South(ish) florida surf

I hear an anus flapping.

Let's stay on tread here; this tread is actually quite productive with good info about SURFING and not about one person deflecting it to his own insecure inner troll. Again.

 

So then, stop doing it.
But thanks for confessing to it anyways....say 3 Hail Marys, and 3 Our Fathers.

 

Comparative speaking Barry, in the Winter there can be a 15 - 20+ degree difference in water temp between Jax and CFL / SFL, just an hour or three away

 

Due to latitude or water currents?

 

I'm no scientist, but I imagine both are at play

 

here ya go, sparky - - that wasn't too agonizing for you to get back to surfing, now was it?

 

The Florida Current (part of the Gulf Stream) brings that warmer water from the gulf and it runs right along the coast, sometimes within 10 miles of shore in the South Beach, Miami area. Anyways, this warm water spills out in the Atlantic as soon as it passes the Bahama shadow, thus not running very close to shore along CFL and North FL. So the water temps can have a 10 degree difference just 50 miles apart (i.e. Jupiter to Sebastian Inlet).

Hope that helps and doesn't sound to convoluted.

 

Are you kidding?? My fingers all cramped up while typing that!! And I broke out in a severe sweat!!

 

So instead of being 80*F water it is 70*F water??
Still is warm water.
Today, here in NH it is 39*F. Which sucks, imho.

 

Makes perfect sense, usually when I look at the Gulf Stream on the TV or computer screen, it looks like it bows out away from NFL, but can't confirm nor deny that, just a mental observation I think I recognized at one point

 

He's comparing CFL to SFL, Jax up in NFL can be 50 (ish) degrees at the same time

 

You guys should all come up here to surf next February. 25* air, and 40*F water. Then, once you return to Florida you will all never care about water in the 50s. You will consider it a "heat wave".....
Maybe I should star a "cold water surf camp". Four weeks mid-Feb to mid-March (when water temps are coldest) to cold-water train all you boys down south of Dixie line.

 

I'm down, I've surfed water in the low 50's / high 40's and air in the teens before, bout as cold as I think I've experienced. Just need the right gear is all.

 

DP I don't doubt you, but curious as to where?

 

There have been a handful of days in the Gulf and NFL in the Winter that have had those temps, those record breaking type days. Another cold sesh I had was a DP session in Santa Cruz at the tail end of Winter a year or so ago. Another was at KDH / OBX (once). At one point I owned a 4/3, now I just go with a 3/2 and I put on under layers for those really cold days, along with boots, gloves and hood (which I hate)

 

I was in Costa Rica last week--water was in the 80's, air temps 95-100 (way too hot for me!!).
Was nice to just trunk it. I have not yet gone out here since my return. Not looking forward to thick wetsuit again. But it won't be long for water temps to turn upwards again (another 2 weeks in should start moving up).

 

Yeah that's polar opposite, I can imagine the reluctance to get back to cold temps

 

The schools, well, Florida isn't inown for its schools. But if your kids are good students, they can do fine. Do they surf? Some of my friends who grew up here in Florida would get up early, surf , and then catch the school bus all the time. How great is that?

JAX isn't really like the rest of the coast. It gets really cold there.

Florida beats VB hands down.

 

After growing up in Virginia Beach, I moved to south florida last summer. I can't say I'm completely stoked on the surf down here, but I'm content with it. I moved to Juno Beach the last day of July and it was too flat to surf anywhere in Palm Beach county until the last week of August. From everyone I've spoke to, that's the story of summer, everywhere from Martin County south.

Since then there's been a swell at least once every 2 weeks or so. More likely, you will be able to surf 1-3 days a week from September until now (can't say much after that since I haven't lived here long). There have been a couple week+ stretches of waves since I moved here where I was able to surf a couple times a day.

In general, wave quality around here (Tequesta thru palm beach) is better than VB, but not as good as OBX. Tropical systems send good waves. Winter sends clean groundswell (when VB is 20 degrees, south florida will be chest hi to OH and barreling). However, majority of the waves down here are from locally strong onshore winds that kick up some knee to head hi chop. In general, Jupiter is more consistent but Palm Beach holds bigger waves when they come.

As for setups, we definitely have VB beat. Within the 10 mile stretch I surf there's reef, jetties, pier, beach breaks, and a slab. Not naming any spots. Springsuit will get you through most of winter. I pulled out a 3/2 for one swell (because the air was cold). Once you get about an hour north of PBC, you'll start seeing more consistent surf, if you want to make a day trip.

South Florida is crowded and hot. It's more international than VB. If you're going to work in PBC, check out Jupiter for housing. Real similar to the chix beach stretch in VB. Message me if you have any ?s

 

Hope you can handle the heat, crowds......but when there is a good N.E. ground swell or a good refract swell......IT'S ON!! Respect the locals....trust me!