who here has been surfing this week?

Unfortunately the bachelor in the group wasn't too adventurous when it came to checking out a lot of OBX spots tho we did hit up the beach a couple times each day. We tried out Avalon Pier, down the street from where we stayed, Lillian St, Hayman St., and Jennettes Pier. Had the best session by Jennettes pier, after the surf contest ended. Everything else was 8'-12' ft sets and mostly one ride in waves unless ya pulled out early which is really not my kinda thing tho i understand. a couple guys, non-surfers, couldn't get out past the break and even the guys that did surf a good bit had a hard time doing so. no barrels, but also no injuries or broken boards. made for a good wknd, maybe i'll get back up there and check out the Southern spots like S Turns & Hatteras. Otherwise we tried out Topsail (winds were better and size still the same as OBX) and i surfed my local break this morning before work - mainly waist and drifty. Been a busy September, still got one more week to make it count. thanks to those guys around here with the OBX guidance

 

Lots of shifting sand out there. It's basically an alternative to the other south-facing beaches. 4WD or a long walk to access. In June, when Shelly Island was more prominent, there was also a nice sandbar facing east between the point and the island. I'm not sure if that's gone, as we were surfing the south side. Paddle out was brutal, inside current was like a river. Many got denied. If you made it to the Outside, the current was easily manageable.

The place is a zoo out there on weekends, between fishermen, surfers, and tourists looking for shells or wanting to see the island, it was difficult to find a place to park!

It is worth a check if there's a south swell and north wind, and you have a vehicle capable of getting through deep, soft sand.

 

Went out yesterday, early, it was "meh".
Went this morning to go out, looked at it, went home. Did not need another "meh" session.
Getting fussy in my old age. Either that or alzheimers. Why am I posting here....??????

 

Went out Sat and Sun. Super stoked on this run of EC swell. I've been riding the shortround for the most part. It turns on in the big stuff.

Saturday I had one of my favorite spots all to myself for at least two hours and then shared it with three other mellow guys for another hour. The wind was forecast to be cross shore, but it was very light. It was averaging chest high with shoulder sets. Basically all lefts. I was stoked because the wind kept people away. Got a sickkk behind the curtain choob, chandeliered and then exited clean. That made my session.

Sunday was a bit bigger, but mainly a right and I was really feeling beat. Surfed almost every day last week. The best part about that session was my first legit air attempt. I've been trying lately and studying from vids on the YTube. Got a little 2' punt off the lip and my buddy saw to confirm. I was stoked. Other than that the high tide made it mushy and exhausting.

Very wiped out today, but feeling accomplished. Heckling my buddy hard for the pics last Friday. He's slacking, but here's a taste of the beauties I had. This shot was taken at precisely the exact spot where I surfed.

 

^ that is NICE!

 

Totally agree... the consistent swell has been unbelievable. But the conditions in and around my local have been just as unbelievable in the opposite direction - unbelievably bad! Swell's had too much East in it, the period's been too long, and the wind has not cooperated at all, except for a day here and there, for almost a month. All that swell, and no epic days... unbelievable! You'd think it would HAVE to all come together at some point....

Still... it's been good to say, "I think I'll go surfing today" and be able to go and at least get a few drops... maybe pull into a bunch of closeout barrels. I was talking to Rad Brad in the lineup yesterday and mentioned I calculated 2-3 "good" waves per hour over the last three weeks. That's about it. Every once in a while you'd get a makeable one, but you had to luck into it. Everything else has been a sectiony, one turn wave. Tons of drops... very few ripable faces.

 

Damn Kanman!

Finally back in the water today, logged 5 hours at second beach. Good surf, but burly....caught inside repeatedly. Merrick worked great, but more foam would have been welcome to cover more ground. A lot of under gunned surfers out there today imo.

Definitely doing a reef tomorrow. Second beach was barely holding that swell today.

 

Swell finally had some south in it today. Best it's been at my local for a minute.

The best was this little local grom... totally amped on the backwash. Must have said "airs" a dozen times in 10 minutes. Dropped all the lingo... "a-framing"... "runner"... "almost stuck that 180 on the backwash!" So stoked for that kid! Had a sick style, too... can't wait to see him in 10 years tearing the top off everything in town.

 

my left arm is burning. Last nite was long period swell, but there were several fun rollers around. Current was still strong, and i got carried under the pier and surfed the hectic side for a bit, which actually was churning better. did the same this morning, but instead on the 7'2" Angulo rather than than the 9'4" GWilson LB. couple backside lefts and a knee dropper on a right side punch. fun stuff

 

What a run of swell. My son and I rescued a 10 year old girl from drowning Saturday night at the same spot where the week before power tripping lifeguards on jetskis had hassled us for surfing. Had we not walked up to paddle out at that exact moment and had my son not seen her in the evening glare she would have without a doubt been a tragedy. It was a miracle even that my son saw her. Even after he told me and pointed it took me a few seconds to see what he was talking about. She was caught in a rip and going strait out to sea and barely keeping her face above water when we got to her. My son got her on his board and we swam her out and around a jetty then back to shore on the other side with nobody around other than the two of us. The city of Ocean City and the beach patrol should be thankful us surfers are out there instead of power tripping on us for surfing.

 

Nice work!

 

Caught a few days in RI recently, which was nice considering conditions have been more "miss" than "hit" for NJ despite having lots of swell. Winds, periods angle, it's all been a touch tough for our beaches.

 

Sunday night paddle out. There were a few bombs out there. Yesterday was one of the best days I've had in recent memory. Hope everyone is getting a ton of waves.

 

nice pic Riley. what state is that beach in?

 

New England.

 

solid work.

I heard on news12 how a few people died and there was like 60 recues,probably another 60 unreported.and I'm thinking they are very lucky theres people surfing because the guards left a long time ago.

people at my job,knowing l ive near the beach were like oh u hear about all those drownings?then theyr like ur crazy for going out there,and I explained to them how its people who don't have the ocean knowledge of how these things happen

someone is standing in waist deep water,a decent size wave comes,spins them around,when they resurface they realize they cant touch the bottom,so they start trying to swim straight in while being sucked out further.if theres nobody theyr to save them and theyr not a strong swimmer,they are going to die.

the ocean is a dangerous place,if I didn't surf id have no interest in the beach,i am not a sunbather lol.my boss is like ur crazy going out there and I'm like the water is still warm,waves are mild u know I'm in the ocean mid January when the air temp is 8 degrees,water 35,6' waves and not a soul in sight,not in the water,not on the sand.u break ur neck out there or something of that nature ur probably going to die.iv been in a few scary situations where I felt like I was starting to panic,but I got myself out of it and made it in and realize I can do this.nothing worse than losing ur board way on the outside on a south swell

 

Good job CJ. Who did the little girl come with? Surely not by herself?

Nice writeup Cep.

 

Her mother was on the middle of the beach completely oblivious. Not even a thank you. Gave the girl **** for swimming out to far.

 

Definitely had more south in the swell yesterday. Makes all the difference in the world...

And I also heard about some drownings... two locally. Very sad, very unfortunate, and very irresponsible. But even though it makes me mad when I hear about it, I still feel for the families of the victims.

 

went out after work yesterday on the LB. still plenty of surfers out there and i tried to take the pocket where no one was at at the time. first ride is always one of the best for me for some reason, had a nice backside left that took me 50 yards out and right back in the thick of the lineup. been trying to go frontside left for the last week, and i think my reflex is stuck at backside as i had no luck or looked awkward. tried to go right (naturally) a couple times but more lefts were given as the current was still pushing south. got on the other side of the pier again with the crowd, rode some out and went back to my friendlier side for another short session. good waves were had, now i'm waiting out for the wknd swell and being an better land rover till then