# Surfing



## deadheadskier (Sep 8, 2007)

Any surfers on the board?  I'm not one 'yet', but when I moved to Maine last year, I took up body boarding and have found it to be the most enjoyable thing I've ever done to pass the time in summer and keep my jonesing for skiing at bay slightly.

Next year I think I'll step up to the real thing and give it a shot.  I've become quite addicted to it and watch the surf cams and surf reports like a hawk so that I can be at the beach when a good swell comes through.  And with the water being so damn cold here in Maine, it preps me for the winter.

Unfortunately, the best surf is usually late fall and into the winter up here.  There's a suprising number of crazies who wear wet or dry suits and surf in the winter.  If it wasn't for skiing, I'd probably end up like them.


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## BeanoNYC (Sep 8, 2007)

deadheadskier said:


> Any surfers on the board?  I'm not one 'yet', but when I moved to Maine last year, I took up body boarding and have found it to be the most enjoyable thing I've ever done to pass the time in summer and keep my jonesing for skiing at bay slightly.
> 
> Next year I think I'll step up to the real thing and give it a shot.  I've become quite addicted to it and watch the surf cams and surf reports like a hawk so that I can be at the beach when a good swell comes through.  And with the water being so damn cold here in Maine, it preps me for the winter.
> 
> Unfortunately, the best surf is usually late fall and into the winter up here.  There's a suprising number of crazies who wear wet or dry suits and surf in the winter.  If it wasn't for skiing, I'd probably end up like them.



I live near the beach and like to surf...although it's been a while as it's tough to paddle out with my shoulder injury.   I've took up surf kayaking last year.  It's a lot easier to paddle out to the action zone and catch a wave.  



			
				Bob Weir said:
			
		

> "Playing, like a wave upon the sand"


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## Hawkshot99 (Sep 8, 2007)

I do alot of Surf Kayaking in the summer time.


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## ckofer (Sep 8, 2007)

I own a couple old windsurfers and am getting better. I can see how this can become as addicting as skiing. I have had modest success with real surfing.

None of the following vids feature me:




I'd like to try this


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## twinplanx (Sep 8, 2007)

<--- Surfer... Alot of people think I must snowboard because I surf but I'm a skier.  And like Maine LI's best surf comes in the fall. Matter of fact I'm keeping an eye on this storm near Hatteras hopefully we'll have some swell soon. Dry suits are generally considered to bulky so a good thick(5mm) wetsuit w/ a hood + gloves and booties gets me thru the winter when I can not get up to the hills.


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## deadheadskier (Sep 8, 2007)

Actually the one thing I REALLY want to get into is Kite Surfing.  That looks intense, but I hear the gear is very expensive and I wonder where I might get instruction around here.


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## Marc (Sep 8, 2007)

A decent traction kite, bridles and harness will run about $800 from what I've seen.  What's cool about that is that you can then do it on the snow.

The only surfing I do is surfing down waves in sailboats.  Kinda like these guys, except not nearly as good:


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## deadheadskier (Sep 8, 2007)

only $800???  really?  wow, I need to look further into this.  I was under the impression that it was 3 grand plus to get just basic kite surfing equipment.


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## Marc (Sep 8, 2007)

deadheadskier said:


> only $800???  really?  wow, I need to look further into this.  I was under the impression that it was 3 grand plus to get just basic kite surfing equipment.



No, it's not nearly that expensive.  I'd say 1k tops.  Basic kite surfing equipment is not far off from advanced equipment.  You have the kite, bridles, and control bar (sometimes a sheeting bar on newer kites) and the harness.  $400 for a kite, $200 for the control equipment and $200 for a pretty nice harness would be what you need.  Of course then you need a board, PFD, and wetsuit if you don't have those already.  Sailing gloves would probably be a wise idea as well.


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## snowmonster (Jul 26, 2011)

Bumping up an old thread.

Any surfers out there? My conversation with Cannonball in another thread made me wonder if there are other AZers out there riding the waves.

I'll be surfing on the Lower Cape during weekends until Labor Day. If you see a kook in the line-up, that will be me.


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## Cannonball (Jul 26, 2011)

snowmonster said:


> Bumping up an old thread.
> 
> Any surfers out there? My conversation with Cannonball in another thread made me wonder if there are other AZers out there riding the waves.
> 
> I'll be surfing on the Lower Cape during weekends until Labor Day. If you see a kook in the line-up, that will be me.



Hey.  Yeah, sorry for no response in that other thread.  Weekend work plans had me tied close to home (pretty much the case all summer & fall).  Not much swell kicked up here.  Although I did get some beach time, and there was enough for some body surfing.  Short-lived though....westerlies dropped the water temps into the 50s.


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## Hawkshot99 (Jul 26, 2011)

Next week I will be spending time down at the shore in VA, and will be surfing in my kayak lots.


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## snowmonster (Jul 27, 2011)

Cannonball said:


> Hey.  Yeah, sorry for no response in that other thread.  Weekend work plans had me tied close to home (pretty much the case all summer & fall).  Not much swell kicked up here.  Although I did get some beach time, and there was enough for some body surfing.  Short-lived though....westerlies dropped the water temps into the 50s.



Hey, Cannonball. Last Friday and Saturday at Marconi were surprisingly good. I had an early Sunday morning session at Nauset Light and that was even better. This weekend looks pretty flat with no swells predicted for Saturday morning. We'll see. Hope you get some waves!



Hawkshot99 said:


> Next week I will be spending time down at the shore in VA, and will be surfing in my kayak lots.



Enjoy, Hawkshot! I've never tried surf kayaking but it looks like fun.


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## bigbog (Jul 27, 2011)

Oh yeah...I really, really like windsurfing...getting into it is like getting into kayaking or canoeing = you don't HAVE to go _New_ for the first purchase.    There is/used to be a rental shop north of Boston.._somewhere?_    One would think there should be something close to Cape Elizabeth...or around Wells/Ogunquit area...  Certainly near/at the tip of Cape Cod is a hotspot...
Used to bodyboard decades ago when family used to spend summers in Portland, ME....then the beaches weren't eroded away as much and extended out further towards the dropoff = bigger surf.    Higgins Beach surf could really, I mean _really_...slap you if you didn't dive down or float up over..
Quite a few people nowadays are also into the Stand On Tops = surfboards with a paddle;-), both fresh/salt zones....

$.01


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## snowmonster (Jul 28, 2011)

^ Hey, bigbog! I was having a conversation with a surf shop owner. We were both wondering where all the windsurfers went. Seems like in the 80s, everybody on the water had a windsurf. Not much today. Looks like kitesurfing has replaced windsurfs for now. Then, there's the stand-up paddleboards. Looks like a good workout but I don't think it's for me. Lots of newbies on SUPs now. Even the Boston Globe did a story on them recently. Let's see where that goes. Any activity that gets people more active and appreciating the outdoors/environment/ocean is great by me!

Enoy the water!


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## bigbog (Jul 28, 2011)

Yeah SM....in ~2001 a number of daily regulars (KiteSurfing) off the beach spanning Lynn to Nahant, MA.    Some boards + carbon paddles have shown up within the last 2 summers at local Bangor shop(SkiRack Sports).   I've seen multiple people paddle out & around the Big Eddy(W.Br.Penob) ...standing on the boards, around the 4th of July.
Bet they were out in numbers the last couple weeks with the hot temps...


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## Nick (Jul 29, 2011)

My dad had windsurfers, when he died I took them. The first time I went to take them out my car went up in flames and burned to the ground, taking the windsurfers with them. 

I still have one board but no sail, so I haven't done anything with it yet. I'd love to get back into it. The last time I tried I was like 15 years old and I remember barely being able to pull the sail out of the water. 

I've always though kiteboarding looked pretty awesome. But proably beyond my funds at this point. Why are all my hobbies so equipment and gear heavy??? 

Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk


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## snowmonster (Jul 31, 2011)

And just like that, suddenly, there were windsurfers on the beach. 

Friday and Saturday at Nauset Light, saw some windsurfers take out their boards and head south. Looks like they made it all the way to Coast Guard. Conditions were flat both days but improved in the afternoon after three. Water was warm on Friday but freezing Saturday. Had very good late afternoon sessions both days on smallish waves. You take what you can get!

By the way, lady surfers in bikinis make me love surfing even more!


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## deadheadskier (Jul 31, 2011)

West Dennis Beach on the Cape still seems to be a fairly popular spot for windsurfing.


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## Nick (Jul 31, 2011)

We used to always go to east beach near misquamicut..  There was the saltwater pond (ninigret)  opposite the beach.  A great place for windsurfing. 

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## snowmonster (Jul 31, 2011)

Lots of windsurfers and kitesurfers in Wellfleet Harbor this afternoon.


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## HD333 (Aug 2, 2011)

Sorry for the threadjack. 
For the surfers how different is the wave catching process from a boogie board, I am talking  being in deep water  using flippers not catching a broken wave on the shore.
I ask because growing up I was an avid body boarder but never tried actual surfing. Now that I am all grown up I want to try surfing. 
Do I rent a long board and give it a go? Or do I bury my pride and have some teenage kid teach me?


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## Nick (Aug 2, 2011)

Threadjack some more but I just watched Soul Surfer...  Pretty good flick.  I liked it more 
I thought I would. 
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## snowmonster (Aug 2, 2011)

HD333 said:


> Sorry for the threadjack.
> For the surfers how different is the wave catching process from a boogie board, I am talking  being in deep water  using flippers not catching a broken wave on the shore.
> I ask because growing up I was an avid body boarder but never tried actual surfing. Now that I am all grown up I want to try surfing.
> Do I rent a long board and give it a go? Or do I bury my pride and have some teenage kid teach me?


Not a threadjack at all.

I think bodyboarding (with fins) makes you familiar with the rhythms of the ocean -- how to catch a wave, the feeling that comes when the wave catches you and turning in the wave. You can also use it to learn how to duckdive, turn turtle and learn to read where the wave breaks. I'd say it's a good intro to surfing despite what some people may think. If you're not comfortable in the waves, learning to surf will be more of a chore.

If you're getting into surfing, I'd suggest renting a longboard and starting from there. Aside from learning how to paddle around and finding your balance, it's easier to pop-up on a longboard than a shortboard. When you finally stand on a board and you're riding a wave, you'll be hooked. However, nothing substitutes for watertime. If you must take a lesson, there are surf shops that offer lessons. There were even these two women surfers in Wellfleet that had a surf school. I may get little snowmonster a lesson from them and even one for myself to get tips on a shortboard.   

See you in the lineup!


Nick said:


> Threadjack some more but I just watched Soul Surfer...  Pretty good flick.  I liked it more
> I thought I would.
> Sent from my Thunderbolt via Tapatalk


Thanks for the reco. I heard good things about the film.


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## twinplanx (Aug 3, 2011)

Think HD333 actually gets the tread headed back in the right direction...  And I could not have said it any better then SnowMonster.  A smooth pop-up is critical in getting to your feet and making the wave. Since you have been bodyboarding you should have an head-start in being able to "read" the waves. Have fun and I will also give a thumbs-up to Soul Surfer :razz:


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## Nick (Aug 3, 2011)

Pardon the horrible typing on the phone last night. Yeah the movie was really good, way better than I expected. I really enjoyed it.

I ended up googling quite a bit about the attack after the movie was over. I have to say, genius marketing move releasing the movie to DVD during shark week.


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## snowmonster (Aug 3, 2011)

Heads up, surfers! Just checked Magic Seaweed for this weekend's Cape forecast: 1 foot waves on Friday and Saturday (meh) but, on Sunday, 7 foot waves at noon and 4.5 feet at 6 (whoah)! Wax those boards! Surf's up!


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## twinplanx (Aug 5, 2011)

Looks like a low press. system pushes off the coast this weekend.  I'm more intrested in what was, T.S. Emily... Hopefully restrenghtening over water and producing swell..Mon.-Tue.? Anyone know of free surf forecasting sites that work well on not-so-smart-phones?

sent from my Samsung somethin or other


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## Edd (Aug 7, 2011)

Nick said:


> Threadjack some more but I just watched Soul Surfer...  Pretty good flick.  I liked it more
> I thought I would.
> Sent from my Thunderbolt via Tapatalk



That surprises me because I just saw the trailer and it looks dreadful.


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## snowmonster (Aug 7, 2011)

twinplanx said:


> Looks like a low press. system pushes off the coast this weekend.  I'm more intrested in what was, T.S. Emily... Hopefully restrenghtening over water and producing swell..Mon.-Tue.? Anyone know of free surf forecasting sites that work well on not-so-smart-phones?
> 
> sent from my Samsung somethin or other



Magicseaweed and Surfline have websites that you can use. 

Just got back from a morning session and I still have water in my ears. Clean early but getting choppy out there. Water was  chillier today and I took some grief from others in the lineup for wearing a shorty. Told them I'm used to this because "I'm a skier." That shut them up. Friday and Saturday defied the forecast. Conditions were better than expected. Nice clean breaks at lowtide. Good weekend for surfing. Just checked MSW and it they're calling 3.5 foot swells in Cape Cod tomorrow AM. Tuesday to Friday forecast looks good too. Pick of the week seems to be Thursday with 4.5 foot swells at 8 seconds with winds from SSW. And sunny


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## twinplanx (Aug 7, 2011)

My phone has a hard time w/ Magic Seaweed.  I use Surfline but they seem to want you to pay for the premium thing... I'll dick around w/ the free one, but its annoying when I have to look at there advertising while I wait for a Bouy Report. 
I don't know about the Cape, but this summer has been dreadfully flat on Long Island...


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## snowmonster (Aug 7, 2011)

^ I'm not too familiar with phones but, if you can download apps, try the Oakley Surf Report. They use Surfline but in a more-user friendly format. Been having trouble with MSW the past few days. Today, they made me update the app. More features (including specific buoy readings) that I'm still getting used to but very good. It's more info than I how to use.

Surfing in the east is just like skiing -- you take what you can get. Hope you have some good waves this week.


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## Nick (Aug 8, 2011)

Edd said:


> That surprises me because I just saw the trailer and it looks dreadful.



I was also heavily intoxicated when watching it so that may have influenced my opinion.


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## snowmonster (Aug 8, 2011)

Just finished watching Blue Crush on TV. I'm twitching. Need to surf. NOW!


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## SKIQUATTRO (Aug 10, 2011)

been surfing for 30 years...shortboard, longboard now SUP surfing (and flatwater workouts)  mostly surf Long Island (I'm 20 min from the beach) and Cape Cod (Coast Guard, Eastham) as we have a house there.....i surf all winter too, not on the weekends as we are skiing...i only longboard in the winter to minimize duckdiving....

only a surfer knows the feeling...


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## SKIQUATTRO (Aug 10, 2011)

MSW is alot more accurate than Swellinfo...surfline is decent...knowing your break, tides, winds and you can figure out whether or not its worth the trip down to the beach....


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## snowmonster (Aug 11, 2011)

SKIQUATTRO said:


> only a surfer knows the feeling...


Quoted for truth. 

If you head back to the Lower Cape, let me know. It would be good to surf with a fellow AZer.

Did anybody go out today? How were the conditions?


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## snowmonster (Aug 14, 2011)

Despite the call for flat conditions on the Cape (Surfline), Friday afternoon was pretty good at Nauset Light with waist-high -- and quick closing -- waves. Saturday morning at Marconi was pretty flat. Found a nice break a long walk from Marconi in the afternoon and as the tide went out, the wave really improved. Spent about 5 hours in the water and my back muscles are really strained now. I had to take the day off, which is good because I hit the beach today and it was flatter than a lake. 

Saturday in the lineup was great. Lots of surfers talking skiing -- and surfer girls in bikinis!=)


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## snowmonster (Jul 23, 2012)

Anybody been out on the water this summer? I've been in the water in Eastham the past few weeks and the water is warm for this tme of year. There were some stories about sighting "men in the grey suits" last week.=)


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## Cannonball (Jul 23, 2012)

I've been in the water a lot lately on the South Shore.  Very warm for this point in the summer.  

A few of my colleagues are the ones doing the shark research on the cape right now for the state.  They have been seeing A LOT of GWs.  They were telling me something interesting the other day that I'd never thought of.  They said that the big ones (16') aren't likely to do you any harm.  They need to make their attacks calorically worthwhile so they are here for the grey seals and they don't bother with harbor seals or people.  And the little babies (<10') are fish eaters with fish-eating teeth that aren't suited for biting people.  But at ~10' they lose the baby teeth and get the classic 'shark tooth' and they are ready for bigger prey.  But they need to learn from experience what's good to bite and what isn't.  So these are the ones that end up "tasting" people!  And apparently there are some 10-footers out there.


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## Nick (Jul 23, 2012)

I had a windsurfer but it burnt to the ground during a car fire 

I'd love to try windsurfing again, my dad was big into it. I have a 2nd board at home but no mast / sail any longer. 

Never tried regular surfing, I always figured the waves on the east coast weren't that great, but maybe that's great for a beginner? It does look like a lot of fun. 

No fear of the great white Snowmonster?


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## snowmonster (Jul 23, 2012)

Cannonball said:


> I've been in the water a lot lately on the South Shore.  Very warm for this point in the summer.
> 
> A few of my colleagues are the ones doing the shark research on the cape right now for the state.  They have been seeing A LOT of GWs.  They were telling me something interesting the other day that I'd never thought of.  They said that the big ones (16') aren't likely to do you any harm.  They need to make their attacks calorically worthwhile so they are here for the grey seals and they don't bother with harbor seals or people.  And the little babies (<10') are fish eaters with fish-eating teeth that aren't suited for biting people.  But at ~10' they lose the baby teeth and get the classic 'shark tooth' and they are ready for bigger prey.  But they need to learn from experience what's good to bite and what isn't.  So these are the ones that end up "tasting" people!  And apparently there are some 10-footers out there.


At this time of year, I'm usually in my shorties. The last 2 weekends, a rash guard and trunks are all I've needed. My attitude is that the sharks are always there. It's part of the hazards of being out there, unfortunately. I do get creeped out when I see a dark shape in the water. Most of the time, it's a seal. There's that split second when your mind is trying to decide whether it's friend or foe and you have that "oh, shit" moment. A regular surfer at Nauset Light was telling me that they had to close the beach a few weeks back because they spotted a shark near one of the buoys. I tend to surf between Nauset Light and Coast Guard far from the crowds.    



Nick said:


> I had a windsurfer but it burnt to the ground during a car fire
> 
> I'd love to try windsurfing again, my dad was big into it. I have a 2nd board at home but no mast / sail any longer.
> 
> ...


Fear is a natural reaction. How you channel that fear is up to you. Windsurfing never appealed to me. Too much gear to lug around.


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## snowmonster (Jul 30, 2012)

Shark incident off Truro: bodysurfer, Ballston Beach

[h=1]Witnesses: Shark bites swimmer in Truro[/h]By Cape Cod Times
					Monday, July 30, 2012 -  Added 23 minutes ago







A man was bitten in the ankle by a shark this afternoon while body surfing off Ballson Beach in Truro, according to witnesses, who also reported seeing a shark fin.
Rescue personnel were called to the beach at about 3:30 p.m. after a report of a shark bite. Shark sightings off the Cape have increased markedly in recent years up and down the Outer Cape.

The man was carried off the beach with what appeared to be wounds to at least one of his legs and foot area, a Times reporter said from the scene.
The man was conscious and when asked by the reporter how he was doing he gave the thumbs up.
As of 4:45 p.m. Ballston Beach remained open as officials were still assessing the situation.
Several witnesses reported seeing a shark fin off the popular beach. The victim was body surfing about a third of a mile off the beach.


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## Nick (Jul 31, 2012)

Isn't a third of a mile pretty far out? My wife would never go to the beach again if she heard this

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## arik (Aug 3, 2012)

+1 on Kayak surfing

it's really fun


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## bigbog (Aug 3, 2012)

Haven't gotten the hang of changing directions...ie swinging the sail around yet.   I haven't gotten down to rent the stuff out much in the last 3-4 years...   Maybe....maybe...this could be the summer/fall.   Wonder how long beach season will go this year....  Just hoping for the drastic turnaround...into Fall.


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## Bumpsis (Aug 10, 2012)

I just saw this thread - procrastinating (have a couple of reports to finish). I've been bodyboarding for about 10 years or longer. I am seriously addicted to it and grab any chance to catch a decent swell or even just flat water paddle when it's flat (as it has been for such a long time now).
I took a few surfing lessons during a couple trips to Hawaii but most of the time, the type if waves that we get in MA and RI are usually more enjoyable (ridable) on a bodyboard, so that's my choice for a wave riding tool. On bigger days, when surf is at about 5'-6', I do wish I was more proficient on a surf board since getting out on a bodyboard in really active water is a real bitch. 

But even if it's just a windswell and all we get are just closeouts (wave cresting all at once with no ridable shoulder), a bodyboard and good pair of fins can get you a serious full body workout. Bodyboarding, when done well (catching the unbroken wave) can be really demanding, super fun and often, a bit scary. Hold downs, late takeoffs, beach currents, fighting through white water when getting out and sometimes clueless SUP or longboard surfers new to the sport can make the activity pretty exciting. And now, sharks!

I knew that the Great Whites were always there - I do get out of the water or move when there are seals around, but now, it seems like there are more of GWs out there. 

I knew that Quatro was a surfer and it's nice to see that others on this board can get pretty serious about ridnig waves and the wind.
I'm usually on the Cape (Marconi, Nausett Light) or even at Nantasket if the swell is coming in. Otherwise if stuff is coming from the south, RI and south facing MA beaches, I am there from spring well into the fall. Looks like the flat spell will be ending. Hurricane forecasts for the rest of the seson got a bit more promissing.


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## snowmonster (Aug 15, 2012)

^ Nice to know there's another one of us on these boards.

I also learned to surf in Hawaii then took a very long time off. Got back into riding waves through bodyboarding. I think it's severely underrated as a beach activity. Sure, some kids just ride the whitewater into the shore but, if done right, it's a great way to learn to read and ride waves. I surf mostly at Nauset Light and Coast Guard Beach (actually between Nauset Light and Coast Guard). I usually ride a green longboard. If you see the monster, say hi!

Looks like the sharks are coming in closer that usual. Spotted five feet from shore in Newcomb Hollow. Unnerving.

http://www.boston.com/metrodesk/201...e-wellfleet/Ub6b8jajy27bnnzg3mwkIK/story.html


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## snowmonster (Sep 5, 2012)

If there are still surfers out there, I hope you haven't put away your boards. Looks like this weekend is going to be stellar. Magic Seaweed is forecasting 4 foot swells on Cape Cod through the weekend because of Tropical Storm Leslie out in the Atlantic. Possible 6 foot swells on Monday. Surf's up!


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## SKIQUATTRO (Sep 6, 2012)

swell is starting to show here on Long Island, will be heading out this evening, and everyday till its gone....


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## SKIQUATTRO (Sep 6, 2012)

Monster.....might see you out at CG, we have a house in Eastham, those are my spots....heading up mid sept for a few days...


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## snowmonster (Sep 6, 2012)

Heading to the the Cape tomorrow. This is what we've been waiting for!


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## ScottySkis (Sep 6, 2012)

snowmonster said:


> Heading to the the Cape tomorrow. This is what we've been waiting for!





Have fun and get some big waves.


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## darent (Sep 7, 2012)

surfs up on nantucket for the last 3 days, all you see is surfboards heading to the beach


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## SKIQUATTRO (Sep 24, 2012)

Awesome dawn patrol...in the water 6am, solid waist to chest, light off shores and just peeling down the line.....


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## snowmonster (Sep 24, 2012)

I thought my season was done after I packed up from the Cape. You guys are drawing me back in. This weekend in Cape Ann looks promising. Thinking of Good Harbor beach in Gloucester. Any beta? Never been.


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## SKIQUATTRO (Sep 25, 2012)

monster....Coast Guard was firing last Sunday, Monday was fun too....has been a great fall so far


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## Bumpsis (Sep 26, 2012)

snowmonster said:


> I thought my season was done after I packed up from the Cape. You guys are drawing me back in. This weekend in Cape Ann looks promising. Thinking of Good Harbor beach in Gloucester. Any beta? Never been.



I'm a bit less optimistic about conditions this weekend. Forecasts look small and choppy. Short period waves. Maybe it will push a longboard, but little joy. I haven't been to Good Harbor for a long time but of what I remember, the southern portion of the beach worked a bit like a point break. It's a good place to go just after a nor'easter gets cranking bringing in some solid east swell but the winds are still from the north. The northern part of the beach curves a bit south so you get a bit of shelter from the winds and waves are smoother. But then, it tends to close out, so it can be a less than optimal but better than on the Cape.

I hope you got some this past weekend. I was planning to hit the Cape on Sunday but did not have to. Nantasket beach (closest open ocean beach to me) was just great. Solid chest high on sets, nice peelers and good power. Yet, enough time betweeen sets so getting out wasn't a big fight. Just enough white water so it was a work out  Off shore winds so the water was pretty smooth.

 When swell penetrates all the way to Nantasket, it's one of my favorite places. At mid tide, if the Boston bouy shows 3.5 ft + waves at 10 seconds, you can get some really long rides, especially if the waves peel. This past Sunday they did. I'm still groovin' on that. Great session. Didn't get out until my hamstrigs started to cramp. There was enough of a rip current so staying in right palce took a bit of constant work.

Don't give up on season yet. The tropics should bring at least one more decent wave maker soon and water will stay warm enough for a 3/2 mm rubber for probably another 3 weeks. I'll keep an eye out for a guy with a green longboard


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## SKIQUATTRO (Sep 27, 2012)

still trunkable down here with a 1mm long sleeve for the mornings....i've been sup surfing the smaller mushy days where i normally wouldnt go out on my 9'0" longboard....having a blast and getting a great core workout at the same time....those who knock SUP surfing have no idea how much harder it is than regular surfing...


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## snowmonster (Sep 27, 2012)

Bumpsis said:


> I'm a bit less optimistic about conditions this weekend. Forecasts look small and choppy. Short period waves. Maybe it will push a longboard, but little joy. I haven't been to Good Harbor for a long time but of what I remember, the southern portion of the beach worked a bit like a point break. It's a good place to go just after a nor'easter gets cranking bringing in some solid east swell but the winds are still from the north. The northern part of the beach curves a bit south so you get a bit of shelter from the winds and waves are smoother. But then, it tends to close out, so it can be a less than optimal but better than on the Cape.
> 
> I hope you got some this past weekend. I was planning to hit the Cape on Sunday but did not have to. Nantasket beach (closest open ocean beach to me) was just great. Solid chest high on sets, nice peelers and good power. Yet, enough time betweeen sets so getting out wasn't a big fight. Just enough white water so it was a work out  Off shore winds so the water was pretty smooth.
> 
> ...


Not giving up on the season by a long shot. Made plans to head down to Cape Ann or Matunuck (opposite directions, I know) for Sunday. Will make a game time decision. Friend needs company in the waves and I'm happy to oblige. Didn't go out last weekend because I needed to do all the chores that I've been putting off because of the summer. Glad you guys got some. 

Thanks for the beta on Good Harbor. If I hit Nantasket, I'll let you know. I'll defeinitely be up on the Cape Columbus Day weekend. Coast Guard Beach. If I don't have the green longboard, look for the kook with the blue funboard.


SKIQUATTRO said:


> still trunkable down here with a 1mm long sleeve for the mornings....i've been sup surfing the smaller mushy days where i normally wouldnt go out on my 9'0" longboard....having a blast and getting a great core workout at the same time....those who knock SUP surfing have no idea how much harder it is than regular surfing...


Never knocked SUPs. As long as you're riding, it's all good. My only problem are the runaway SUPs. Man, those things can really hurt! If you're still on the Cape, I'll be there on Columbus Day.


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## snowmonster (Oct 16, 2012)

Anybody still in the water? If Sunday River doesn't spin the lifts this weekend, I'll be at Good Harbor Beach on Saturday. They're supposed to get 4 foot swells. Surf's up!


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## SKIQUATTRO (Oct 17, 2012)

surf on the way.....i'll be in..was hoping to get out today 3-5' but work has other plans...weekend should be thigh to waist..still fun


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## snowmonster (Oct 18, 2012)

Where will you be surfing?


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## SKIQUATTRO (Oct 18, 2012)

home spot on Long Island, Long Beach.....no time to head to the Cape...should be up there mid Nov


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## snowmonster (Oct 19, 2012)

See you on the Cape in November. I may be surfing there for Thanksgiving.


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## ScottySkis (Oct 19, 2012)

snowmonster said:


> See you on the Cape in November. I may be surfing there for Thanksgiving.





Sent from my ADR6410LVW using Tapatalk 2
Will still be non freezing waters by then?


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## snowmonster (Oct 20, 2012)

Yeah, it'll probably be cold. Wetsuits and a short session should do the trick.


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## snowmonster (Oct 22, 2012)

Skiquattro, how was your weekend? Got a great session on Good Harbor last Saturday. Good clean waves and long rides. Water is cool but still warm for this time of year. Stoked!


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## snowmonster (Oct 26, 2012)

Here's the MSW swell report for Cape Ann:

Sat - 0.5 feet
Sun - 5 feet
Mon - 8.5 feet
Tue - 19.5 feet (EGADS!) 
Wed - 9 feet

I think I'll be on the board this Sunday.


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## justaddwater (Nov 30, 2012)

Anyone planning on surfing this winter in the Westport, Little Compton area?


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## Bumpsis (Nov 30, 2012)

justaddwater said:


> Anyone planning on surfing this winter in the Westport, Little Compton area?



I'm usually in through December. My 4/3 suit and the rest of the rubber (booties, gloves, hood) keeps me comfortable down to mid 40's*F (water temps). LC is sort of my "go to" break when swell comes through from the south, but with the short daylight it's only a weekend thing, so it's a crapshoot as far as waves go. Plus, it's really tough to stay in paddling shape when you hit a session once every 6 days, if you lucky. At this point, I don't think I'd be ready for anything bigger that waist high sets. The thicker rubber doesn't help either.


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## SKIQUATTRO (Dec 10, 2012)

i dont surf anything bigger than chest high in the winter..i used to but a close call with a rock jetty in 38 degree water makes you rethink some choices....the new Hyperflex hooded 5/3 is awesome, made in NJ and a fraction of the cost of other name brand suits....now praying for big snows


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## GlassesMolasses (Jan 16, 2013)

Been surfing once but would love to go again.  What are the best beaches in the NE to surf?


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## Euler (Jan 16, 2013)

My 12 year old son learned to surf a bit in York Beach last summer.  He began with a 2 hour lesson on a big soft top board and then had to learn to ride a short epoxy board with two missinf fins that we found in the basement of the place we were renting.  This summer we'll be travelling to Assateague and Ocracoke and I'd like to buy him a board to take with us on the trip.  Does anyone have suggestions on what I should look for?  I'm hoping to spend around 200-250 since I really don't know how much surfing he'll do given that we don't live in a beach town.


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## GlassesMolasses (Jan 16, 2013)

Cool, I'll check out York beach, thanks!


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## snowmonster (Jan 17, 2013)

GlassesMolasses said:


> Been surfing once but would love to go again.  What are the best beaches in the NE to surf?



That's a very good question. Lots of good beaches to surf around here. Question is: where are you located and how far are you willing to drive for surf?


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## snowmonster (Jan 17, 2013)

Euler said:


> Does anyone have suggestions on what I should look for?  I'm hoping to spend around 200-250 since I really don't know how much surfing he'll do given that we don't live in a beach town.



Because of the kind of summer waves we get, a longboard of about 8 or 9 feet would be ideal. However, that will cost more than your budget since the longer they are, the more expensive they will be. A good compromise is a funboard between 7'2" and 7'8". You can get new funboards for around $300. If you're new in the sport and just need a board to beat up on (and don't know if your kid will actually stay in the sport), buying used is a great idea. Just make sure to inspect the board for dings and cracks. 

I don't recommend shortboards for beginners. Though they are fun for tricks and kids will like them, ideally beginners should get as much time standing and riding the waves. Nothing can frustrate a new surfer more than just paddling around chasing around for a wave they can never catch. Have fun!


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## bigbog (Feb 2, 2013)

Yeah, the beaches where there are rapid dropoffs...  Erosion has taken its toll from these along the Maine coast.  Higgins....to name just one that had much larger surf decades ago.....oh those summer days....:sad:.  Time marches on...geologically.    It's often hard to imagine our history here on the planet as being just a blink of an eye.(insert: violin..lol)


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## bigbog (Feb 2, 2013)

Cannonball said:


> I've been in the water a lot lately on the South Shore.  Very warm for this point in the summer.
> 
> A few of my colleagues are the ones doing the shark research on the cape right now for the state.  They have been seeing A LOT of GWs.  They were telling me something interesting the other day that I'd never thought of.  They said that the big ones (16') aren't likely to do you any harm.  They need to make their attacks calorically worthwhile so they are here for the grey seals and they don't bother with harbor seals or people.  And the little babies (<10') are fish eaters with fish-eating teeth that aren't suited for biting people.  But at ~10' they lose the baby teeth and get the classic 'shark tooth' and they are ready for bigger prey.  But they need to learn from experience what's good to bite and what isn't.  So these are the ones that end up "tasting" people!  And apparently there are some 10-footers out there.



Yep....also heard stuff like that back in 80's when late night Boston TV would show a lot of underwater documentary/scientific people like Ron & Valerie Taylor(Australian)...where Valerie would explain that the GW feels its meal(with its mature teeth of course) and doesn't really have the urge to expend that enerty nor has it a sweet tooth for eating humans.  I vaguely remember expressing my sentiments to the TV like..."_Thanks Valerie...makes me feel a whole lot more confident when swimming in the same pool as GWs..."

_When watching overhead video of Florida waters and seeing how close people are to the smaller sharks, not to mention of the Bull sharks in estuaries.....:roll:


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## snowmonster (Jul 9, 2013)

Been in the water off the Cape since Sunday. Let's just say the the Atlantic feels like a lake right now. Things get better at low tide. You take what you can get. Coast Guard seems to be the place to be this summer.


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## snowmonster (Sep 2, 2013)

Surfed Marconi Beach today. Went in at 1030. Water was cold and I only had trunks and a rash guard. No swimmers in the water so the lifeguards let us ride anywhere we wanted. Decent waves and good rides. Took a break at 1230 because my back started hurting from the cold. Got back in the water at 230 for low tide. Waves improved, water was warmer but there were so many people in the lineup -- including SUPers and ocean kayakers! Had to keep pushing away to avoid them. Called it a day at 5. 'twas a great session!


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## Bumpsis (Sep 5, 2013)

Congrats on catching a nice session. Decent wave conditions have been rather scarce this summer. Lately, I'd just look at the wave forecast and find it difficult to get motivated to face the Cape traffic, especially on Labor Day! 
Well, summer crush on the Cape is over and maybe the tropics will finally start sending some swell our way. I miss being in the water. Looks like Saturday may have some clean knee - waist on the Cape. Good enough for me. I'll most likely hit Marconi - lots of space to spread out, although lately, I have been recognizing the protective element of the herd (sharks  ).


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## snowmonster (Sep 9, 2013)

^ Bumpsis, were you at Marconi on Saturday? I was there too -- and at Coast Guard on Friday. They let you park in the upper parking lot at CG during the weekdays now. Forecasts said that Sunday was the day to be on the Cape but I had to be back in Boston. As for the conditions, let's just say that Friday was better than Saturday. Except for a small window between 330 and 4 at the rightmost part of Marconi, it was pretty much flat. If you saw a kook in a black rash guard, red trunks and a green surfboard last Saturday at Marconi, you had a snowmonster sighting!


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## Bumpsis (Sep 9, 2013)

Alas, there was no possibilty for snowmonster sighting for me this past Saturday. When I got up that morning, I took one look at the CoastGuard cam and it looked pretty flat, so bagged that plan. For flat water paddling, I can hit Nantasket with much less driving, so that's what I did.
I would sure like to meet the legend of Alpine Zone before you take off for better surf - anyone who's willing to hike in June (?) into Tuckermans just to ski the remaining bit of dirty snow is a OK in my book  For that matter, the same holds for getting out to the Cape just for a chance of a knee high wave.

Swellinfo and Magicseaweed are both sowing some seeds of hope that this weekend may see a 3 feet pulse of energy on the Cape. 
It's good to know that CG now allows for paking close to the waves. I'm sure this still requires an early showing. It's a small lot. But I like that beach a lot. Lots of sandbars.


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## Bumpsis (Sep 14, 2013)

Gabrielle brought some nice wave action to the Cape. I was at Marconi today, but did not manage to get in until about 1 PM. Waves were a bit bigger in the morning (so I was told), but still, the afternoon was fun. Mostly waist size, a bit higher on some sets. The waves had good power but a lot of fast closeouts. Still, fun time in relatively warm water and sunny weather.

The waves may persist through Sunday. There is a good chance that Humberto's pulse may actually result in some decent groundswell later on this week.
Marconi's selection of sand bars can easily accommodate a good crowd. When I got out of the water, I counted about 30 some people in the water, all spread out, left, center and right when looking from the stairs. I'm happy I could "steal" another day of wave riding from summer.


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## snowmonster (Sep 15, 2013)

Thanks for the report. Glad you got time good rides. I'm actually in Chatham now but it's not a surfing weekend for me. I'm so jealous of you actually.

I might scoot to the Cape this week if the waves are good. Call it the last hurrah!


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## twinplanx (Sep 16, 2013)

Decent swell filled in the East End of Long Island on Friday, but was pretty much gone by Saturday. Gabrielle seemed to be on the West side of Bermuda. We seem to get the real juicy swell when a storm threads the needle between Hatteras &Bermuda. Land falling hurricanes/tropical storms suck. The best scenario is when storms just sit & spin with no threat to land ;-)


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## snowmonster (Sep 20, 2013)

I think my days surfing the North Atlantic are over for now. I don't see any surf days in the near future. Ride those waves for me, boys!

By the way, last week at Chatham, I took a boat across the harbor and walked to the ocean side on North Island. It was an amazing sight. Clean wave after clean wave. Chest high. Long rides with no closeouts. I wish I had my board. However, there were an amazing number of seals out. And when there are seals, this being Chatham, there may be men in gray suits. I was just content to watch the waves roll in on this perfect day.


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## justaddwater (Nov 18, 2013)

You should definitely try winter surfing.  Empty line-ups and surfing in the snow is so enjoyable.  So quiet.


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## bigbog (Nov 18, 2013)

This week should just be awesome hanging near Higgins or OO....


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## Cannonball (Feb 13, 2014)

Fortunately for this haole Waimea has come down about 30'.


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## Cannonball (Feb 14, 2014)

Just had a great session at Sandy's on Oahu.  Head high and only 4 guys out.  
Flying out shortly and looking forward to carrying that Surfy feel over to my snowboard on Sunday.


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## deadheadskier (Mar 12, 2014)

Now here's something you don't see every day........or for me, never seen

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/blogs...f-trick-hailed-best-sport-seen-113614594.html


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## Boston Bulldog (Jun 10, 2014)

1st gen CI Dumpster Diver up for sale. Looking for around $500.


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## Cannonball (Jul 14, 2014)

Boston Bulldog said:


> 1st gen CI Dumpster Diver up for sale. Looking for around $500.



Length?  Condition?


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