East Coast Winter Review

If you live south of Stuart your not getting to much down there this winter, anything north of that has been decent, more than a few overhead days but mostly stomach to chest gems at dawn or in the evenings, i to am a big guy, and have been riding my fun board more than my short board, its all about the "Fun Factor'...

 

crap winter so far, looks like this weekend should fix that

 

id give mass a 3.5. December was fun, january had nothing. Sunday is looking good overhead and clean should be siick!

 

Take it easy, didn't mean to offend you and your alternative lifestyle, i think it's wonderful what you "guys" are doing, soon you can be a boyscout if you keep it up!

 

If you use the the rating system like the people in Florida, NJ is rated at an 8, just kidding. I would say it is a 5 if you include the December swells.

 

This winter ended up being a 15 out of 10

 

I was just thinking about this thread yesterday... now that it's officially Spring. February and March shaped up nicely. Maybe even better than average. Outside of those sputtering three weeks in January where it never got over thigh/waist high, I'd say it ended up being pretty good after all. And Spring is starting off most excellently.

 

Agreed. January was brutal but February and March have been pretty great. My 5/4 has barely had a chance to dry out and then im putting it on again. and the swells have been really good - not just a surf, but really good surf.

 

Agree.. we were talking about this in the water yesterday while the waves were solid 4-5 foot with straight offshores for about the 10th day in the past six weeks. This winter was shaping up to be below average in Maryland but the last six weeks have put it in the "somewhat above average" category, and definatley better than the previous two winters.

By the way, i agree that surfing winter is January - March. December is more fall to me. The water is about 43 right now and was still in the upper 40s in later December.

 

NJ:
December- Doomsday 12/21, and then 12/27- big, cold, offshore 35 mph. Brutal and gnarly, but good. Rest of month sucked.
January (really only rideable day besides a waist high day mid month)- 1/31 (see above description). Rest of month sucked.
Feb- Last two weeks had weekly swells- usually a 1.5 days long, head high or better. Offshore every time.
March- swell event each week, head high or better, offshore.
Water coldest it's been in many years. Looking forward to spring.

 

When a fella lives in Alaska, and is surfing icewater year-round & is chasing brown bears through his front yard with a slingshot & is suffering through yoga classes with pale porky sweaty women oozing out of their shouldn't-be-tight yoga pants, the fella gets a bit testy..... a la cresto. Breathe, Cresto, breathe.....

 

Agreed. Charleston has sucked this winter. I would say I only made it out 10 times, and half of that was in less than stellar conditions. Even last summer was better than this. It may not have been head high every day, but it seemed like there were plenty of knee high long board days.

 

I would assume once you make the turn around NC, it really starts to drop off for you guys down south in the winter. Generally everything this time of year is nor'easters or kickback from north atlantic lows.....can't see much of it making it in down there.

 

RI - 3. i only got out a couple times and it was nothing crazy...

 

I didn't read all the posts, but in Delmarva this was one of the best winters I can recall, outside of a month long terrible January (except for the last day in January), the rest of the winter is pretty much as good as can be on the East Coast with how many quality surf days we had IMO.

 

I'd put it at a 5-6, enough swell has been around the last couple months to put it much higher, but positioning/timing of a lot of the systems has made it a bit of a pain up here to either find an offshore wind or a bit of protection to groom the (big) short period swells. That said, I've been surfing way more regularly than general, getting tired of putting on a damp 5/4, but it's a good problem to have.

 

Solid winter, gotten lots of water time in this season, can't complain a bit

 

u guys must be high on crack!!ask any jersey surfer,who actually surfs,how this winters been.this has definitly been the best winter in 10years.not only did we get plenty of epic swells,but the sandbanks are back in full effect due to sandys erosion.i know some of u kiddies want to surf 2ft waves everyday,and when we get a 6ft swell,nobodys around.i stumbled upon the doomsday swell by accident,didnt surf it,but happened to stop by my beach that day,and it was the best and most consistant iv ever seen my spot.not only that,but look up the beach and theres empty barrels for miles.worldclass sandbars are back in nj.this has been the greatest winter iv experienced in my surfing life.10 for sure

 

This winter took a little extra effort and local knowledge. And a few times there was some driving involved. But overall i would rate this winter at a 7/10. There was alot of swell but often it was east swells and that digs holes in the sandbanks next to jetties that usually have long rights off of them. Most spots have funky rips and holes. From my experience the best sand comes from a few south swells in a row and the sand gets caught in the top of the jetties making coves at every jetty. This year has those spots dead but the constant swell has made some spots that are usually closed out and close to the beach into the perfect beachbreak with short paddle out and tubes. But i miss the days that last winter had that the sandbank coves off the jetties took lumpy east and south swells and made them into grinding right tubes. But some local exploring has some spots the best they have been in a long time and some are done untill some serious change happens. (jenks RIP) so many jenks swells but the sand is ASS so nowhere is surfable. and alot of the swells came with nw winds which is semi textured unless you are facing a little south. and sandy hook may have been epic all winter but its been closed off by park rangers getting paid to sit there and stop surfers who surf up there. otherwise the park is basically deserted