I'm headed down there for a week in March, what can I expect surfwise, and how likely is it that I'll to get into a fight?
same question with daytona, what to expect surfwise in march....hopefully i can manage to get a few while trying to paddle through drunk spring break idiots (although i'll be 1 of them once out of the water)
hopefully, we can get some floridians to answer your crowd/localism factor question. This forum is not as active as the mid atlantic forum. I've surfed a lot of the east florida coast. As far as crowd/localism factor, its pretty similar to most of the east coast. I like the waves in north florida better than then central florida area, because there seems to be on average a little more punch. In general, just as with surfing anywhere new, take your time to feel the vibe when you first paddle out, be respectful, dont be a paddle master, and you shouldnt have problems.
appreciate it man, thats what I figured, just didnt know if it was one of those where you paddle out and immediately start getting hassled because they don't know you. I always try to be respectful and play it cool at someone elses break, cant really blame people if you paddle out like you own the place and they freak out on you. Hopefully I score some waves for my spring break.
water temps are in the mid 60s. you can use the swellinfo buoy data map and mouse over the coastal buoys.
We are skinning it right now. Might be a degree or 2 colder further north (I'm down near Sebastian inlet) but you should be very warm in a spring suit. Crowds aren't a problem unless you do something silly like paddle out to an already crowded/popular spot like the inlets or piers or you paddle out to a peak with a group of friends on it. Just go down the beach a bit and you'll be fine. Otherwise there isn't much localism here.
there can be a decent difference between the water temps in flagler and sebastian. It depends a lot on the currents, but I'd say its prob around 5 degrees difference right now. I'd prob want to bring at least a spring suit.
cool, thanks. I think I'll just bring my 3/2 I don't even own a spring suit, I usually go right from that into trunks and a top in the spring here in nc so I should be good with that, thanks again for all the info.
Any more than a spring suit and you might burn up. On a warm day you could prolly skin it or just a top and trunks for a couple of hours before getting cold. Then again I am near sebastian...
Surfed Jax last week Surfed 14th St South and the water was fuggin' cold. It actually took my breath away for the first 3 sets that I had to duckdive. BUT, I now live down in Martin County where the water is 75. Jax is prolly more near 58-62. I wore my 3-2 and after 30 minutes was actually very comfortable. The air temp was 73. Don't know if that helps. And about the fighting... the fact you bring it up means either you piss people off in the line-up where you paddle out or you are surfing a super localized break. People on the First Coast (Jax-St Aug) are some of the friendliest surfers I've ever surfed with. Hell of a lot nicer than the kooks that come up here to surf Jupiter from Miami-Dade and Broward
Nah I have actually never gotten in a fight in the water, maybe exchanged heated words once or twice, but I am def not the type that does stupid stuff to piss people off, I have just never surfed in Fl before and didnt know how localized it was.
You will have no problem at all. The northern part of Florida has southern friendliness... unlike the surfers down in South Fla, which range a lot from NJ to NY. Not saying those surfers are jerks....just not as eager to chat with ya.
definitely a different vibe from S. Florida to N. Florida. Florida is kind of weird. Along much of the east coast, as you head south, you go more into the southern, country kind of lifestyle. But once you get to Florida, it goes the other way around. Northern Florida is very southern, and then as you head south its gets less and less of that laid back style.
my bro lives in flagler. spring suit is fine and hardly anyone surfs there. he has never been mean to anyone and avoids conflict. only crowded if everywhere else sucks. he sits outside so he doesn't worry about people.
I've lived in st. augustine for about 6 months now and surf here every day and unless your at the pier localism can be pretty bad...even at the pier. I've surfed flagler beach and pier a handful of times and its never been crowded and if there is anyone out there they are cool. Take a drive down to smyrna though it gets good there but it get crowded
