Empty Winter line-ups or Crowded Summer Lineups?

Exactly, I hate this 40 degree water, even though i dont go out much in the winter.

 

straight up

 

who the **** would want to surf crowded, ankleslapper, summers.

 

I agree with a lot of you. September through November are the best times and normally no crowds. Though surfing in the snow is fantastic especially if its breaking head high on the outside and clean and no one out. Its like surfing on ice. the only trouble is when you're in the tube and it closes out. then you get to take all that cold water on as it squeezes you to death and your manhood runs and hides inside your body until you hit the hot shower.
I like a mix of surf through the different seasons. Breaks things up and keeps it interesting and magical.

 

and the water is still about 70-65 degrees!

 

summer becasue school and and ski racing doesnt let me out go of me from nov till almost may

 

Uncrowded winter, for sure. Bigger in size, better in quality, more consistent, less crowded, guaranteed offshores after every storm... and a general lack of kook infestation.

 

i prefer the summer because i absolutely hate the cold, but the people who paddle out in the summer are so annoying!! i was sitting off of a pipe at the break a block or 2 from my house and i was literally 2ft away from it and some kid tried to squeeze in between me and the pipe. and i hate the jellyfish

 

i prefer the summer because when your surfing you can look at the beach and see some really HOT guys

 

100% agreement from me on this...i wouldn't want to be anywhere else during this time.

& i am so, so over this winter weather. i don't care how good the surf gets. i need spring!

 

Big fan of cool water, warm air, consistent waves and fairly uncrowded all year. Is this a magical place? No. It is called San Diego. Uncrowded you say; Well yea it is. No its not uncrowed at Black's and Swami's but there are a lot of spots to surf and lots of peaks to find to yourself. In my opinion born and raised on the east, last 5 years in San Diego. The east coast is more crowded than the west at certain times of the year, i.e. summer, good swells running and not the winter, late fall or early spring. Plus the starvation of waves on the east causes a sort of feeding frenzy that you dont see on the west. That is my two cents

 

Good point, at times.

 

Yeah, agreed. But San Diego winers are like OC MD fall. I have been surfing one of the most known reef breaks in La Jolla all winter. I have scored it MULTIPLE times in the last two weeks with me and one friend. We had a photog get like 20 barrel photos last week. Every wave was an empty left handed pit. So, agreed. Winter in SD is the best thing on earth. Even on "crowded days" its like 5 people at most spots. I will take that any day, especially with consistent waves all winter....

But saying SD winters are the best is easy. We all know that. I think its a much harder question back east, because of all the condition issues.

I was back in MD last summer and surfing OC MD in mid-june.
I had to put my 4 mil on, in JUNE!!!! fu** the cold. I'll surf it, but honestly, who really likes pulling into a 37 degree closeout... =(*

 

does a 3/2 cut it in SD during the winter?

 

Yeah, a good one will get you through the whole winter. I wear a 4 mil, which allows me to go with no booties or anything. The only time i wear booties are at low tide a reef break or two that get sketchy. But the water temp bottoms out at 56.... and the air temp is always 60plus, so san diego winters feel like early june back in the mid atlantic. Not that cold, but not warm... Like I said tho, most of my buddies who wear 3 mils all winter end up rocking booties at one point or another. The 4 mils warms my core and my feet come out toasty warm after a 3 hour session.

 

I just change my mindset depending on the season. In the winter I tend to have the aggressive charging style and I love getting my anger out when it is just me and maybe one or two buddies out there. It makes me feel like I am paying my dues in the winter.

In the summer if I get waves thats bonus, if not I pick up trash on the beach and try to meet some of the locals and let them know that all people from philly are not fat rude slobs trying to ruin their beach. I also see summer as a time for locals to show their stuff so I usually sit back and watch and get in when the session is light. I also skate FDR alot during the summer, great summer weeknight sessions there.

 

yeah, it is totally a minset. Especially in the mid atlantic. Its like, the summer/fall are for sure the most enjoyable. In the summer, everyone on this site is probably in the water at 7am if its knee high in the summer, where in the winter, everyone is chillin inside, waiting until its like chest to head high and offshore to go out. The surf session are more hard core in the winter, but it takes modivation, dedication and balls... In the summer, depsite the crowds, waves are a nice treat when they come, and everyone in the know back home knows where to be and when... I understand the frustration of guys who have to drive a long distance to the surf each day because its crowded by 10am, but thats life. Summer still rocks. warm water, and like the last guy said, you know you love to have a sick wave when its crowded as hell and the whole beach is watching. I love sticking an air of a little barrel at 48th st... Its like you know every mother fu**er there just saw that. Its fun... Just dont paddle out at noon on sunday and expect no crowds.

 

Winter hands down. Waves are better. Is it bad that I feel more comfortable in a fullsuit?

 

one thing i gotta say is that October isn't as "thinned out" as it used to be. I noticed in the last couple years there have still been a lot of dudes in the water in October . It used to be no one in the water after labor day weekend.

 

The cold isn't what bothers me, it's the lack of energy and how exhausted the cold makes me that bothers me. The fact that I can only surf 1-2 times a week tops because of school (and that's if there're waves) combined with energy-sucking shivering (I get cold really easily even when wearing a 4/3, booties and gloves) and the extra neoprene weight flogs me out within 3 hours of good surf, whereas I could surf from sunrise to sunset (with only small breaks in-between for food and hydration) in the summer and do the same the next day. Sure there were crowds, but I know the my beach good enough to know where to stay away from and where it works best at certain tides. Plus the day is longer. I like summer better... I can't stand it being chest - head and glassy and i have to be stuck at a desk solving trig functions (which kick my butt), it tears at my soul. At least in the summer I can get out EVERY DAY, ALL DAY.