Let me know if anyone gets any pics of this Irene swell down on Hilton Head Island... I may be relocating there in the future, so I am always watching for swells coming that way to see the results at Burkes etc... I have family there that fludder around and "surf" but I would love to see some action from some real surfers down there... So, if anyone gets any media online during this swell, let a brother know. Thanks.... Have fun by the way.... looks decent right now in front of the Palmetto Dunes Cam. 3-5 ft. Bit windy, but workable.
bump. I was checking the palmetto cam and a couple other over the past 3-4 days and there was for sure some decent surf down there. Still wondering if all those waves were left unridden. I did hear someone saying that hunting island was pretty fun. head high.... still no word on hhi though.
that friday was fun. Not quite as offshore as Charleston but still big and fun. If you are really from San Diego I wouldn't even think about relocating here. it still crowded as hell but we also only get to surf like 4 times a month if were lucky. You cannot improve your surfing with four days in the water a month. HHI blows!
Haha. Thanks for the re-cap of the swell down there. Yeah, i moved to San Diego 10 years ago to improve my surfing and get out everyday. Just had my first child. Im married. We have some family on HHI, and the in-laws are talking about moving down there from Baltimore. So I told the wife and everyone else that I would move anywhere with an ocean... Anywhere from Jersey to Florida. They did pick one of the flattest, most fickle spots, but hey, 4 days a month is better than no days a month. Just might have to make runs up to folly or down to Jax... The wife's cousin used to live in San Diego, in OB right near us and she moved to HHI and they love it there... Her and her husband "Surf" and by surf, I mean they can stand up on a board... So they tell me that yes, there is surf there and they "surf" all the time. But my definition of surfing and their definition of surfing are two different things... Anyway, thanks for the info... As far as the crowds go, Is it crowded because everyone shows up at Burkes and thats the only spot? Or is it difficult beach access??? I got some PMs from guys down there saying that there are a few spots that break, and the rest of the island is pretty flat no matter the swell.... But I would assume on a swell like Irene, the whole coastline would be breaking... Some closeouts etc.... But like I said, I was watching the surf cam from the Palmetto Dunes website... I have no idea where Palmetto Dunes Resort is, but there was a wave out front that I was watching that was at least heah high... a little wind on it.... Closing out in the middle, but had a nice left and right shoulder on each end.... Its hard to guage from a webcam 3000 miles away, but it "looked" good. There were people all over the beach, but not one surfer out.... So maybe there are beach restrictions... no surfing etc... Is that why it gets crowded? Or are there just tons of people out in the water all the time everwhere?
Hhi Islanders Beach has a good ENE - NE swell on SOME days. If you are truly a resident, you can park here for free with your sticker (if you dont have a sticker, you WILL be towed). I caught yesterday some bodyboarding (yes, I booger, but I had a 2 seater convertible to take to the back, leave me alone about that one) but there were a couple of longboarders out on the rising to full tide. Long story short...Folly Beach has a good ESE swell and not too bad on the crowds Islanders Beach has good ENE-NE swell and some crowds on busy days (IE labor Day). Ive heard Sea Pines which is the tippy end of the island can have a good swell, but you have to pay $5 to get in to look. I havent been....thats where the turons are. And...The Salty Dog. Totally overrated.
Yes with the Irene swell the whole coastline will be breaking but Burkes beach has a little rivermouth that creates an inside and outside break unlike anywhere on the island. If you look at a map of the Island you should see the little rivermouth on the Atlantic side near the heel and that is Burkes Beach while if you see the bump in the middle of the foot that is P Dunes which somewhat blocks S winds for Burkes. This Isl is amazing in many ways but surfing is not one of them so its good to know that before you move here
