(Login RyanCNJ) ESA Member from IP address 138.89.26.26
Location: Allenhurst, NJ
Time: 7am
Surf: knee to stomach
Winds: Offshore
Water: 63F
Tide: filling in....high is around 11am
I snapped these after surfing solo from 6 to 7am on a 7'8" funshape. A few of them opened up just enough to tuck into the barrel.
hey Ryan,
just wondering when the crowd dies down over there.
a bunch of us are planning to go down in September .. i figured it'd be the best time to go since the water will probably be the warmest and there should be some pretty decent swell coming in.
1st weekend in September is usually when the mass exodus of NY plates begins, which rivals the beginning of Hurricane season (June 1) in terms of joyfullness among surfers along the Jersey Shore.
Water stays mild through October. I've barebacked it up until Nov. 16 (keep trying to break my own record each year). What's the latest anyone has gone in without a suit up there? Just curious....
Knee high today, pretty small and weak. Water temp currently is fluctuating due to upwelling. Back in the upper 50s (arctic compared to your mild lakes up there)! Heading down to Seaside Park, 35min south. Hopefully it will be a little bigger down there.
What about the beach strip that is about a 20 minute drive from Seaside Heights, in a wilderness type area, very secluded and lots of Hazard Rip Current signs posted all around? I can remember going there, and the sea being a lot more violent but having less crowds and more nature. Ring any bells? Could this be Seaside Park?
That's probably Island Beach State Park you're talking about, just south of Seaside Park, which will be shut down on Wednesday because our state can't get it's act together and pass a budget. Atlantic City Casinos will shut down as well. It's all a big 4.4 $billion dollar mess.
hey ryan... let me just say thanks for the pics... i've seen some really good waves captured by you and i seldom see other surfers in the line up. i'm wondering if this is normal (little crowds) or perhaps is just a secret spot you frequent on a regular basis.... in any case, based on what i've seen, and the fights to Nj being so afordable, i'm thinking is a very good destination for a llong weekend trip...
it's great that u stay connected with the GL surf community.
Many times I take these photos it is very early in the am. I like capturing these images and posting them on here because I know there are transplants from the east coast up your way, plus it may give you guys some incentive because yes it's a long drive, but very do-able. I've always been into surfing, but I'm more stoked to find how strong the culture and the sport is within the lakes.
There are crowds on certain days, but for the most part it's no big deal. Everybody kind of knows each other, and the vibe is pretty mellow. The spots I usually surf are not all that different from other breaks on any given day, however sometimes they're better or worse. Spots like Manasquan Inlet south of here or The Cove in Sandy Hook north of here may go off on the right hurricane swell; but I found over the years on a strong south/southeast groundswell there are many jetties that will provide great waves with little to no crowd; You just got to check your spots like anywhere else.
The Mayor of the town beach I usually surf is a surfer and very involved with Surfrider. You can walk on the beach with a board/fishingpole and not have to pay for a beach badge like you would at many other area beaches. Plus it holds larger swells on macking days due to the length of the jetty (which is being modified by the Army Corps. of Engineer) I hope it makes the break even better.
As far as a weekend goes, yeah NJ is do-able. You're an hour from Newark Liberty Int'l to most spots along the northern part of the shore, and 2 hrs tops to Long Beach Island. You have Rockaway Beach 90 minutes away on days where the winds are out of the north, or Atlantic City/Cape May 1-2 hrs away that also will provide offshore conditions when it's sideshore here. One good thing about Newark Airport is that it is a straight shot to many surf locations without connections.
