best place to be a surfer

I am trying to get a job at Patrick AFB so I can move down there to the Melbourne area. Great place to raise a family. We're not big city folks, but we do like the proximity to the bigger Florida cities to get our Urban fix. I've been to the Space Coast many times scored in the water and had a blast outside of it. I hope the housing market kinda works out for us if I do get the call to go over there.

 

I can vouch for the banks guys. I live in KDH. its pretty amazing down here when its good but it has been a grind the last three years to make it coming from VB. Im not making shit for money but man, i wouldnt have it any other way because ive surfed my brains out down here. its an absolutely beautiful place 75% of the year. winters are rough if you dont love to surf, fish, or hunt and are single lol.

not a lot of steady work but im working on that. I work a couple jobs including ocean rescue in the summer which i wish i could do year round... Luckily i have been fortunate enough to meet some great people and make some connections. I am currently about to finish the fire academy and have an interview with Dare County EMS on monday for a part time spot if im lucky. trying to get into the firefighter route because the schedule is very conducive to surfing haha. anyone has questions feel free to PM me or ask on here.

 

The housing market is really good here at the moment. Lots of places to buy / rent and at a reasonable price for what you get. If you are going to buy, do it sooner than later as property values and interest rates are on the rise as the area continues to grow and develop. Our goal is to buy before year end. Good luck in your pursuit, let me know if you need any help.

 

My girlfriend and I are in the works to make a move within the next few years. We both are set up with careers that have a market just about everywhere you go.

Jersey is cool and all, great surf, but we have both decided that we like warmer temps year round. Out of all of our trips we are most stoked on SoCal and SoFL.

We just got back from Delray and loved the vibe and scene down there. It helped that i just so happened to luck into some amazing surf. Delmar and Oceanside were two places that I really liked in CA. The consistency in CA is what I love most, but also the mellow vibes.

We will probably do a couple more trips in the coming years to narrow down our focus, but I’m just stoked for the journey.

The one thing I would miss about jersey is the barrels... in my experience it’s probably one of the most barreled states on the EC. It barrels hard in other places too, but the consistency of hollow waves here is pretty rad. So I’m going to enjoy my stay while I’m here.

 

If you want consistent surf SFL isn’t going to cut it. You got lucky when you came down. Unless you like driving 1-2hrs to surf, you will be tired of the flat spells real fast. Look at Ft. Pierce and further North into Brevard or Volusia County for the most consistency and still warm 9-10 months of the year.

 

Right on.

My dad is planning to retire and relocate in FL within the next year or so. It will open up my opportunity to get down there more and check some good spots.

 

Cool, you will find what works for you, I’m just being realistic about SFL. They get it good when it goes off on the NE swells, but the wave season and swell window is more narrow down there. You seem like a guy who gets lots of water time so I thought I would throw that out there. Let me know if you need any help up this way.

 

I appreciate the advise, DP. Consistency is definitely a key for factor for me. The more time I get wet the happier I become.

Might give you a shout the next time I’m around that way.

 

Anytime dude!

 

Rapid decline in consistency as you go south of the Fort Pierce/Stuart area. Too much of the E - SE Bermuda High summer swell is blocked by the Bahama Bank. By the time you get south of Palm Beach to Delray, even NE swells are filtered down in size.

 

I was thinking about this the other day. Jerz and NY get the same surf for the most part. Big difference is the jerz barrels way more often and NY is generally more open faced. If you like your barrels, jerz is definitely a good place to be. Although it's a trade off again. What makes it so hollow can also lead to more closeouts on bigger swells. That's actually why i love NY. Jerz is great but i like them open faces and it always brings a smile to my face after a bigger swell when the jerz guys are all saying it'll close out and I'm getting peeelers.

Both being right next to each other though, short trip, the NY/NJ guys got it good. Lots of options on any given swell if your able to spare a couple hours to drive

 

I can agree with the closeouts. Jerz is fickle with long period. I do have a handful of sick novelty spots that will go off when it gets unruly though. We only have so many spots that will handle the biggest stuff.

Honestly when it starts to creep over 8’ and barreling around here I can get spooked. Getting detonated by an 8’+ slabby patty hurts.


I gotta get myself up to NY on one of those classic days.

 

I didn't get out to it, but that spot i wanted to bring you to when you were here.....i bet it was dreamy yesterday.

 

Here is a secret for you......if you buy a house in one of the South Jersey beach towns the property taxes are actually very low......the lowest in the sate in fact. My taxes are half of what my parents are and my house is worth twice as much. Difference is I'm in a beach town where there is a huge number of ratables that sit empty 3/4 of the year. Pretty sure Avalon has the lowest taxes in the entire state. Agreed on the Cape May-Lewis Bay Bridge Tunnel. Would be awesome to see that built in our lifetimes.

 

NJ and NY favor different wind and swell directions. Generally one is going off while the other is poo.

 

I live an hour from NY surf and have never gone there. I'd rather drive an hour south and hit LBI, which has a better angle for both north winds and those marginal south swells. For Jerzy, LBI is the most consistent stretch of coastline in the state. Cape May is great for Nor'Easters, but plagued with flat spells. One of the biggest reasons why I moved up here is because it's bigger and hollower 99% of the time.

If I was to get out of NJ, I'd move to Northern FL. I'd build a solid concrete house about 20' in the air!

 

LB I have spent a lot of time on Amelia Island. Its a different beach town feel compared to most of CFL I think. There are a few cool get away spots that remind me of Pea Island, NC. I could live there...

 

sss curves
THE INN FROM “NIGHTS IN RODANTHE:” RESCUED AND RENOVATED
https://hookedonhouses.net/2011/07/25/the-inn-from-nights-in-rodanthe-rescued-and-renovated/

 

NJ has been off the charts this winter. CA has sucked balls.

 

Oh really? Gee thanks. No but really, all kidding aside you just made my point. If it sucks in NY jerz is a short drive away. Or vice versa.