regardless of the conditions....

Onshore/sideshore, 2-3ft with lots of wind gusts like today in VB, I'll go out if I haven't gone out in more than two weeks. If I have a spell like that I just get in the water anyway just to get it out of my system.

VB is rough man, we miss out on a lot of swell because of where we are and how it faces. The swell window misses out on any of what I call the "in-betweeners" which are the wind swells from the south or southeast that can at least give a ridable and fun surf. I turn to other physical outdoor activities during the down days.

With that said, this area still has a lot of rippers given the inconsistency of swell. Makes me realize how much dedication the young kids who grew up here have, and how they've managed to take their surfing to pretty decent levels in such a wave starved place.

 

Well....

A. 1st street tends to be more consistant then most jersey breaks due to its direction.
B. I wouldn't call North winds side-shore for this particular spot
C. Its also one of the few spots in jersey that plays nice with high tide.
D.

 

I would have gone out if i didn't have class all day man. Anytime it's 2-3 and decent out, I'm at 1st street or croatan. I have fun on those day's because i just bring my fun board out and mess around. Maybe try practicing going switch or just doing something goofy while your riding. I just try to mix it up. Learning to go switch is like completely learning how to surf again. It's fun haha

 

Perception. Spending a chunk of my years in VB makes me still willing to ride about anything. Almost a blessing in a weird way. Where I live now everyone expects perfection...most guys don't paddle out till its well overhead & offshore. Most don't want to travel for surf beyond a few easy access spots even though it will be strait going off 10 minutes down the road... I mean for reals lazy (the island is only 30 miles long). Example: Today I rode HH side/off kinda closing out with less than ten people at the most easy access and most surfed spot on the island 'cuz conditions weren't "good enough". Epic no. A barrel? Yes. My buddy (also a long time VBer) was finding launch sections. In fact 2 of maybe the other 6 people out were from.... VB. Summers here are "flat" only because no one wants to ride consistent knee to chest high barreling waves or drive the 4 miles to the other side of the island to ride a shifty HH+ light onshore reef setups. I have NO PROBLEM with these either things... I surf almost everyday...Almost a blessing in a weird way to have low standards and high stoke.

 

I agree. I get nothing out of 1-2 foot with 20 knot plus offshore winds. Same situation here. I think a lot of the people out there have not travelled much and experienced good quality waves otherwise if you have experienced good waves on a regular basis why would be out in that crap. Hey I hope they have fun but it looks like no fun to me.

 

Depends on if there's something better to do... and there usually is. I'm not going to put off things I know I need to get done so I can paddle around and try to catch a few thigh high sideshore lumpers. Especially in mid March. I'm more likely to put things off if it's got some size and the wind's wrong, or it's small and clean. But small AND the wind's wrong? Not for me. For me that's a waist of time.

But in the summer, I always keep a set of fins in the truck, and I'll go swim into a few after work pretty much on a daily basis if there's anything at all.

 

i'm like the old lion, im not about to waste my energy unless its a sure thing.

 

I agree with Pumpmaster, the older I get, the less I want to put forth the energy for 1 to 3 foot and heavy winds, especially in cold weather. When I was 18, it was a different story!

 

I was just having a similar conversation yesterday when it was fun and clean in the morning, but I was at work. And the last few times it was smallish but still fun looking I had other commitments. So it's been a couple weeks since I've been in the water, and I'm starting to get angry when I miss a day. You expect to miss a day here and there, even when you live right on the beach. But when you miss 3 or 4 days in a row when you know you could have at least gotten out and caught a few fun ones really starts to pis you off.

 

I guess it all depends on what your goal is or how long it's been since you've been in the water with your board. Sometimes just getting in the water and paddling around to get that work out in can be beneficial, i find it makes the good days seem that much more sweet, but if you are very use to epic conditions year round I could definitely see how one could turn their nose up at some wind slop, because you know there is a good day just around the corner that you'll be able to jump on. But like most, when a flat spell comes along a small day of wind slop can look worthy of my time.

 

I've had some really good days when if you read the surf reports you would never dream of going out. I wont paddle out if its a lake but if there's the slightest nugget to he had and I'm there I got nothing to lose.

 

this thread actually motivated me today to surf when it was only small chop shlop.. When in doubt, paddle out.