best place to be a surfer

My thought would be Outer Banks. Cost of housing is still really cheap. You'd most likely have to get your work in during the tourist season, Downside is it can be desolate during the winter. Think, "The Shining" without the ultra freezing temps...

 

i got a little gem i grew up on the water (flat buzzards bay), 30-60 min drive to surf breaks.
when i moved out at 23ish i cut that in half and rented 15-25 min from breaks. now i bought a house and have a 10 min ride to a good break and 20 min ride to a great break. Southeastern MA/RI. these blue states are massively in the hole financially, taxachusetts is expensive compared to NC/south...but I am definitely pumped on the moves made in the last ten years or so. btw my job is 5 minutes from my house...i can get to the beach by 445 pm during the summer etc and surf until sundown. chase your dreams - work hard for them.

 

I can tell you without a doubt where the best place not to be a surfer is.

 

What??
Is there any question??
BELMAR!!!!!!

 

Too many variables. Cold water vs warm water, reef break vs beach break, tropics vs desert vs wetlands, solitude vs civilization, etc etc etc. Everyone has differing opinions of what's best for them.

One thing I have noted in my travels: pay and cost of living are relatively commensurate. Many believe that Hawaii or California are too expensive, but I have always been able to somewhat maintain my standard of living from state to state. The only real difference being housing, but you find ways to either adapt or be "creative".

Just my .02 cents

 

would need to define factors first:

-proximity
-quality of life (how much you have to work v. for how much you get to surf)
-consistency & favorable winds
-water population
-rights/lefts?
-variety of breaks?
-pollution
-sharkiness
-climate
-SUP water population (no offense dpsup)
-French speaking Canadian water population & tourons

I've thought many times aboot how many more boards i could own if i didn't spend three times as much on neoprene, so living somewhere in cali or fl sounds so good. however, the money i'd need to make there vs the money i can make here kind of negates that

at this point I've come to terms with winter sucking. but the waves that come with the suck make it worth it, and I've told myself im okay with that now (but it's 50*+ here today for the 5th day in a row, check back with me January '19).

ive also gotten really bummed when i actually have free time and there are no waves. with that said, i have a super understanding wife that has yet to say no to me when its pumping, i just make sure that i juggle accordingly so she doesn't mind my stoke too much when i come home after 3+ hrs out.

so my motto is, the best place to surf is where you're at. embrace the suck and ride the swells.

 

New Smyrna...
Consistent. Warm. Couple hours to some really class breaks if the swell is right. Live across the bridge and it’s affordable. Fishing is awesome.

Obx-duh

MONCO: Jobs, proximity to cities, waves, summers just are way to packed on the jersy shore...

 

Yeah the down time around here sucks but when it's going off there's no other place I'd rather be.

In all my years surfing I can't remember a time in California when it was going off that I surfed it alone with a buddy or a couple of others, while up here it happens often.

It really makes The Wait worth the while.

 

None taken, since I’m not part of that “community”. Lol I have one collecting dust and take it fishing from time to time but I only surf my LB’s and SB’s. And it’s been DawnPatrol321 for a while now in case you missed the memo. All good though.

 

word up. the other day i was out through sunset and after sunset on just a weak 3ish foot bump.

what was special though is i stayed out way after sunset, only one left out waiting for that good last one under an almost full moon, so i had some light. wildlife was an after thought bc it's northern NE in Feb. Water was looked thick and black. Caught a left in and only had the moon's light off the water to see where i was going down the line. in my head was, "IMMMM SURRRRFFFINGGGG!!!" i laughed.

not great waves, but i'll remember that for a while.

 

you've changed so much!

lol, jk

 

In some ways yes, in other ways not at all! Hahahaha

 

I guess Gilligan's Island would work best for me.

Warm water, tropical weather, surf at The Lagoon and the numerous points and reefs, no 8-5 grind other than fishing and hunting bananas and coconuts, wiping my sweaty brow with Mr. Howell's useless money, the Professor to help with technological issues, and Ginger and Mary Ann to sate my carnal urges.

Push the Skipper off the cliff, he serves no purpose and I'd get tired of him hitting me with that stupid hat

 

For Central Monmouth County

-proximity: Phenomenal. House, office, and favorite breaks are all within a chill 10-15 min drive, largely on back roads. And aside from surfing, also phenomenal. Easy access to major cities and airports, tons of jobs, but things still get pretty quiet and relaxing for large parts of the year if that's more your style.

-quality of life (how much you have to work v. for how much you get to surf): All things considered phenomenal, except during multi-week flat spells. Rarely work more than 40 hours a week, virtually zero commuting time, probably average two 40-75 min sessions during the week and one longer one on the weekends. Flexible circumstances to get out most days that there's swell. To be perfectly honest, if we had more consistent waves, I'd probably end up missing a fair number of good days because I simply couldn't stay on top of other responsibilities while surfing every day.

-consistency & favorable winds: could be far worse, but this is not our strongest category.

-water population: Not bad during the portions of the year we are most likely to have good waves. Terrible in the summer, but so are the waves usually, so... whatever. Even at 11am on a glassy waist high Saturday in the middle of august, I usually get my share...

-rights/lefts?: Both, but definitely more rights and more ideal conditions likely on swells producing rights. Suits me just fine as a regular foot, like my buddy said to a friend of ours a few months ago, "my dream wave is not a left."

-variety of breaks? Somewhat lacking, and being primarily a longboarder, hollow beach break is not the most optimal, but I grew up here surfing these conditions and have plenty of fun on them.

-pollution: Minimal, imo. Can't think of a time I've ever gotten sick or worried about getting sick because I paddled out.

-sharkiness: I have never seen a shark in thousands of hours surfing and nearly 15 summers as a beach lifeguard. I take this as irrefutable proof that they don't exist and are some science fiction bullsh*t.

-climate: Suits me fine, with the exception of when I'm in the water, I HATE being too hot. Too cold? I can always put on another layer. Too hot wtf am I supposed to do, peel off my skin? More seriously, I legitimately love all four seasons. Winter surfing is... uncomfortable at times, but it's manageable, the waves are good, the lineups are empty, and for the first time in my life (as I wrap up my third winter of dedicated surfing here) I have a seriously enhanced appreciation for and anticipation of spring.

-SUP water population (no offense dpsup): not bad

-French speaking Canadian water population & tourons: French speaking? Zero. Tourists in general? Insane during the summer, and it gets a bit old by about halfway though but at the same time I kinda like energy and chaos and vibrancy and having stuff going on at all hours of the day and we have that in spades in the summer here. And it makes me appreciate the quietness of the winters even more.

Pretty much. I love it here and am not actively trying to move anywhere else. Could never live in Hawaii -- love winter, love skiing, hate hot weather. California is often appealing on paper, certainly gets more waves, but logistical complications (more work to afford cost of living, house farther from the beach because not a billionaire, traffic, etc.) would likely mean similar time in the water at best, plus I feel like the scarcity of truly great days here feeds the stoke to a degree (probably just desperate and naive rationalization... though I used to say the same thing about skiing in VT and moving to CO actually confirmed it).
I'd be open to living in other places... coastal New England (preferably RI), OBX, California if it allowed me to optimize other aspects of life while still living close enough to surfable waves to get out regularly year round, but right now I have no desire to change anything.

 

These lists get published on almost a yearly basis. Top surf towns include

Dearest Leader,
This is a very personal question, and a subjective one at that. This question forces one to be very introspective and ask some of lifes toughest questions. It also requires a great deal of being honest with oneself.
This definitely AIN'T the place for that mess!

 

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/03/01/california-has-worst-quality-life-in-us-study-says.html

 

lol "ranking behind New Jersey (49th)"

 

that is a good point. i have had sessions at a spot that takes a 10 min walk on cobbles to get to...point break and surfed it with 4 buddies for hours. non stop sets of rights and a channel, etc. heres a gloomy shot of the spot but its sick.

 

Ya it is!!