Covid’s effect on surfing

Definitely more folks in the water but from my view it seems to be more begginer type so they are usually in the wrong spot and then they are in the way.
Most can't paddle out to the main break and sit on the inside

 

Way busier since they lifted certain parking bans. But you can still score uncrowded spots if you look and don't follow the crowd.

 

More folks in the water, for sure... and not necessarily beginners on days there's waves. But on super small, marginally ridable days... yes. Lot's of learners on soft tops.

I used to be able to find a good spot to have to myself quite easily. But not so much anymore... even this winter, when a lot of people hang it up for the season.

 

It was awesome during the lockdown. It's what I think surfing was like 50 years ago. I was alone out there for 2 months. Been business as usual crowd wise since about May. As a van owning remote worker I can say I have been getting around and probably surfed 50% more in 2020 than I did in 2019. Lost 20 pounds between March and July from all the paddling.

 

I don't know man. I've been surfing over 40 years and Blacks and Swami's were almost as zoo'ed back then as now. Malibu and Rincon were just as crowded back then as they are now.

What I've noticed is that some spots have gotten a lot worse since YouTube. I've never seen 30 guys out at Big Rock until the last several years. If 30 people paddled out there in 1977, 25 of those guys would have their shit thrown in the water.

Spots that were once pristine and unspoiled are now choked with PWC fumes...Ralph's and every other boat spot south of Sunset Cliffs. The Ranch north of Lompoc is now overrun with boatloads of goons. The Strait up here was a paradise of long left points and peaky rivermouths. Now the scenic byway is choked with Sprinters and Audis and the lineups are packed on every forecast over 10', even if it's shin high and sideshore. And yes, Covid has absolutely made it worse.

I think it'll take a couple few years to evaluate the impact Covid has had on crowds and such, but empirical evidence will probably prove that this is indeed "The New Normal".

 

On Delmarva for sure more crowded in 2020. March 2020, when the schools went to at-home learning, it immediately because zooed out at the main spots that the parents, kids and surf school crews hit up.

April and May, there were fewer crowds because parking, travel, and rumors of quarantines kept a lot of the more casual surfers from Balt/Wash/Philly area kind of sketched out.

Then in late May things opened back up and its been full-onslaught ever since. Summer was just insane. The most crowded I can remember...But June through mid September you just kind of expect it and adjust in the small waves (mostly surf odd hours and spots that the learners don't know about, or just get aggro and take a lot of waves from the masses by out-paddling them) October and November weekdays were when it really hit home though....the softtop adult learners/college kid brigades are still out in full force. Its cold now so no biggie, but year 2020 was one for the books.

 

Pretty much killed the amateur and pro surf scenes.

Board builders are swamped.

Wetsuits backordered.

Crowds.

Travelling is a hassle.

 

I quit.

 

i heard shapers are telling ppl around like a couple months. But tbh, have seen the same crowds, not anything different since covid. Still see some used surfboards in the shops; def haven't noticed much difference there. But hey if the covid effect is me sitting at my house by the beach than being 20 min away at an office, i'm gung ho for this kung-flu

 

They were, but it's because you had police out on the beach writing $250 tickets if they caught you surfing. The ban on all beach activities came down from the state. No one was allowed on the sand at all for a month, then for the next month you could walk on the beach, but no sitting in beach chairs (yes i'm serious) and still no surfing. Even after all of the bans were lifted a lot of towns still banned parking for non-island-residents (i'm on the mainland) so you really had no access to the ocean at all unless you had a boat.

Fortunately I have been exploring the beaches around here for quite some time so I know where I could tuck my van in and surf for a while without anyone noticing or caring. My van looks like an old work truck so no one gave a second look coming and going from the island, and once I get 20-30 minutes off the highway I was home free. That's the thing about the south, when you get far enough off the beaten path the local constabulary is going to look the other way on laws that the folks in Raleigh deem necessary, but may not make sense for a remote beach town on a barrier island.

Fast forward to today, I acquired a boat and outfitted it for hunting surf over the last 6 months. On any remotely crowded day we drop the boat in the water a quiet boat ramp and head to an island only access able by water, with about 20 miles of uninhabited beach breaks.

 

Dude, the boat sounds awesome, getting out to miles of uninhabited beach?? Sounds like a killer adventure in your own back yard

 

It really is. That "remote living" thread really showed me that what i'm looking for is all around me. That said, it wasn't easy getting to this point. Started with nothing in this town about 13 years ago, was paycheck to paycheck for a long time. I'm def enjoying being able to slow down and enjoy my surroundings a bit.

 

sounds sharky

 

That's because it is Just had a 500lb great white ping just down the coast. She passed right by beach a few months ago. Mostly bulls and spinners in the shallower water from my experience.

 

Yeah that's what I was thinking, but throw in a few Hammerheads too.

Whitey not so much

 

The only reason I know about the whites is Ocearch.

 

Way more crowded all summer and fall.. at times and days when its usually not crowded. I heard variations of this conversation a lot:

"Hey whats up yeah got here at 6. I'm gonna stay out until 10, I have a couple of Zoom calls then I'll come back around 3, its great not having to be at the office!"

The guy saying this in pre-COVID times hits dawn patrol for an hour, then changes into work clothes next to his car, and is in his his office at 9 until 5.