Did anyone just look at the Surfline NE story? Idk about you guys but I'm getting a little sick of the surf media portraying the NE as some epic surf destination. Lets face it the NE SUCKS for surfing. Its cold as hell and rarely "fires". I've been all over the world surfing and can tell you Jersey is mediocre. I can agree when all the elements come together, Jersey is epic but how many times a year do we get that? When we do it only last a few hours. I just dont like how they make it seem like you can just score lonely barrels. "You can surf with just you and your friends". Are you joking? Its more crowded than ever. Wetsuits are the best they have been and are cheaper than ever. I've surfed with 20+ ppl, IN THE SNOW!!!! Matter of fact, there are now winter KOOKS. Its good we are finally getting some praise but it should be realistic. The real reason we are so "core" is because its the only thing we have. What next, are we going to hear how you can score epic, lonely surf in the Great Lakes.
It's funny to see that Surfline story after all the "worst winter ever" threads that were floating around here in February... I think it's cool that Jersey is getting so much love these days, gives me some odd sense of pride in what I do. I still think its plenty easy to find good empty lineups all winter, but come summer, that's another story. Last summer was the worst I've ever experienced (crowd-wise) in my 12 years here, and I can't imagine that it would get any better this summer.
You said it yourself, jersey gets epic. people document with photography and its sick. why are you so pissed? i dont get it
Yeah I'm kinda confused too. No one is making surf trips to Jersey other than maybe a few New Yorkers when the wind is W-SW. Maybe a few PA guys are moving to Jersey to be closer to the surf, but they are probably core anyway. The CA surfers certainly aren't in a rush to fly out to Jersey, pull on a 5/4 boot and gloves, and wait a month for our beach breaks to fire. So who are you worried about? I think it's great that we get some press and some bragging rights. That press certainly isn't what is clogging the line-ups. You can thank the Rip Curl, Billabong, Quicksilver, Volcom, O'Neil, etc... for making surfing a fashion statement. You're better off complaining about them than some great photos of great Jersey surf on a surfing website. When it's no longer cool to walk down the beach with your Ed Hardy boardshorts and your asian pop-out 7S fish in the middle of summer when there are no waves, THEN you wont have to worry about the kooks. PS. I surfed on Tuesday with only about 5 other guys at an extremely popular Monmouth Co. jetty. None of them were kooks. Yeah you bump into them occasionally, but outside of summer and early fall it's still not that bad.
i have yet to see any "epic" surf video from the great lakes...lots of pictures of guys surfing waist - chest high longboard wind swell in sheyboygan...a few point break clips from Lake Superior of spots that arent really working...i mean how often does 8 second swell really light up a point wave? "Unsalted" (I loved the movie) appeared to have 30 years+ of historical clips, and a good budget to work with and i dont recall anything epic except the 5 hour drives to try and score waves.
yea i was picking up the sarcasm no doubt, but i actually think there is a perception out there that the great lakes are hiding great surf, and i would just ONCE like to see it.
Jersey surf smells like Sh*t and sucks 90% of the time. IDK what all the rage is about, we get maybe 2 days of makable barrels a year.
Your mothers underwear smells like jersey surf. Who cares everyting you are upset about is known. Plus most of those photos were from NC
I think the NE has been getting more exposure because of all the factors you mentioned. Better suits, better forecasting. There are a lot more people in the NE paying attention to surfing. The east coast media market on the entire east coast has grown HUGE in the past decade.... Most surf coverage from the East coast in recent years has always been OBX and Central FL... And while OBX does fire a lot, the warm water and boardshort wearing counter parts in all the footage you see are usually surfing semi-clean, mushy waves with little ramps on it down in Florida... No gaping barrels, with offshores.... So, on a good day, the conditions in Jersey just clean up better than most spots on the east coast. Yes, its not west coast consistency, but when it happens there, its better than elsewhere... Im just saying, I think more people are surfing in the SE because its comfortable waether and water, but all my research has backed up that from the midatlantic heading north, the surf has a lot more potential.... Again, at least you guys get exposure... I have NEVER, not ONCE seen in any Surfline photo actricle even ONE shot of OC MD.Its always jersey... And sometimes OC MD is firing too, if not better on certain days, but again, no cameras. No media. No pros there shredding the inlet on a surf trip.... I think the OC locals love that, because out of site, out of mind, but I sure would like to see some firing barrels on surfline of MD. I know they are there... Just always undocumented... So, I wouldn't be too mad about it... I have had to have the "Yes, Maryland does have a beach and yes there is surf there" conversation all over the place... Its nice to see Jersey and the NE getting some exposure... Making guys on the west coast see those shots and be like, dam*, I wish I was there for that moment... Its better than everyone sh**ting on the whole east coast like they mainly do... I think its good for guys back home, just to feel like their opinion matters. Like what they are doing is being respected, and they are doing it well enough to deserve to be on the mainstream.... Its better than an article saying "The NE SUCKS!"
I've seen maybe 3-4 shots of ocmd mixed into 1-2 general "east coast was firing this weekend" articles.
i was at that extremely popular jetty as well. big day and at most 5 people. almost my entire time out there was me and 2 others. one guy was talking to himself tho, kinda creepy, but no crowds. ill take that spot with no crowd any day
I've surfed jersey for 15 years now and I wouldn't change it for the world. The people are, the families run deep the food is the best and during certain times of the the surf gets really good! Plus I love the smell a stinky panties...
most of it was OBX. Most of the surfers were from VB. Just saying... jersey didnt get but so much love.
I think you all should stop complaining. It's going to be what it's going to be despite making stupid threads about how surfing in the n.e. is becoming more popular. who cares? making this pointless thread won't prevent nj or anywhere else from getting more crowded. I wish there were more positive threads on the this site...everyone is consistantly negative.
you got me all wrong, i live in vb and surfed most of those days in obx. im stoked about the article.
my opinion is that ppl (and its mainly west coast) shiit on jersey so much because theyre threatened by the attention nj gets and the respect that nj surfers get for being so dedicated in spite of inconsistency and cold weather even though its nowhere near as good here as west coast. ive heard many ppl say "oh you guys have surf in jersey? really?" this never bothers me cuz jersey aint gotta prove nothin, if youve seen it you know. but when have you ever heard a california "surfer" shiit on georgia surfing? ive never heard it and the reason is because no website or mag has ever ran an article glorifying georgias empty lineups or "hardcore" year round dedicated surfers like they would about obx or jersey
