Massachusetts North Shore Questions - Stoneaxe?

[sponger42]

Greetings all,

I'm moving to the North Shore, too bad it's not the right one. I've been riding waves from Spain to SoCal to Indo. I'm stoked about relocating to a place 0.8 miles from the beach and 3 miles from work (more time for dawn patrols, a chance at a hot shower before work!) but I'm bummed that the closest beach is waaaay inside the bay and blocked by Cape Cod. 20 degree air and 40 degree water too. So rather than being a cold-water teabag (bodyboarder) or a half-dipped fiber (shortboarder) in frigid Feb. I'm considering getting into SUP. Looks fun, looks warmer, and looks like I can at least paddle around when the swell's not making it in to the Marblehead - Swampscott - Lynn beaches. Plus, I'm betting an 11' board will let me ride even the tiniest ripple.

Can anybody here tell me about the Mass North Shore? I get the feeling there's some good surf up in Gloucester, but that's too much of a trek to get up there for DP and then back to work more than once or twice a week. Especially if there's a blizzard with the swell coming in. RI and points south are for my few and far-between days off. So what's the story on the Swampscott area? Any surf ever make it in? Maybe something on Nanhant? Does it get SUP-rideable often in the winter with NE'ers? Are there little nooks and crannies that will be offshore or sheltered? Or should I just plan on paddling out to that little island and back? 

Stoneaxe, from reading your posts, I get the feeling you're near me. Care to share some local knowledge? How much rubber to survive? What shops are good in the area? etc?

Thanks in advance for everybody's replies.

[freetobeme]

howzit sponger42, welcome.  Yes SUP is warmer than prone surf but in February here nothng is "warm" haha.  I'd suggest a 4/3 at least.  im wondering about a dry suit too for myself Feb/March is damn cold.  

Sounds like your into the surf...here are some spots i would check out.  Nantasket Beach in Hull, Egypt Beach and Peggoty in Scituate.  Otherwise further north Salisbury Beach and into NH has some sweet surf.  Check out the scene when you get here and there will be some lesser known spots to hit too im sure that may be closer to you.

Ive only been longboarding for 2 years and sup surfing 1 but these are the spots near you that I have been to.  Typically the best surf is the coldest months of course.  

thats all ive got.....

enjoy NE it is an amazing place to live!

[sponger42]

Thanks Freeto.  Where do you surf? Do you know if any swells ever make it in to the Swampscott beaches? I hate driving to surf.

Dude, you must be nuts to paddle out in a 4/3 in Feb! I can barely stand Silver Strand in 4/3, midwinter, I bought a 5/4 zipperless with hood for SoCal winters. I'm thinking 6 mils for Mass winters, maybe a 4/3 for the summer!

Where do you get your wetsuits? I guess I can't just drive down to the ripcurl outlet to pick up sample prototypes for $100 anymore.    Are there any local rubber companies? Local shapers? How do you make a SUP board anyway? Is it shaped?

Since 66 people have read this, feel free to chime in with general SUP knowledge. I'll hunt through the other threads and info, but you can feed my laziness by sharing in this thread.

[PonoBill]

Can't tell you much about the surf spots, but if I were surfing on the right coast I'd be wearing a Patagonia wool lined suit. I have one somewhere that is the thinnest they make and it's too warm for anyplace I paddle anytime of the year. It's so hot that I stuck it away somewhere and can't find it.

[Surfari SUP n Surf]

Aloha sponger42! Stoneaxe is a South Shore boy which is a whole other world on the other side of Boston! Better off asking someone like Tree or East Coast SUP. I'm in Nantucket now but will be back up to the North Shore in a few days for the rest of the year. I have a shop in Manchester by-the-Sea called Surfari SUP & Surf. Feel free to shoot me questions as well...

-Christian

[dietlin]

Swampscott and Nahant beaches work around low.  Located on Lynn Shore Dr (not Lynn RD - very exposed, looks good for kiting)  they are extremely well sheltered from strong west winds.  Very good spot to milk small surf on an SUP.

[stoneaxe]

LOL...Christian is right...whole other world on the south shore. I wear a 5/4 hooded suit from roughly Dec to Mar, 3/2 for fall and spring. I don't get north of Boston often but I've heard stories of good surf in your area.

[stoneaxe]

If you're on Facebook look up Arthur Beauchesne. Despite what his profile says (donkville, illinois) he is local to your new home and a serious SUPer. We've been talking about hooking up for a couple of years now....

[sponger42]

Hey Triple-S. I'll probably be stopping by your shop one of these days. I sold my wetsuits years ago in anticipation of warmer climates, and recently left all my remaining equipment in Taiwan, so I do need to gear up.

I'm looking forward to investigating the coastline. Even though the cape's in the way, I imagine winter swells probably make it in close to where I'm living and maybe there's some bays which can give up a nice offshore or sheltered afternoon session. One of the downsides to where I lived in Socal was the diurnal cycle making it a choice of either bleary-eyed boss-angering Dawn Patrol or dealing with afternoon slop. Glassoffs were a rarity, and the only spots that were offshore in the afternoon were on military bases or a long trek and dash past private guardhouses and then dealing with the angry locals well-off enough to afford a beach key.

Thanks for the info stoneaxe, I'll look him up.

[stoneaxe]

Just so you know...this is a pic local to your new home...

[sponger42]

Just so you know...this is a pic local to your new home...

No effing way! That's awesome! Like is that the once-a-year epic swell? Once a month? Once a week (in the winter, obviously)?

[stoneaxe]

That was a good size winter storm but I don't think you'll be too disappointed by the waves you get there fairly regularly, especially fall to spring. The Cape will block south groundswell but with beaches and points facing in all directions you'll have lots of spots and conditions that will offer some good surf. I'll send Artie a post on FB and let him know you'll be looking him up and maybe I'll actually get up there for a session finally and get Artie to share some secret spots.... . Welcome to New England.

[stoneaxe]

A couple more of Arties pics.....

[ECSUP]

Hey Sponger 42-
Email when you get here and I'll be glad to help you out. We have fun fall and winter here.
Aloha,
ECSUP

[sponger42]

Nice! Now I'm getting excited. I was all bummed out by the bathymetry because it looked like the cape and Nova Scotia would kill any chance of swell ever making it into the bay. Good to know that's wrong. Maybe I'll even get a booger and a SB. I'm still betting SUP is the only way I'll be able to stand those Feb. snowstorm paddleouts, though.

I can't FB anyone by the name of Arthur Beauchesne, is that last name right?

Thanks EC, I'll email you when we're getting settled in.