where (besides BIP) do the waves break kindly in emerald isle and atlantic beach? i'm thinking about making the drive in the morning if the forecast remains favorable.
well i got to BIP around 9am and the waves were stomach-chest with shoulder high sets and strong offshore NNW wind. pretty much nothing to surf by lunch time but i had cramps in my legs after the morning session anyway
Yo dude brah, like there are killer waves at beaufort inlet. There's a gnar gnar right that just grinds dude. HUGE CAVERNS (add echo effect). Oh, and bro, I have never seen anyone tryin to rip it up there either. Better post some killer pics!
sorry man i don't have a photog followin me around or anything like that. i drive 2 hours one-way for the enjoyment of riding good waves, not the exposure. where at beaufort inlet are you talking about? i was told that the only spots worthwhile are the bogue inlet pier and the pier east of atlantic beach. i wish i owned a boat out there, the proximity to cape lookout, frisco, and buxton is nice but it's frustrating when your only means of transportation is a car.
Ride High et al., Brad Styron of www.surferphotos.com fame and yours truly went in the air last Wednesday – his photo gallery of the Crystal Coast is posted at http://www.bradstyron.smugmug.com/gallery/4508497_mFMjb#265398018. There are some great shots. In answer to the very first question and for Emerald Isle (EI) only and running east to west; The Town’s Eastern Regional Access is located near milepost 15 and is the site of the Old EI Pier, which used to be the spot in the day before the hurricanes of the 1990s ended that run. There is a good break there that is gaining a little popularity lately – it can close out hard on a dead low tide but there are a few peaks or zones right in front of the access point. The NC Aquariums is planning to build a concrete pier at this same location that should be completed in 2012. This is also the closest break to EI Surf Shop – we’re not even 0.5 mile down the road to your west (couldn’t resist the shameless plug). BIP has been consistently good lately and gets zoo-ish in the summer with the crowds and strict no surfing by the pier enforcement (no secret there). The Town’s western regional access is known as The Islander - the break right in front comes and goes, but there appears to always be a good break in this general area – just walk down the beach a little bit to your east or west if right out front is not doing it. This is a real popular access in the summer – it’s just off the Emerald Isle bridge, past the first lighted intersection. Otherwise, there are breaks further to the west, but the sandbars are more ephemeral and parking is much more of a challenge. Hope this helps. – EI Surf Shop
nice aerial photos. after seeing the daily report with pictures here often and the forecast for march 16 i figured i'd give it a go. the energy gets trapped really well on the eastern side of the pier by that buoy - especially on set waves. i can see how the place can be completely different though during the summer (like everywhere else in carolina) but if there is no surfing next to the pier as i was doing yesterday then i'm going to have to find another spot when the winds only favor south-facing beaches. i usually surf carolina or kure beach but really it's the same distance for me to EI. after yesterday's super fun morning session i will definitely be in the area more often when the weather favors the crystal coast instead of pleasure island. i went to BIP yesterday because the wind was really strong out of the NNW and BIP seems to face a little more SSE than atlantic beach. otherwise, i would've checked out the other end of the island if the wind was directly out of the north. i heard from some of the locals that the atlantic beach pier can get really good too.
