I go to the beach super early in the AM or right before dark between Memorial Day and Labor Day and just take whatever is out there at the time. A few of my friends have beach passes so that they can get to the beach around the better tides or whenever they get out of bed but bodyboarders unfortunately can't share the surfing beaches here in NY (DOH regulations) so we are put in with the "swimmers". Lately there have been rip current advisories from the National Weather Service because of the surf heights (waist plus) and wind (onshore), so my buds who get to the beach when the lifeguards are on duty have been whistled out of the water on more than one occassion for being too far from shore (!!!), being too close to the red flags, being too close to the ropes that keep you 100 feet from the jetty, breathing/existing, etc. From what I understand, the lifeguards are also whistling surfers out of the water as well at the surfing beaches for the same reasons. Is this a common phenomenon in other states, or just in New York where people sue if you fart in their general direction? I just avoid the beach from 9:00 to 6:00, but I do think that people are entitled to undertake "inherently dangerous activities" if they do so desire without being aggravated every 15 seconds. I appreciate the beach patrol and the complexities of their job, without them I am sure that there are many people who would have lost their lives but there's a line between the person standing at the shore, ankle deep in whitewater, who has no swimming ability and the person who's in the water year round who's too lazy to get out of bed for a DP. Thoughts?
here on the gulf coast, at my local break in pensacola, there is a 300 yard section that surfers are not allowed to surf (swimming area) unless, it is before the lfegaurds come on duty (about 10am) or if it is red flag (chest high-ish surf) other than that, they don't really mind if you go i the water.... they'll whistle at you if there is lightning (you're dumb if you do't get out then) but considering the fact that you're tethered to a 6' piece of foam and fiberglass, they really don't worry about you drowning, they just worry about you running over kook tourists that stand in the way, because they are probably from New York, and will sue you for no reason... j/k
Rips & Rules Hey there-- We are not really familiar with your area, but it sounds like your guards are a bit overboard/cautious and following established guidelines. I'm an EARLY BIRD but my other half is not so much , so at times we get to the beach around 9:30--a bit later. However, we did have a nice evening sesh on Friday. Anyway, there was a notable (nothing insane) rip in our area (central NJ) this past weekend but our specific guards have been limiting their regulating primarily to the bennies and in-experienced boarders/surfers, which they should because they had to pull someone out of a rip tide last Sunday just about to slam into the jetty (benny BB!!)! Our guards have still been allowing a mix of surfers/BBs in the water at the same time, which I personally have enjoyed...we just respect one another and share the sets. We've met some really classy short and long boarders over the past 2 weeks (probably not even locals). The guards continue to let us shred off of the jetties and it has been super chill. Honestly, I've been more annoyed by the benny/summer teenage BBing crowd--they can be something 'special.' But, all in all, our guards and crowd have been excellent and I/we hope this continues. Hope you can visit soon! Until then, maybe check out a few other local surfing spots to see how the guards are running things...I know it varies greatly in NJ too For instance, the above would not likely happen in Spring Lake.
LMAO to the comment about New Yorkers suing. It's so true. I don't even want to go to other public breaks and "try out" the lifeguards because a lot of the breaks around here have sandbar issues, and if I travel somewhere and get whistled out of the water for something stupid I am apt to cry . A few of my "secret" breaks have gotten found out as of late, so I will stay where I am for now until I scout out some new, unguarded locations. I have a few private places where I go to play but I have Long Beach right in my backyard. I've also been surfing here for 15 years and I'm oddly attached to the stupid, crowded place. ECS - don't be so hard on those BB kids. We were all there once, irritating more advanced people and there are always people more advanced than us who find us irritating (well with the exception of the best of the best LOL ). The most unexpected people step in and help us sometimes, and the life saved just might be yours. I hate waxing philosophical so early in the AM.
I'm from Massachusetts originally. Except for two beaches in the whole state where surfing is allowed (Cisco on Nantucket and Nauset/Coast Guard out on the eastern facing shore of Cape Cod) the lifeguards will not allow anybody to bring any sort of flotation device at all into the water. This includes air mattresses, bodyboards, etc. Of course most Massachusetts beaches don't have any surf anyway. Occasionally if some unusual hurricane swell or something was expected, we used to take air mattresses up to the beach after the lifeguards went off duty at 4pm. I remember once when there was a big storm off of Cape Hatteras that blew swell all the way up north of Cape Cod. We got to the beach around 3:45 pm with our little inflatable mattresses, and there were all sorts of people waiting around with bodyboards and surfboards until the lifeguards went away. Now I'm living in NC. My local beach, which is about 26 miles of barrier island, has no lifeguards, no surf zones, no nothin' so it's just a big free for all--just the way I like it. I know that some of the other more crowded beaches, like Wrightsville near Wilmington, do have lifeguards and surf zones.
Point taken...just hearing F*** this F*** that every other second...it has nothing to do with skill level...it has to do with attitude and behavior. Anyway, happy surfing.
LOL - tell them "hey braddah - f&*% you...how about a little peace in the line-up"... Women in the line-up are scary, anyway. That should scare them to another state.
Wrightsville is a nice place. There's no surfing anywhere in Massachusetts? Do they sue more than New Yorkers? Here's another New York original: if you're caught at the beach before 9:00 without a seasonal beach pass, you'll get a $50 ticket. I had been hearing rumors, but a friend of mine got ticketed this past weekend, so I bought a stupid beach pass today..."just in case".....
Yes, Wrightsville is nice but it gets kind of crowded in the summer and parking is tight. And they have enforced surf zones, but I don't know if that applies to bodyboarders or not. I'm about 25 miles north of Wrightsville. Nope, no surfing in Massachusetts, except for the two spots I mentioned. No surfing, bodyboarding, "boogieboarding", inner-tubing or air mattressing. Don't know about lawsuits, I think it's just that old 'banned in Boston' tradition. Best to go to Rhode Island if you're looking for a New England surf trip. They're a lot less restrictive about the beaches. Doesn't NJ require those beach passes, too? I remember having to pin one to my bathing suit once in Cape May. re: sandbar issues...are you saying that the lifeguards won't let you surf if there are sandbars? Hell, if they did that down here nobody'd ever be able to surf again, unless a hurricane came along and rearranged the sandbars, and then it'd be back to the shorebreak it used to be.
Funny you girls mention that......... New York has amazing surf and some amazing locals (Bobby Baldwin, etc. you know who you are)....however I've never been more dis-respected than in New York...happened even when bodyboarding a good day and even trading decent sized shorebreak at PL right along with Jeff Hubb, best bud Brian S., top East Coasters, world title holders, etc.. I remember it so vividly because this "Guido" looking punk sponger....paddled out-of-his-way towards me to say...."You're not allowed to catch any waves, because you have to be a BULLDOG and you are not!!!".... Hahahahha...he even turned red in the face too........i'm convinced he does not like Women period....bummer, that's too bad! Anyway.......I've had so much Harassment in all kinds thrown at me, behind me, in my face, in my back...and all from bodyboarders I thought were cool....which is why the Internet is a bad thing period......etc.....everybody wants control and ultimately make you look stupid...... Wow...that was a rant in itself...... Bottom line, you surf for yourself and nobody else....always!!!
Justine, if I ever get the pleasure to meet you in person, I'm going to buy you a hot chocolate. You are so right. New York surfers/BB can be the biggest pieces of **** out there in the water, and the sad thing is, the majority of them have no clue what they are doing. You mentioned one of our best locals - Bob - and there are a few others out there who really rip and are true watermen/women, but the majority of folks in the water are douchebags. I do my best to stay away from an active, busy lineup because it's nothing but paddling back and forth, jostling for position, people trying to sit deeper than each other, etc. I can have more fun in small shorey or picking up reform waves on an inside sandbar if I am desperate 400 feet away from that than worrying about whether or not someone is going to be on my head on the next peak. 17 years ago when I first started, things weren't this bad - people were much more mellow about women in the lineup as long as you were respectful of the older folks and the locals. Now there is no respect for locals, women and old timers, it's just a free for all. It can really take the fun out of it. I try to get to the same breaks at sunrise year round, because that's when I see my old buddies out, I can sit in the lineup and share waves, smile and have it returned to me and just surf for myself - like you said. Any other time of the day, I can feel my ulcer aching. This turned into a major rant. Sorry about that. LOL. I've just been around for so many years and watched the surf community change so much. PL and LW are great places to boog and I've watched them become vermin infested with people who've owned a sponge and fins for a year and suddenly have obtained EXPERT status and a "crew", who can be so rude to people. Is Roberta still bodyboarding? Can you imagine the **** she has put up with?
SPONGAH, Very well put....I try really hard to not let some surfer/bodyboard/longboarder/kneeboarder negative attitudes put me down, however sometimes caring and getting hurt only reminds me that I AM THE ONE WITH THE GOOD HEART....because when I do stop caring, that is when I know I need to be HUMBLED.... In retrospect, I actually feel very sorry and pity those who are rude and disgusting towards either me or even some kook...who even I know shouldn't be out there....but, we all have to start somewhere...right??? Roberta Pinhero/Bitzer is absolutely awesome....i love this girl, along with Jason....they BOTH are doing BIG THINGS for our sport....whether it's running the USBA National Tour on the Mainland and beyond....or even how they are now teaching clinics to the Hawaiian groms about lifeguard safety and ocean safety, rules, etc!!! Back to your question....I'm not sure if Roberta is bodyboarding exactly as much as she used to....maybe I should give her a call....been meaning to anyway!!! I'm curious if maybe it's because she has a little one on the way.............?!?!?!?!.... I do know that Roberta is my girl and she has taught me sooo much....she kept me strong when I doubted myself....and she got me to still push myself in big contests such as the JENKS PRO 2006, the NC ABA's, etc........ The problem is that....I'm just not as competitive as I COULD BE/SHOULD BE....because if I had time to Bodyboard 100% I would.....however, I know my education in NURSING SCHOOL is most important right now!!!! In a few years, I will be able to do BOTH a career and Bodyboarding Spongah...I think you should make a trip down South to Maryland/DE.....or maybe even surf NJ/NY together soon!!! Keep in touch, ~Justine
Awesome ! You know, when we joined this forum/website we never expected to see so many negatives comments/remarks about women, racial slurring, localism, etc. (not that we have always written the most perfect threads!) BUT, overall the experience has been sooo rewarding and we've learned a great deal from Micah's fantastic site and its participants. I don't know any of you above personally, but, I don't need to to know that you are all fantastic people that truly love BBing and life. We both have found something very special in BBing and I know we will never stop shredding. We will never advantage of this sport or take it to a competitive level (believe me if I had the time and it was 1998 instead of 2008 maybe ), but we surely respect anyone that has taken it to that level or that just loves this great sport and being in the ocean. So, without being too overly CHEESY...we are glad to be a little part of this world and that we are getting to know people like yourselves ENJOY the surf coming up...it's looking good!!
I don't know you from a can of paint, but I do know that you have a genuine passion for the ocean and our sport, and I love you guys for it. Oh, man. We sound like a bunch of weepy broads. Turn on the Lifetime TV and gimme the Bon Bons!!!
Justine - Nursing school? Oh snap. I'm an RN. You have my sympathies. What year are you in??? I would love to come to DE to sponge. I also would love some tips from you. I'm just back in the water late Winter/early Spring 2007 after being away for 7 years. Things have come along well the past year or so, but I can always use tips from the experts. I feel like it's 1991 and I'm an 18 year old grom again. LOL.
