Yeah, Cape May seemed like it was going to be the spot but I guess that there was just a little too much North in the swell still. We've caught that place when it was absolutely ridiculous on pretty much the same swell direction before so I was somewhat surprised when we got there and were met with small/medium surf. I'm sure that the winds had something to do with it. I guess it's kind of like how you know your home break so well and know exactly what it's going to do... I'm sure the locals there knew what was in store. Luckily I had other business to take care of up there so it wasn't a totally wasted trip and we did manage to catch a super fickle chest high left for about an hour in the morning. Definitely there are some great spots along the way to MA but just as anywhere else, check the swell direction and winds and you should be able to find a good spot assuming that there is some swell pushing through.
PS. cape may was good Tues. Head high sets, long lefts, bowly rights. I guess you mis-timed it. Tides are critical.
I took the ferry up to Cape May on Tuesday as well. I didn't catch any head high waves or right bowls. The lefts were long if you had a longboard and could ride the super high tide mush. Came back later to try and surf hoping it would be better with the tide dropping and there was maybe a knee high wave like wavehunter said. Was not worth the trip and the forecast was for well overhead, definitely didn't see anything close.
It kinds sounds like you went to the Cove or nearby...that might be the prob on a NE swell. Like swellinfo said CMis COMPLETELY tide dependant. I've seen it jump from knee-waist to shoulder high in a matter of and hour or two.
That end of CM is always SO disappointing on a NE swell. I've made the trip up many times, and its always small, always mushy. hit it on a decent SE groundswell, mid-tide incoming.
i went up to Cape may a few months ago on a solid overhead NE swell with VERY stiff north winds.... the first place we checked was the cove and it was like knee -waist mush..... down at the other end, poverty was rediculous-overhead barely-makable left tubes.... and a bunch of jetties imbetween were working well too, its definatly a weird setup there.... i almost went up the other day but decided against it, from the sound of it i made a good decision.
There was definitely really good surf in Cape May early this week, when so many other spots were impossible. It is truly difficult to figure out,however,and other than getting lucky or hanging around the breaks it's easy to miss out on. You need the right swell,right tide,right break and even then if you don't have patience you might look for a minute and see nothing. Even when it's good you have to wait and wait for the true set waves. Patience is a virtue. Seek and ye shall find. It gets really good in Cape May,but not too crowded thanks to frustrated guys who badmouth it. I'm stoked.
