I'll be staying in Lavallette, NJ for the month of December. I spent a month there every summer as a kid, lot's of hours bodyboarding. Just started surfing this summer in Washington. A few questions: I'm looking for a decent used board, I was riding an 8' funboard in WA. I've been searching craigslist. Does anyone know any shops in that area that sell used boards? I'm looking to get into the water as much as possible, i.e. everyday. No car, so I'll be rockin' the bike rack. From what I know of the area, it might be breaking right in front of the house I'm staying at, depending on the sand bars. Otherwise I'm biking to Bayhead or Casino pier. Anyone that surfs this area want to weigh in on my options? Also, I've got an older oneil 4/3, 3 mil gloves, 5 mil booties, and vest w/hood. This did me fine in WA this summer with water temps as low as upper 40's and air temp usually around 60. What do you all wear here in the winter? Thanks for any feedback.
5-4-3 w/ hood 5 mil boots/gloves although you may be able to get away with 3 mils until about mid-dec. biking to bay head from lavellete in the winter is long and cold, good luck with that. Seaside is a bit closer but you'll have to deal with the usual 20+mph frigid NW winds w/ 40 degree air temps that typically accompany winter swells. Of course this is a generality and you may have the odd 50+ day with light offshores. As far as used boards you could check wavejammer in toms river on 37 west, baja east on bridge ave in pt pleasant and brave new world in pt pleasant.
No Flat Earth in Brick, NJ has used boards. But it's probably 10 miles from Lavallette. You should be good with your wet suit and boots, but you going to need some gloves real soon.
Your gonna have one hell of a bike ride if your in Lavallette and trying to get to those places. I have a used 6'2" Sharp Eye single bump swallow. It's real floaty. Retro Fish. It's got it's share of P-dings and some minor repairs that were done on it by me. lmk.....
If you don't have a vehicle... then why don't you just stay in Lavallette? There are good breaks all up and down the beach... go find one.
if your looking funshape, newjerseynick is trying to get rid of his 6'8: http://www.swellinfo.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3689 WA is cold, but water temps dip as cold as the upper 30's in mid winter (laster year stayed pretty warm - low to mid 40s' for the most part).
Thanks for the replies. Sounds like I'll stay with the wetsuit setup I currently have and tough it out. I don't have a problem with tough bike rides, I went from Olympia, WA to SF earlier this fall. But I'd prefer to stay put. I'm heading up there this weekend. Perhaps I'll get lucky and it will be breaking at the beach I'm staying at. That'd be ideal, I could get three sessions a day in if that's the case. Additional input is welcome as I haven't been to the shore for more than a day since 1998. I'll certainly give you'll an update when I get up there and see what it looks like. Thanks
lavallette i think wavejammer is actually in lavallette. they moved outta the 37 store. not sure but i think ocean hut is on the boarder line of lavallette and OB. Right Coast in seaside park is the shop tho. go there mike will get you what you need. its a short car ride/long bike ride from lavallette. like they sed before there are plenty of streets in lavallette that are good, if i were you i would surf there...
I'll have a car this weekend when I get up there, so I'll hit up these shops while I can pick up a board. As far as surfing in Lavallette, I am staying a couple blocks north of Ocean Hut. I assume that the breaks change a bit from year to year, but if anybody has any recent experience surfing around here I'd appreciate any info you have. Thanks again.
Ocean Hut surf shop is just north of Lavallette....no need to bike to Bay Head or Seaside for that matter, you'll find plenty of breaks working within a jetty or two no matter where you are there. Enjoy!
In NJ only the bennies call it the shore. If you act like a local then you'll get respected. Other than that, you should have a blast. Just hope for a lot of swell. I know I will be.
Do not go any farther than Brick! The Lavalette surf is a million times better than Brick and down till close to Point. And if your looking for a used board, don't bother with the Ocean Hut, next to nothin last time I went around there.
i live virtually a minute from you. scott at wavejammer in lavallette has the best service,prices,and quality. tell him mike from chadwick sent you. or,i can hook you up with suits and boards i'm selling. and yeah,you'll get waves,or get rides to the pier a mile south of you or bayhead/jenks/inlet 15-20 minutes drive north. lavallette was world class surf yesterday.
