How's the surf on the East Coast?

General Discussion
1

I’m from Hawaii and I have never been to the East Coast. My father is currently living in Richmond Virginia. I was wondering how’s the surf on the East Coast. I hear it kinda sharky. For everyone who’s living on the East side can you give me some feedback as far as size, conditions, what months are good, where’s a decent place to surf, Is the water cold? Basic stuff like that. Would appreciate some advice.

                                          Thanks, 

                                                     DaCheetah
2

If we get a decent swell we can (almost) match waves with anyone. Check out www.vbphotos.com Seen plenty of sharks but none had me on their menu. The water is generally chilly. It really depends on when you come. Right now it is a warm 48 degrees. Summer it can get up to around 70 degrees. Best spot near VB 1st street, Croatan, or S-turns. Most of us go to the outer banks (North Carolina) during a good swell. Surfed in Hawaii last year. Man are you going to be disappointed here!

3

I just was looking at some of the shapes by Austin Surfboards. Looks cool. Maybe if I have a chance to go there I’ll buy a board. The shaper looks kind of young. How long has he been shaping? Are there many rippers around that area? How often do you get ridable waves? Thanks for the information.

                          Da Cheetah
4

Actually the shaper is also the owner of the company. He has been shaping for 3 or 4 years now. He deals mostly in custom boards. He has a really good rep around this area. Since he started the company he has always given a good price for an exceptional product. Right now he has a 2 month waiting list so I guess this says something. People also come to him because his specialty glassing is some of the best around. I could be partial though I work for him (part time) but also I’m his father. But I do think his work speaks for itself.

We usually only get a good swell about every 2-3 weeks. Ranging from waist to chest but usually you can get some type of surf everyday. Always have the longboard handy because you might need it for the ankle snappers.

5

As far as rippers, Wes Laine surfs for WRV, Brendan Petticrewe (sp), Ian Seymour (sp) surfs for WRV, in North Carolina, Noah Snyder for WRV any many others. We sponsor a few people but they all are unknown amateurs (for now).

6

That’s pretty cool! It’s always handy to have a shaper in the house. Well I’ll keep this E-mail address around and if I get a chance to go to the East Coast Maybe I’ll order a board. I was thinking about buying a house somewhere in Va. My parents said they really like it there. I’m a committed surfer so if the conditions are right I might be living around those parts. It’s cool knowing that there are shapers around!

                                    Peace, 

                                              Da Cheetah
7

The east coast is unique in that we are generally more exploratory and less picky when it comes to our surf. It’s not uncommon for us, up here in NJ, to travel as far as Rhode Island or Montauk for the right swell, or even head down to NC as well.

It’s a different experience I would imagine, I’ve never been to HI, so purely assumption, but the waves are everywhere, the water is warm and the swells un hindered.

Most of our swells start out over the middle of the US, until huricane season when swells make their way up from Africa, but, our swells have a great deal more in their way, so we aren’t seeing super ground swells as often as the west coast or you guys.

However, the gem of the east coast is really our winter surfing. It’s something that can’t be explained, but plunging into 40 degree water with head high surf and snow on the beach is a rad experience.

In a nutshell, east coast surf is unpredictable, adventurous, and as all surf is, fun as hell. We don’t have many point breaks or reef breaks, but we do have steep as hell beach breaks that will humble the best of surfers with the right swells.

VA beach will not be a bad choice at all, as it’s got a very healthy surf population and industry, with NC, being not so far away, you are set with some great surf on a number of different swell patterns. Hatteras goes off, ask anyone, and if it’s big wave surfing you’re looking for, the Elbow up in Rhode Island is a lil hidden gem…

8

You could say we gets a few, now and again- up in the North-like.

my pal Rico’s pics.

VA is pretty nice, the water gets warm, you catch some nice swells at Hatteras and Virginia Beach. Good times - fall is best. Especially if you can have someplace inland ( like Richmond) to head for when that circular storm thing gets going. Crunchy sandbar breaks are pretty much the thing, with some interesting exceptions. Water temps- for fall, pack a 3/2 and boots.

hope that’s of use

doc…

9

DaCheetah:

I have lived in Florida (Daytona) for 25yrs, surfed in the Outer Banks many times, and just made my first trip to North Shore this year. And yeah, you probably aren’t going to be too stoked on the surf on the East Coast. North Shore was sweet, waves everyday - anywhere from chest to triple overhead (during winter)!!! Anyway… June, July, and Mid August are pretty much going to be flat. You might get lucky and catch a ground swell or two during these months. Late August through November you will score multiple ground swell from tropical storms, depressions, and if you are lucky, some hurricanes. By the way, the best hurricane swells I have surfed were as good as the double overhead days I surfed on the North Shore. The only problem is those are far and few in between.

Outer Banks definitely can catch some good swell cause its exposed to all swell directions. Water temps when I visited outer banks was anywhere from low to upper 70s.

Sharks - sometimes theres a lotta sharks. But most are smaller than the tigers in HI. We have lotsa sand sharks, hammers, bulls, and spinners. I think some black tips? Mostly smaller. Hammers scare me the worst!! But I wouldn’t worry to much about the sharks.

GMAN