My name is Dave. I'm 34 and just started getting serious about bodyboarding about a year ago (after a rather fun week in Cape May). I live up in Northern NJ and am about 45 minutes or so from the nearest shore points (the distances don't bother me except that I don't live closer ). Usually, I have been making early morning trips down to Manasquan, Point Pleasant or Long Branch on a Saturday or Sunday and would look for a quiet place to practice. I would really like to get to get to know the people in this community as well as find some good spots in NJ with some people who have no problems helping show beginners the ropes. It would be greatly appreciated. I sense this could be a lot more fun with like-minded individuals than just me being out there alone. I hope to speak with some of you soon. Thanks everyone. DR
Hey Dave, Jersey has a pretty solid bodyboarding community... So, hopefully, you could meet some people on here. Another site to check out is eastcoastbodyboarding.com . They are centered in Jersey and have a solid community forum as well, (mostly a younger crowd tho). Also, you should stop by the USBA Jenkinsons Pro for the labor day weekend event. Last year was amazing as some of the top bodyboarders in the world competed in perfect surf from hurricane ernesto.
: ) Hi Dave! Welcome to bodyboarding. It's definitely a fun way to ride waves. I like to bodyboard and ride a Paipo (my newest obsession). Do you have a good board and fins? I hope that you enjoy this decent swell that we're getting - if the stupid wind would only blow the right way. Chris 34 y/o sponger grrrl
Spongah, I think I have good equipment. About a month ago or so, I upgraded from one a cheaper board to a Science MS9, and the difference has been, to say the least noticeable. I'm very happy with it. Like going to a Ferrari from a Ford Escort. For fins, while I had gotten a pair of Churchill Slashers around the 4th of July, I got a pair of Tech 2 fins with the purchase of my board. The Tech 2's are a bit more comfortable and will go over a boot of finsock better than my Slashers will. I'm going to try to head down and check out a few spots later this morning (it's 1:30 AM now lol), although I'm not sure where I'll go or where I'll end up. Silly question, but which way is the wind supposed to blow? I haven't gotten the whole weather thing and how it affects swells down yet, but I'm working on it. Swellinfo, Thanks for the responses and the links. I did sign up on the ECBB forums only to not have been granted forum privileges to post new topics (I would have written something like this there if I could have). My attempts to contact the forum admins have not been successful. As far as Jenks Pro, I am going to try to stop down there for a bit. In the meantime, I'll just have to force myself to watch some DVD I bought about some spongers in the Atlantic.
Ya, I heard good things about MIA... I can help you understand the winds... Ok. Lets give a generalization and say that your beach in long island faces to the south. The optimal winds you are looking for, are offshore, or calm (or very light) winds. When, the winds are offshore, this means the winds is coming from the land to the shore (winds in meteorology are always expresses as where the wind is coming FROM). The offshore allows for "clean" or organized conditions. So, if your beach faces directly to the south, then an offshore wind, would be from the North. So, for many areas in Long Island, a North wind is the optimal wind direction. There is of course some variance from directly due offshore that will allow for clean conditions, so NE to NW is not bad, but the closer you get to directly offshore, the cleaner the conditions are. When the winds are coming onshore (Southerly winds), this creates bumpy and choppy conditions. Also, generally, the lighter winds, the better. So, even if the winds are coming directly onshore, if they are less than 5mph, than the surf is much glassier than if the winds are 20mph. When the winds are directly offshore, sometimes, having more speed acts to open up the wave more (become more holllow). I'm planning to make a knowledge base reference section, but until then, I hope this helps a bit.
sup wassup dave, i live over in long branch and i ride breaks from sandy down to spring lake but mosty the lb, deal area. i usually head out alone but always see ppl i know out, mostly surfers and i wanna see more ppl bodyboarding. hit me up if u wanna ride
: ) Hi Dave, Basically - Swell Info - what he said. LOL. For my beach, which is South facing, I hope and pray for North winds. Then I get nice, glassy conditions. Wind speed is totally variable dependent upon wind direction When the winds switch around (which they always do) - the sets closeout, get blown out, get textured and crappy. Plus, if you have 2 or 3 different swells working in the water, plus howling onshore winds - just stay home. You'll be battling currents all day. Well, maybe not stay home, but you'll be working a lot harder than usual. On Saturday AM the wind was blowing 22 mph WNW and I was really grumpy. Now that you're posting at a forecasting site, you'll soon be obsessed with the rest of us, and you'll spend 75% of your day thinking about wind, fetch, hurricanes, tropical storms, tropical waves in the ocean thousands of miles away, swell periods, bathymetry and all of the other stuff that drives us crazy on a daily basis. You'll also find yourself to be happiest mostly in September, October and November. It sounds like you got yourself some good stuff. I hope you get a lot of enjoyment out of it. ECBB is really slow with the approval process. Don't take it personally. Chris
Joshman, I'd be interested in that. If you have some contact info (email, IM, cell #, etc), I wouldn't mind touching base with you on that. Please send a PM and I'll respond with my own (or vice versa). That invitation is for anyone. My availability can be limited at times, but I'll see what I can do. Spongah, I'm already a pretty big geek when it comes to analyzing things, and I've been trying to understand the myriad of different things you just mentioned that are way over my head at this second (bathy what who? ), but in time, I'll get it all figured out (I'm already obsessed without even knowing these different things). When I do, you'll wish I didn't because I won't shut up. Ask my wife. I was pretty grumpy about the wave conditions yesterday as well. To make myself feel better, I went and bought my wetsuit. It's a 4/3 so I hope it'll get me through the winter (I was told that it could). Finding one in my size is a bit tough because I wasn't necessarily blessed with the gift of height. Swellinfo, Thanks for your help. I was actually in the process of writing a layman's description of what you mentioned, but when I re-read it, I found I didn't need to. Onto the wave maps and other things I know nothing about. Lastly, please thank the person who decided to put Flogging Molly into MIA. I can't get that song out of my head. It's been 48 hours now.
: ) Who's taking a bath? Bathymetry is the science and study of seafloor topography. A 4/3 will get you through the winter. If you get chilly, you can always get a polypro hooded shirt to stick underneath it. I have one with 0.5mm titanium and it works great. I hear you about the wetsuits. I'm tall and a big bruddah so I order all of my wetsuits online. O'Neill and Quiksilver take vacations to Tahiti on my money. You had a really good idea. Maybe we can start a section of the site with a reference point for beginner riders of all types...surf etiquette, reading the surf, ocean safety, forecasting, etc. What do you think, Swellinfo?
Ooops I just re-read Swellinfo's post to Dave. Scratch my sentence about starting a reference section since it's in the works.
Spongah, I just made O'Neill happy with my purchase (but perhaps my "local" surf shop happier - which I don't mind because I love the place I go). I was looking at boots, hoods, gloves, etc. but I'll hold off on purchasing those unless I really intend on going out in the dead of winter. I do plan on it though. I could use help with all of those other things you've mentioned (reading the surf, etc.). I found an online version of a Morey DVD that gave some explanations to that effect but the clips seemed short and the stream quality was not very good. FYI, given where I live in NJ (off I-78), it could take me less time to get to some of the Long Island beach spots (Long Beach, Lido) than to a LBI here on my side of the Hudson. I may have to make some trips out to Long Island. I wouldn't mind checking it out.
whats up dave welcome to the community. I'm a 21 yr old bodyboarding, been doing this **** about 10 years now.. Manasquan is a great place to board at unfortunately there are a lot of beginner surfers out there and can get crowded.. Stick to long branch thats where I go out a lot, drive down the coast to deal and turn down any street and see if its firing.. If you want you can PM me and ill show you the ropes out there and where exactly to goo.. hope you went out this weekend cause we had some great swell
vjay what up are you hitting up anything on saturday? me and one of my friends are goin down to manasquan to get a few rides in. we should get a big session goin
LB BB Spot My first post!! Woo Hoo I have been going out mostly in LB and Belmar, I found a gem in long branch, The beach just right of 7 prez. The best conditions are big choppy east wind swells when all others are blown out or have no power. This place is not so much for beginners and surfers since it’s always breaking in a about 2-3 feet of water, makes a very steep and fast, hollow shore break wave when most other places a mushy and have no power. I was out yesterday and again without fail, great wedging peaks, hollow and the only one out. Not sure if I am the only one that likes to BB these types of waves in the area, I noticed a few BB’s over at 7prez that again was busy, mushy and slow yesterday around 6pm. I seem the be the only BB going out over there, talked to a few surfers about the break and they don’t seem the like how sallow and steep the wave is, It’s perfect for me, nothing like big wedges breaking in 3ft of water Seems like the perfect mix for BB’ing on a blown out day. -Rob
You know I may be able to make some time Saturday early afternoon to hit the Long Branch area. Forecast looks pretty good.
dave heres an idea. stay in north jersey and stop clogging up my line ups. thanks in advanced. every single local in monmouth county. ________ extreme vaporizer review
