys made it through as well because they showed up on Gunni beach and paddled out just before we were ready to go grab the boards from the car. Then, the MAN showed up in the green and white 4X4 and told the guys to get out of the water under threat of arrest. Interestingly, my friend who was there is a Star Ledger reporter and had his vid cam to do a story on the fly about the waves. He managed to catch the whole ordeal. Check it:

http://videos.nj.com/star-ledger/2009/08/no_surfing_allowed_at_sandy_ho.html

hahahaha i was on the train with the three guys from newport beach.. sucks for them that they got shut down

[ECkneelo]

That sucks they closed Sandy Hook for you guys. I fired off an e-mail to the Sandy Hook Park Service, and the governor. Told them I wasn't going to spend any hotel, gas, food money in the state. If a bunch of people e-mail them, it might work for next time. It's a joke they banned surfers, when it's only surfers who know how to deal with the waves. They should ban swimmers.

http://home.nps.gov/ner/sendmail.htm?o=%3B3%283%2FOJ%2B%23NKZ8LA%220%5E%21 %26MK%24%5E%2F5%3A%5D2II%5F16%21%22X%0A&r=%2Fgate%2Fcontacts%2Ehtm

http://www.state.nj.us/nj/feedback.html

[dave]

That sucks they closed Sandy Hook for you guys. I fired off an e-mail to the Sandy Hook Park Service, and the governor. Told them I wasn't going to spend any hotel, gas, food money in the state.

trust me, your email(s) will be soundly ignored as they have more pressing matters to concern themselves with presently - but back to SH - I don't like the fact that they did it but it was the right call. Do any of you have any idea how much a rescue operation costs? I was walking to where I surfed Sunday, guy walking next to me has almost no wax on his funshape/fish hybrid kook sled. I say hey man you need some wax? He goes nah I think my rash guard has good grip, then I look at his feet and he's got aqua socks on. I just looked at him and shrugged. He then goes "I'm a beginner, this is my first summer in the water" I said maybe you should sit this out, or at least wait until the swell peaks and starts to deplete. He replies oh its cool my friend knows what he's doing, he'll make sure I don't get into trouble. So I check the guy out in the water, the friend is just as kooked out as he was. Neither of them made it past the shorepound, they got slapped back onto the beach in about 3 minutes. At SH those two pinheads would've been right out there in the lineup with everyone else.

[davincimoon]

Ya, that is a shame they closed out the spot but they're likely worried about liability since this is the fee collecting season. We all know that after labor day the Park Service and all the other municipal tools will retreat to their backrooms to count up the money they made throughout the summer and go back to not caring if surfers are on the beach or not. What I don't understand is the NPS in North Carolina posted signs but they weren't threatening to arrest anyone, in fact, several of the rangers were just enjoying the show. But the NPS in NJ was probably just reacting to all the media coverage and Bloomberg shutting down the NYC beaches. Someones hand was forced at Sandy Hook because I've seen twice as big at the cove...

Seriously, it's just ridiculous, such a hypocrisy.

[ECkneelo]

Pretty F'n sad you guys agree with Sandy Hook being closed. It wasn't even near being big. You guys need to do some traveling. As far as liability, with your rational they should just shut down beaches, too many people that don't know what they are doing. Gee, you could shut down beaches, fire the lifeguards, and then you wouldn't have to worry about liability, and you could save money.
Better get back to paying for your beach tags, and stay on the sand boys.

[Zippy]

Who agreed?? I read one statement that someone agreed. Government stepping in and weakening personal responsibilty is always wrong. If it takes a few idiots drowning to give us all some freedom so be it. Eventually people will get back to taking some responsibility for themselves and use common sense. No one stopped me from surfing on Saturday other than a sense of my own ability, or lack there of, and the danger that surf posed to me. Any one who would sue is as much to blame as the NPS. I agree, open all the beaches, fire all the staff and eventually there would be fewer drownings and a huge savings in tax payer money.

[ECkneelo]

It's frustration Zippy, I read someone here, and the dude on the video, who wasn't from Newport as far as I can tell.
I just posted my feelings, and the links to try and help you young guys, sorry if I am wrong and your not young. No offense.
I grew up in Cali, and knew about Sandy Hook, Manasquan, and Montauk. They were famous places I would have liked to surf someday. Now I have, and I feel people should know the history that goes with these spots.
They should fight for the right to surf there. I'm just disgusted that they would close the beach on a tiny day like that. I surfed it last winter bigger than that.
I am not a local there, actually I don't want to be known as a local, I want to be a traveler and explore new spots.
I have never had a problem with locals, but I can standup for a spot I don't surf often.

[Zippy]

No problem ECkneelo. You are right I am not young, I am 43, been surfing 30 + years and I hate to see political correctness work to take freedom from people. That's what I see as the problem people willing to take crap and not try to change it for fear of offending someone. That place is always the smallest wave on the coast and easily the safest and they have the nerve to shut it down? West Coasters must be laughing their asses off over that one. On the East coast NJ is the worst place by far and is a virtual police state at times with law enforcement and government crap touching everypart of your life. I loved growing up there in the 70's but don't miss it today. Did you ever see this picture I posted a while back? It is the Sandy Hook of my youth, pretty amazing huh?
http://www.coastalcamper.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/sandyhooksmall.jpg

[souljahsky]

That is beyond gorgeous. Thank You!

[dave]

try to see it from a different perspective other than your own meaning, the guards, the rangers and others with certain responsibilities that go beyond making sure you get to surf where you want to. Yes, it was small and not critical for you and me and many others - but what about the Joe Surfer-since-May with his NSP filled with false confidence. The reality is that if you count on the general public to use good judgement and make responsible decisions, then guess what, your going to regret that decision every single time. How are you supposed to discern the ability and skills on land? "Oh your from CALIFORNIA, well, thats different, why didn't you say so before? Step right this way sir."

SH attracts inland kooks like flys to **** - they, and the websites that hype up and encourage them and surf shops that sell them NSPs are to blame for the situation - not the rangers.

Zippy you just sound bitter because the place where you (and I both) grew up doesn't look the same 3 decades later. Have you kept up with the news about Sandy Hook? Because guess what, for the last 7 years its been a c__t hair away from being turned from a public area into a B&B and corporate events location.

[ECkneelo]

Thanks Zippy, looks great, that must be why it was in Surfer/Surfing magazines so many times many years ago.:)

[mOtion732]

Have you kept up with the news about Sandy Hook? Because guess what, for the last 7 years its been a c__t hair away from being turned from a public area into a B&B and corporate events location.

will never happen

[ECkneelo]

Dave it's surprising you just don't get it! Banning surfing because of a few people who don't know any better is not the answer.
If things ran your way, surfing would be banned any time there was a waist high swell.
What you said about "Joe Surfer" happens everywhere on the surfing planet.
The answer is personal responsibility. It's also why taxpayers pay for lifeguards. If there are no lifeguards, well then your on your own.
Many of us have exercised personal responsibility daily for years, we shouldn't have to suffer for "Joe Surfer."

[dave]

Many of us have exercised personal responsibility daily for years, we shouldn't have to suffer for "Joe Surfer."

thats great that you at least pay lip service to personal responsibility, and you may even really be that way, I don't know b/c I don't know you. I'll tell you what I do know, and that is I certainly am not going to bet my career on it.

[aka pumpmaster]

personal responsibility pure and simple. if Joe Surfer goes out and dies, it's Joe's fault. Big Brother shouldn't have a say in it.

[stoneybaloney]

personal responsibility pure and simple. if Joe Surfer goes out and dies, it's Joe's fault. Big Brother shouldn't have a say in it.

I have to agree here, but I know it'll never be that way (especially in NJ). Nobody is allowed to learn their lesson anymore because the government, for lack of specificity, is always looking to babysit us. Whether they really have our best interest in mind or not, they need to be much more hands-off. When parents are faced with how to raise their children, are they better off smothering them with protection or letting them get sick, fall down, and have their feelings hurt once and a while? When I was young and learning to surf, I had some close calls like almost breaking my next and almost drowning more than I would have liked to. That taught me to be vigilant, intelligent, and respectful of the ocean. Obviously I risked death and/or paralysis, but I learned my lessons and moved on. The old cliche, what doesn't kill us makes us stronger applies all the time. We need more freedom to make mistakes and take responsibility for those failures. /rant :D

[ECkneelo]

thats great that you at least pay lip service to personal responsibility, and you may even really be that way, I don't know b/c I don't know you. I'll tell you what I do know, and that is I certainly am not going to bet my career on it.

So Dave with all the videos on display here of all the places that had surfers surfing bigger waves, while Sandy Hook was closed, you still agree it should have been closed.
Shows how selfish you are, standing by a wrong decision, and ruining it for many, just to save your job.:(

[aka pumpmaster]

"Shows how selfish you are, standing by a wrong decision, and ruining it for many, just to save your job"

isn't that typical of most in government???

[Kokopelli]

Next time surf anyway, and have one of your buddie scoop you up on a waverunner so they cant arrest you.

[Zop]

My friend and I got out to Gunnison's little before 6:00 am and no one was out and it was peeling nice about head high. Nothing you haven't seen before size-wise. There was a lot of water moving around though for sure.

I made it into the park before anyone was at the front gates so no one was there to stop me. Apparently, two other guys made it through as well because they showed up on Gunni beach and paddled out just before we were ready to go grab the boards from the car. Then, the MAN showed up in the green and white 4X4 and told the guys to get out of the water under threat of arrest. Interestingly, my friend who was there is a Star Ledger reporter and had his vid cam to do a story on the fly about the waves. He managed to catch the whole ordeal. Check it:

http://videos.nj.com/star-ledger/2009/08/no_surfing_allowed_at_sandy_ho.html

Great video!!!

[dave]

I have to agree here, but I know it'll never be that way (especially in NJ)

thats it in a nutshell - you take your chances and figure it out on your own is the best scenario but of course then you have to face reality. I didn't create the situation of 200 miles of coast accessible to 25 million people in the most densely populated state in the country, I just exist in it and deal with it best I can like everyone else.

SH is a different case than most other breaks in NJ, for reasons I already pointed out

and yeah, my job i.e. putting food on the table and taking care of my family, is more important to me than your desire to surf a certain place, if thats seen as selfish to you than yeah somehow I think I can manage to live with that

[stoneybaloney]

thats it in a nutshell - you take your chances and figure it out on your own is the best scenario but of course then you have to face reality. I didn't create the situation of 200 miles of coast accessible to 25 million people in the most densely populated state in the country, I just exist in it and deal with it best I can like everyone else.

SH is a different case than most other breaks in NJ, for reasons I already pointed out

and yeah, my job i.e. putting food on the table and taking care of my family, is more important to me than your desire to surf a certain place, if thats seen as selfish to you than yeah somehow I think I can manage to live with that

And in your defense, because I'm not here to take sides, you're just enforcing the rules - you didn't make them. My dad was a cop so I know how the middle men can get dumped on for doing their jobs. I just think people need to live and let live, but in NJ the goverment needs to make money on or control every aspect of "living".

[ECkneelo]

Just to clarify things, nobody is blaming the Rangers, it's the policy they are enforcing we are complaining about.
Second, it's kind of discouraging to hear a surfer like you Dave agreeing with that policy. Sandy Hook is no different than other places in the country, or the world.
Trust me, no place has bigger waves in a more densely populated beach than in So. Cal., and they manage to do it, and they manage to do it without beach tags.
Your reasons are wearing out. You must face it, you live in a state with closed minded people in charge who refuse to look elsewhere for possible answers to their problems.
It's nothing personal Dave, I hope we agree we are having a discussion over two different ideas, not fighting each other.;)

[scotty]

quote - "SH is a different case than most other breaks in NJ, for reasons I already pointed out"

In this entire thread, i cant find a single explanation as to why SH, as opposed to all of the other spots in jerz, warranted being closed to surfing, while other heavier spots remained open.

[mofosurfer.com]

Man, you guys have some issues to work out on the East Coast, eh?
Boy we sure pay out the azzz in taxes, but at least we can be trusted to surf waves at our own discretion.

Buds & big waves are frowned upon over there... too funny. Sorry, I mean "sad".

Man it must be tough to be a surfer on the east side. I'm sorry to read this guys.

It is pretty nice that the government is there to protect you from yourself. Nothing better than some nice governemental intrusion keeping you from harm.
Personally, I think that seat belt laws, helmet laws, drug laws, prostitution laws, and any and all "idiot proofing" laws that are out there on the books should be abolished. It is weakening our species as a whole. We are keeping stupid people alive and breading. If somebody wants to ride their bike with no helmet, no problem. If we have done 1000+ studies showing how wearing a seat belt increases your odds of walking away from an accident by a huge amount and you still don't want to wear one, why should the government have to tell you to wear one? Shoots, we use to just call that being ignorant or stupid. Now it's called illegal.

Ridicules. I will now step down off my soap box. Thank you for your time. :D

[dave]

If somebody wants to ride their bike with no helmet, no problem

sure, hey no problem -- until they wipe out, get permanent brain damage to the point where they can't take care of themselves, and then become nothing but a burden to the hardworking taxpayer for the next 35 years

[mofosurfer.com]

sure, hey no problem -- until they wipe out, get permanent brain damage to the point where they can't take care of themselves, and then become nothing but a burden to the hardworking taxpayer for the next 35 years

My point exactly. That person on the bike knew that it was a risk. That's who should be responsible. NOT the taxpayers. If I tell you the fire is hot and you jump in it, should we have to pay for your medical bills? If we tell you "hey, if you don't wear a helmet because if you crash you can die or be a veggie" how is that different?

I'm not attacking your job, I'm attacking governmental intrusion in our day to day life where we rely on the governement to tell us what is safe and what isn't to the point we depend on it.

Our species is getting dumber because of it.

[Bodezafa]

why post about the hook? now you're going to draw a crowd.

nice job naming beach breaks

[stoneybaloney]

Our species is getting dumber because of it.

I completely agree!

[mOtion732]

let's see if it's open this weekend

[Zippy]

Dave, funny statement about me being bitter, I'm probably the least bitter person you could meet. Why should we look at this from the guards/rangers point of view they work for us don't they? Shouldnt they look to us, not the other way around. I saw **** this weekend that I couldn't believe, little fat kids chest deep in ripping currents and parents lounging on unguarded beaches. I am experienced in the water and surf every swell and I was afraid of what I was seeing (I even kept my own son no deeper than knee deep and was nervous about that). That said, as sad as it may be to say, no one will respect the danger of the ocean until they feel the power first hand themselves and survive or die, or hear or know someone who has. I have respect because I came close many times and if I did ever eat it I would hurl down lighteng bolts on any in my family that would sue over my stupidity. If people can't learn from experience they will look to the government and other authority to tell them when it is safe or not. Even parents need to let go to let the children grow up and learn. Ever see the movie idiocracy? Great movie, very funny and right on target.

[dave]

That's who should be responsible. NOT the taxpayers.

yeah but wake up to reality. Or move to Brazil, where they dump indigent coma patients onto the streets (literally)