Author Topic: Bummed with North Carolina Surfing  (Read 57226 times)

Zooport

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Bummed with North Carolina Surfing
« on: June 14, 2019, 12:45:15 PM »
I have not found good waves once in the 9 months I have been in North Carolina.  I have been checking the cams for Wrightsville Beach and Carolina Beach Pier, the closest breaks, almost daily and have only seen ridable waves a couple of times.  I expect that there is surf somewhere and I just don't know where to look.

Made the mistake of spending a couple days at Oak Island because the family wanted to go there, brought my big SUP and never got it wet; I guess the area around Oak Island is the worst for surfing.  Looks like I will have to make the 8 hour drive to the Outer Banks to get some waves.  I've been back to Cali a couple of times and got decent waves both trips. 

The positive news is that we have bought a different house here and it backs up to some pretty good mountain bike trails, so I can ride every day straight from my backyard and I love to mountain bike.  I really miss the ocean life, but my wife is really happy and that means more to me than anything....uh, I think.
« Last Edit: June 14, 2019, 01:21:31 PM by Zooport »
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Night Wing

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Re: Bummed with North Carolina Surfing
« Reply #1 on: June 14, 2019, 02:52:12 PM »
Are the two streaming webcams below the ones you watch for Wrightsville and Carolina Beach?

http://surfchex.com/

http://surfchex.com/cams/carolina-beach-web-cam/
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Zooport

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Re: Bummed with North Carolina Surfing
« Reply #2 on: June 14, 2019, 02:59:11 PM »
No, but those are nice ones.  I'm using the cams on Surfline.  Either way, it's flat
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Dwight (DW)

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Re: Bummed with North Carolina Surfing
« Reply #3 on: June 14, 2019, 03:38:26 PM »
Surfline is the last place anyone in Wilmington checks the surf.

The main source is http://www.wblivesurf.com/ for Wrightsville and surfchex CB pier cam looking north. Also Topsail (surfcity cam)  on surfchex.


Mmac

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Re: Bummed with North Carolina Surfing
« Reply #4 on: June 14, 2019, 03:54:14 PM »
I feel ya, I'm in SC.  The best wave season is late summer & fall when the tropical storms & hurricanes roll by.  Otherwise, it's mostly mid tide or wind swell surfing that requires being at the beach to git sum.

APPST_Paddle

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Re: Bummed with North Carolina Surfing
« Reply #5 on: June 14, 2019, 04:00:14 PM »
I have not found good waves once in the 9 months I have been in North Carolina.  I have been checking the cams for Wrightsville Beach and Carolina Beach Pier, the closest breaks, almost daily and have only seen ridable waves a couple of times.  I expect that there is surf somewhere and I just don't know where to look.

Made the mistake of spending a couple days at Oak Island because the family wanted to go there, brought my big SUP and never got it wet; I guess the area around Oak Island is the worst for surfing.  Looks like I will have to make the 8 hour drive to the Outer Banks to get some waves.  I've been back to Cali a couple of times and got decent waves both trips. 

The positive news is that we have bought a different house here and it backs up to some pretty good mountain bike trails, so I can ride every day straight from my backyard and I love to mountain bike.  I really miss the ocean life, but my wife is really happy and that means more to me than anything....uh, I think.

Yeah, man you are going to have to lower your expectations a bit for SC/NC. It's not going to be as consistent, etc. so here's some tips, most of which are probably pretty obvious:

1. Get a noserider SUP, I get a ton of days on my J&L Black and Blue and every time it's a blast.
2. Check surfchex - Crystal Pier at WB, lot of SUP's, cool vibe generally, check early before the seabreeze kicks in. There's usually a few SUP's out every morning and almost always a knee high wave at least.
3. Fall/winter will be much better.
4. If you want to get ocean time no matter what on the east coast, learn to kite. Almost every single afternoon in the spring/summer there's enough wind to kite and ride a surfboard, which turns a knee high wave into more fun than you will have on a SUP any day (well almost). The east coast definitely has SoCal beat in terms of kiting.

That's about it, that and obviously OBX is better by far. Oak Island is horrible, check Topsail/Atlantic as well on south swells.

PM me if you have any other questions.
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805StandUp

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Re: Bummed with North Carolina Surfing
« Reply #6 on: June 14, 2019, 04:00:36 PM »
I feel ya, I'm in SC.  The best wave season is late summer & fall when the tropical storms & hurricanes roll by.  Otherwise, it's mostly mid tide or wind swell surfing that requires being at the beach to git sum.

Sounds like maybe a foil to catch the windswell might be a decent option?

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Re: Bummed with North Carolina Surfing
« Reply #7 on: June 14, 2019, 04:05:29 PM »
We had a decent swell early this week here in SoCal. I had one good morning before the south wind ruined it. Today is just south wind chop +1 to nothing. Water has started to warm up a little. I think if you get in tune with the local surf scene you'll find some waves. I seems Like Hatteras or Virginia Beach would catch a better N/NE swell?
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Re: Bummed with North Carolina Surfing
« Reply #8 on: June 14, 2019, 05:10:54 PM »
I always have fun in Wrightsville and Virginia Beach.
Some nice breaks that work well in small to OH.

You just need to search around for the spots.
Maybe ask a SUP shop where to start.

I have never planned a trip to either because of a surf forecast.... I just go to visit friends and usually have a blast.

SC?
I spend a fair amount of time there visiting friends who surf everyday
But I just watch. Too shallow and small.
My knees don’t like the exit strategies.

I have met a lot of awesome locals in each spot.

Give it some more time  :)

Dwight (DW)

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Re: Bummed with North Carolina Surfing
« Reply #9 on: June 15, 2019, 03:44:52 AM »
NC is very windy almost everyday. You surf at sunrise or you don’t surf much.

APPST_Paddle

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Re: Bummed with North Carolina Surfing
« Reply #10 on: June 15, 2019, 03:47:15 AM »
NC is very windy almost everyday. You surf at sunrise or you don’t surf much.

Exactly - cali you have a bit more time, case in point, there's literally 1.6' at 8s in the water and there's a rideable wave at WB right now - http://surfchex.com/cams/wrightsville-beach/

So.......again, I'm not sure if your threshold for a rideable wave is, but there's always something.

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Badger

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Re: Bummed with North Carolina Surfing
« Reply #11 on: June 15, 2019, 04:37:14 AM »
WB looked knee to thigh and super clean on the cam at 7:30am. I'd surf that. Quite a few longboards out, and one SUP.

Update, 8:00am and it's starting to get choppy.

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« Last Edit: June 15, 2019, 05:01:40 AM by Badger »
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surfinJ

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Re: Bummed with North Carolina Surfing
« Reply #12 on: June 15, 2019, 04:45:45 AM »
Like you stated, happy wife, happy life.  So true. If possible.

Having mountain bike trails right out your back door is quite a treat. Having something you are passionate about right at hand is definitely a good set up.

In time and with tips here from the locals you’ll get the surf thing figured out.
Eventually some sort of camper van and carefully planned surf missions to the
outer banks.

APPST_Paddle

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Re: Bummed with North Carolina Surfing
« Reply #13 on: June 15, 2019, 06:06:27 AM »
WB looked knee to thigh and super clean on the cam at 7:30am. I'd surf that. Quite a few longboards out, and one SUP.

Update, 8:00am and it's starting to get choppy.

.

Yeah, I grew up in Wilmington, and I can tell you, especially in the spring/summer by 8 AM it's packed and the wind is on it. You are going to have to leave Charlotte at say 3/4 AM and get there at sunrise. There are definitely waves and a good group of locals there, you just have to time it right.
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Re: Bummed with North Carolina Surfing
« Reply #14 on: June 15, 2019, 06:19:17 AM »
It's all a matter of perspective. A bunch of my fishing buddies launched their yaks from Oak Island around 6:30, headed out about a mile and a half to Yaupon Reef. I will be down there tomorrow.  WindFinder says 2' waves today and 2.3 tomorrow. Winds, even gusts, below 10 until mid afternoon. They aren't always right, but one of the guys streamed a little while ago and it's Lake Atlantic out there. I know our hopes are at odds, but I hope tomorrow is a carbon copy.

I paddle with kayakers because I have trouble finding other SUPs to go offshore. Plenty of guys inshore with those double hull Live "SUPs" or hybrids like the Vibe Maverick. Fortunately most of the kayakers like to troll and some are out of shape so I can usually keep up okay. A few weeks ago I went with a fit group that didn't troll on the way out to the reef about a mile and a half from the Jolly Roger Pier at TI and it about killed me trying to keep up with them. A couple of nice guys stopped to mess with their tackle before they got to the reef so I didn't feel so isolated.

A couple of times when we came back in early and I still had a little in the tank, I have worked on learning to surf my battleship (14' x 30" Glide) and the tiny waves are great for that, as long as I can find a spot where I won't kill anybody.
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