Author Topic: Winter Surfing  (Read 2800 times)

ospreysup

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Winter Surfing
« on: March 04, 2019, 07:09:29 PM »
3 days of some solid swell this weekend on the Jersey shore. (I smell a Surfercook video coming). Each day a little different wind, swell direction, size and temperatures. While I yearn for board shorts, there is just something exhilarating about winter surfing. The  intimacy, the loneliness, the sense of accomplishment, the sense of wonderment, the power, the bees stinging your face getting flushed and the craziness of 30 degree temps with wind chills in the teens and ocean temps in the 30's. I had seals barking at me on Saturday and sun set today. As I was loading up after my session today and older couple walking their dog commented;  "you're crazy" and kept walking...the woman turned and walked back and said;  "or very, very passionate!" I could barely speak from my numbiness and I said "thanks, at 55 a little of both but had some fun ones today"  I don't think they were surfers or understood  what I meant by "fun ones" but the words just felt like poetry coming out of my mouth. Winter surfing may not be for everyone, I'm not even sure its for me but there is something spiritual about it!

surfercook

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Re: Winter Surfing
« Reply #1 on: March 04, 2019, 08:33:46 PM »
Excellent description of cold winter surfing. Cold water surfing is sooo much harder exponentially. Especially for the aged folks like us! I was seriously the oldest dude in the water here on LBI both days I got out. It makes me feel so good when I get hooted into a wave still. I thank the forces that be that I can still get to it.

3 days of some solid swell this weekend on the Jersey shore. (I smell a Surfercook video coming).
lol...I did shoot today and Saturday. Missed Sunday morning as my newly adopted cat was finally let out first thing in the morning after his first three days living inside w/me. It was time since he finally figured out to yowl and scratch at the door. So I kinda had to hang w/him his first day in the wild. Heard the waves were super buttery and lined up. My fMonday the 3rdomo was short lived as my new cat is super cool and really need me.

Waves were pumping on Saturday!



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Badger

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Re: Winter Surfing
« Reply #2 on: March 05, 2019, 04:39:43 AM »
You are lucky to have the loneliness. We have crowded days right through the winter in NH. Winter surfing is very popular up here, probably because our summers are flat.

I really enjoy the colder months. The only hard part about it is getting into a 6/5 wetsuit. Half the surfers here are in their fifties and sixties.

Sunday was head high and fun. I was nice to feel the sun on our wetsuits for a change.
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LBsup

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Re: Winter Surfing
« Reply #3 on: March 05, 2019, 05:19:52 AM »
Well said Osprey.  I’m also in nj, Saturday the wind finally shifted and backed off in the later afternoon, really fun peaky waves.  Hit it again Sunday morning , real fun from 6-7 then go a bit inconsistent and the wind started to shift.  Had it to myself both days. 

I’m lucky to get solo sessions in my area but I will also surf lesser spots to avoid any sort of crowd.  If surfers paddle out where I’m surfing I usually move over if I see waves breaking elsewhere. 
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Dusk Patrol

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Re: Winter Surfing
« Reply #4 on: March 05, 2019, 09:19:48 AM »
Half the surfers here are in their fifties and sixties.

"Old Man Strength" ... It's a thing!    ;D  (57)


...for me, the sense of being in nature is amped up in winter...love that.   
« Last Edit: March 05, 2019, 09:22:52 AM by Dusk Patrol »
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supsean

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Re: Winter Surfing
« Reply #5 on: March 05, 2019, 04:32:44 PM »
Hallelujah! although new to being a SUP (or anything other than a bodysurfer), and having only bought my first wetsuit a year ago, it is quite a thrill braving the elements (and sometimes the crowds) to catch a few waves in NY. An added bonus, those winter wetsuits make just paddling becomes a killer workout! The crowds in Rockaway get pretty thick with (prone) surfers, but the winter brings us together somehow.
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eastbound

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Re: Winter Surfing
« Reply #6 on: March 05, 2019, 05:09:52 PM »
winter is better---fewer bacteria and fewer humans

now 30 years ago, with wetsuits such as they were, the joy was not the same

but, with the suit ive owned recently, i have no problem surfing----for whatever reason i have to push myself to suit up in the cold and run into the water--once in the i am always fine, and laugh that i was hesitant--i guess we are just hardwired not to go running through snow into the ocean!!!

we had it saturday in ny, with scraps sunday--looked nice sunday further up north east

« Last Edit: March 05, 2019, 05:15:47 PM by eastbound »
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NorthJerzSurfer

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Re: Winter Surfing
« Reply #7 on: March 05, 2019, 05:37:32 PM »
YEW!!!   Sat was a blast here in MoCo...small window of time when it turned on.....but great waves.

Yesterday was great too. NE swell- so very rare lefts here in Northern NJ.  Even did a 'flat water' paddle this am on my soft top with a few ankle biters to ride.

Sum total of 7 people spread across 3 days....not bad on crowds.  Love the winter here- Especially since the swells this year havent really had air temps under 30.





eastbound

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Re: Winter Surfing
« Reply #8 on: March 06, 2019, 02:50:24 AM »
monday by you NoJerz---touch windy, but doable
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surfinJ

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Re: Winter Surfing
« Reply #9 on: March 06, 2019, 04:40:41 AM »
Yes, this was the time of year for a Jersey road trip. Looking at the solid winter swell racked by the strong side shore west winds we headed off from LI searching for the offshores.

But yea, love the winter.  There seems to be a speed bump to get over because of the cold, but once out the house it’s on.

The winter is a rif raf filter that clears the water of all but the purists. A much smaller crew and always a good vibe.

NorthJerzSurfer

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Re: Winter Surfing
« Reply #10 on: March 06, 2019, 07:13:47 AM »
monday by you NoJerz---touch windy, but doable

I've been prone surfing 80% of my time recently- so the wind bothers me less and less.  Ive started to realize I probably have 6-7 good years of prone surfing left, and via so many on this form know I will be able to sup for years and years afterwards.

I've also scaled back on sup when its chest high or above.   Ive found the most fun I have on a sup is on smaller days where the pop up and get down the line action is just no fun on a prone shortboards, where I'd already have made two turns on a sup.

stoneaxe

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Re: Winter Surfing
« Reply #11 on: March 06, 2019, 08:35:40 AM »
It was 34 deg air 37 deg water on Sunday. I was out for 1.5 hours in some small waves down the street. Folks talking to me think I'm nuts...when I tell them I'm sweating and slip the hood off and the steam is coming off my head their jaws drop.
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eastbound

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Re: Winter Surfing
« Reply #12 on: March 06, 2019, 08:57:18 AM »
ha!
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PonoBill

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Re: Winter Surfing
« Reply #13 on: March 06, 2019, 10:32:41 AM »
You guys are tough. It's possible I'd be surfing/foiling if I had to deal with winter, but I doubt it. Today is a blustery 62 in Haiku. I got up, looked at the cams and started thinking about breakfast instead of surfing. It's possible I could score a few waves and good rides in the wind and choppy surf, but I'll settle for a downwinder on the south side. I haven't even been doing Malikos. Just too grim this winter. I've been downwinding the last three days in a row. Always fun, and I need the workout, but I want to FOIL dammit.
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eastbound

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Re: Winter Surfing
« Reply #14 on: March 06, 2019, 11:00:41 AM »
effing dark side PB--it's got ahold a you.............

i fear there's no coming back for you, lost soul!~
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