Thinking about night surfing around 8-10 Tuesday night. Waves should be 3-4ft+ SSE swell 9mph WSW winds. With High tide being around 9pm, I was wondering if it might be too dangerous to paddle out. Since I will probably be going by myself and I know sharks usually hunt at night. Any suggestions?
I'm doing the same on Tuesday night. Will be high tide closer to midnight. The conditions are glassy with building height from 4-5ft on after 8. The pier is lit with floodlights plus the light of the full moon is a big help. Problem is there may be t-storms and clouds. I've surfed well after dark and in fog plenty of times. Surfed in pouring rain on Sunday AM and nailed the best ride of my life. The pier lighting should be adequate. Maybe I'll shot the pier if it's light enough!!! Sharks don't sleep and feed all the time but mostly feed at dusk and dawn. They also feed often in reefs as there is plenty of sea life there. Are there seals at your break or near it? That's the biggest indicator. Gaffer is right and you can use your other senses to determine wave breaking. I've fallen off the back of enough waves to know when it's given me the push I need to drop in. The only thing I'd say you want to minimize is being in the line of fire on your way out back and after rides. Every break is different and at different tides and conditions, but you may want to stick to catching them on the inside. A few metric tons of ocean water (or more) clocking you upside the head unknowingly is probably not the way you want to spend the sesh!!!
You should always surf alone, and at night. Take some dead fish with you and toss it about 20 feet away, that way the sharks will go for that and not you!! Also, super glue glow sticks to your board so when you get shacked it lights up the room. Good luck and have fun!
Agree 100% Besides the dead fish, I would say go to Seaworld, grab a few seals and bring them out into the lineup as well... Guaranteed to be a good sesh...
I really don't know anybody who got "hurt" night time full moon surfing - I've done it a bunch of times (I mean, there are SO MANY shark attacks in the midatlantic - like that's a real problem!) - so go out (with a buddy) and have a blast - and a "little bit" of anxiety out there is part of the fun - just stay within hollerin' distance of your buddy!
Done it a few times before, some of the best times of my life. Is it safe? NO, but then again, nothing is
A whistle and a signal flare are helpful. Down here off the reefs we say: Life is just a cabaret ole chum. The sharkies are thick at night. Call me a pusssy, but I'll catchem me waves when the light is on. Take some photos with a strobe...that should be cool.
Sh*t of course it's a bad idea. But you are still more likely to get in a car wreck on the way home so DO IT.
s=Seals are not the biggest indicator. Most sharks don't feed on seals, and even Whites eat 95% fish...
Stayed out after dark as i often do in the summer. no sharks what a surprise. frigged up my elbow though. finally got a good wave with a shoulder and as i approaced the shallows the everything was going to come down on top of me what do i see? those razor sharp nylon swim zone ropes. had to dive over it and my longboard ended up straight up in the air. Narrowly avoided getting finned as it came down but my elbow took the brunt of the impact. Ended my session. High tide sucks
