Surfing in Ocean City, NJ?

Question

Ok so im new to the town and was just wondering what the best spots were and if there are any "locals ONLY" spots??? and whats the best surfshop around?

Answer 1

OC is a pretty good surf town. There are lots of surfers who live there year round. I lived there for a while (almost a year) in The early 80s, but I didn't surf there very much.

In the summer, there are only three surfing beaches, Waverly Road, 7th Street and 16th Street, and parking is tough at all three. You can surf anywhere, before ten AM and and after 5 PM, but usually 7th street is the best break, but it is a very narrow stretch of beach and REALLY crowded. Off season, and before/after hours it's not to be bad down by the old 55th street fishing pier. That's a popluar spot for surfers who live in the south end.

7th Street Surf Shop and Heritage (the late Dan Heritage started with his Little Wave Surf Shop in Sea Isle) are good shops, but my all time favorite is Surfer Supplies. I bought a nice stick in there a few years back. It is a traditional surf shop, with more emphasis on surfing than bathing suit sales, and they have a great ding man.

You are a quick drive to one of my favorite spots (still a secret, sorry). You will find a variety of legal surfing beaches in Sea Isle City, and Sea Isle has some really decent spots.

After years surfing around there, I have found that when doing the dawn patrol thing, you may have to drive from Wildwood to Longport looking for a place that's breaking, but you can almost always find one.

Watch out for the beach fees, there are only a handful of free beaches in Cape May and Atlantic Counties. Ocean City is a great town, and there are lots of times I regret moving away.have fun surfing there!

Answer 2

I think the best spot if 7thstreet. and i think the best shop is also 7thstreetsurfshop.

Answer 3

I used to spend every summer there until I was like 21 or so.  For years the break in front of Wonderland was pretty localized (7th Street?), but that was before the major beak nourishment projects moved the beach out another hundred yards or so.  I used to go down to the old broken down pier at the south end of the island (maybe around 84th street or so).  As far as shops, 7th St and Heritage have been there forever as has Surfer's Supplies on 31st St.