PA Surfer"s Guide to Winter Surfing

by Wesley Terry

6/29/07

There is no time of the year on the East Coast that I enjoy surfing more than the winter. There is virtually no one out at the many spots that generally have the largest crowds, and if there is anyone out chances are you are both happy the other one is there. So, here is how I as a surfer from Pennsylvania undertake this operation.

The most important thing to me is having the correct gear. I have tried many wet-suit variations and the only baseline requirement I have now is that the suit has an attached hood and well taped seams. Almost everything else can be dealt with through layering. I prefer the lobster claw glove, because my fingers get cold if separated, and the glove shape makes me feel like I have a paddle advantage. Thick booties are great, but most people don't know that wool socks don't hold water, so they are fine to put on under your booties as an extra layer (tip: I always keep my socks on when getting into my wet-suit because my feet don't get caught as easily, but obviously take them off unless they are the planned layer). I also always check my leash status before going out on a winter day. Twice I have had to go through very tough swims because of leash malfunctions on larger than average days with very few others out and really cold water (note: you float better but don't swim as fast with thick rubber on).

After all of the gear check is done it is time to have a little adventure. In the picture I have the "Stormriders Guide" (this one is for the world because I am planning on going to Australia soon, but you want the north America version), which is a great way to learn a little more about the different spots you might want to check out on a winter day. The great thing about this book is that it tells you what tides, wind directions, and swell directions work best in what areas. Considering you are driving over an hour to go surfing, you might as well be driving to the best beach for the swell. If you don't score at your first spot there are many more to check along the coast if you just keep turning pages.

One thing to look for at each spot is a large jetty. The reason this is important is that you don't want to have to duck dive more than a couple of times on each paddle out. Large jetties during larger swells generally will have a rip running up the side of them a couple feet out. Simply walk up next to the jetty on the side that looks like it is sucking out (you can usually tell my the bubbles and foam being sucked out) and make your slow paddle out. You will notice that the larger the jetty the more protection you have while paddling. This does not always work, so pick your side and your jetty wisely. You will also notice that sometimes the waves are not braking completely until the end of the jetty. If this is the case wait until a brake between sets and gun it pasts the lineup after that. You really don't want to get caught in front of the jetty on a clean up set.

Board selection is also critical to a good winter session. You want to make sure that your board has more volume than a summer or fall board. You are wearing a few extra pounds of wet gear that should be thick enough to slightly slow your paddle, so having some extra float is not a bad thing. Also, sitting above the water is key for longer sessions when the water is around 36 degrees. Generally winter waves are created by Noreasters, meaning that when the waves clean up for a session the off shore wind will be strong. You want to have some extra length on your board to get into the face. No one likes to make a late drop into a wave face you can't see because the spray shooting into your face, so getting in a little early is always the best bet.

I hope this is helpful to those who would like to enter the blissful world of winter surfing. Having premium wave selection with great parking and little to no traffic will makes the summer season look like something for the suckers.