Lots of waves (if swellinfo and magicseaweed are believed) for the weekend and week ahead. All from local disturbances. No hurricanes required.
This is the beginning of the best time of year for long boat surfers to get into it since most beach breaks will be largely devoid of the swimmers and kayak launch restrictions get relaxed. I used to enjoy organizing long boat surf sessions where we get 15-20 long boat surfers attending. Lots of fun in addition to good real-need bracing and rolling practices. All contributed to budding interest in surf specific kayak designs and now my current, overriding addition to waveskis.
Wonder if anyone does/organizes long boat sessions anymore.
@Rookie said:
I’d have to leave now. It’s about a thousand miles of driving.
Ah… Fly out?
When I went to my first Santa Cruz surf kayaking festival/comp over 10 years ago, I booked a hotel and flew out. That first year, I rented a ww kayak from a local outfit to use (also met Seadart that year). My second year, someone I didn’t know actually stepped up and loaned me his Riot Boogie surf kayak. Third year, I flew out with waveski in surf bag. If not apparent, I wanted in on that action.
I think the north shore crew is still running strong and getting out for long boat surf sessions. Nice people and many paddle year round. On the south shore I know of few, if any groups, doing the same. Too bad as there is a pretty good venue, the new inlet/spit in Scituate, that requires a long boat, or a lot of walking, to access. Nice big sand bar with a river outlet adjacent south of it, can ride waves in and ride the current out. I haven’t been out there in years since I’ve been in daddy mode. I’ve been sticking more to the surf kayak, and the mostly shorter time requirements of hitting a beach break, compared to the full day long boat excursions.
Thanks for the heads up! Looks like next week is lining up nicely for good conditions and a good mid-day tide cycle. I’ll have to get my gear ready.
@Johnnysmoke said:
I think the north shore crew is still running strong and getting out for long boat surf sessions. Nice people and many paddle year round. On the south shore I know of few, if any groups, doing the same. Too bad as there is a pretty good venue, the new inlet/spit in Scituate, that requires a long boat, or a lot of walking, to access. Nice big sand bar with a river outlet adjacent south of it, can ride waves in and ride the current out. I haven’t been out there in years since I’ve been in daddy mode. I’ve been sticking more to the surf kayak, and the mostly shorter time requirements of hitting a beach break, compared to the full day long boat excursions.
Thanks for the heads up! Looks like next week is lining up nicely for good conditions and a good mid-day tide cycle. I’ll have to get my gear ready.
Assume you are talking of the (in)famous North River spit. Have not done that one. Need a strong crew for that one. It reminds me of Brave Boat Harbor/ME set up. We did a session with surf specific kayaks, on an overhead post nor’ester session. Yowsa! What a blast on long peeling waves from the estuary opening all the way in. All fun and games, until one of the riders flipped, blew his roll and bailed. He was hanging onto his boat and not wanting to let go as the outgoing rip was carrying him further out to sea. He didn’t want to but I convinced him to ditch the boat so we can tow him back in. Two of us did that while a couple of others tried to get his submerged surf kayak in. No dice. I think that kayak probably ended up in England or Ireland on the outgoing current! LOL! No one died. So it was all good.
BTW. The Braveboat Harbor incident and one of my own in York/ME, started me on the trek to waveskis because both incidents point to futility of trying to get back into a low volume surf boat in the surf, even with partners. With a waveski, climbing back on if one blows a roll or two is very much a doable option.
Checking out Braveboat harbor (probably named that for a reason) and the new inlet on Google maps, look similar in setup. I bet braveboat gets a lot more energy coming in because it’s more exposed, while the new inlet has the Cape blocking it a bit more.
I’ve only ever sea kayak “surfed” out at the new inlet, but have gone for swims where the boat has been ripped from my hands by waves towards the beach, and I’ve been carried out in the opposite direction by the current. It’s a terrible experience, but that’s why I don’t go out there alone if there’s energy in the water.
Yeah rescuing a surf kayak in deep water, especially from another surf kayak, would be extremely difficult. They’re not the most stable craft, and don’t have a lot of places to grab them. I have trouble getting in my surf kayak on the beach, I seriously doubt I could get in from another surf kayak, I’d probably just sink both. If there were float bags I think the only thing you could maybe do is dump the water out and try to tow it to shore, if you had a tow system with you. Just towing a swimmer in on the back of your surf boat would be a struggle. Sounds like ditching the boat was the best call for the situation you were in. I would be pissed to loose at least a 1k toy, but if it were sketchy enough to ditch it I might just feel lucky to be on land.
The waveski definitely sounds like the way to go. I’m just physically too large to comfortably fit in surf kayaks, I think they’re designed for folks around 5’7 and 160lbs, and I’m 6’2 with size 13 feet. Not comfortable. I have to shoehorn myself into my current boat.
Where does one park to access the Braveboat harbor?
Where does one park to access the Braveboat harbor?
I don’t mind mentioning spot as the access is no longer available. A local showed us to a back road to a dirt road, follow by a 200 yard portage and 1/4 mile paddle out through the marsh to the estuary mouth. Somebody complained and a residents’ only parking signs went up and down the road.
Can still access Brave Boat Harbor, but only by a bit of a paddle with a long boat from kittery. Unfortunate, in that the place is one of the more awesome point break set up for surf specific kayaks or waveskis in the east coast.
That’s too bad about the access, looks like a sweet spot. Maine seems pretty stingy with their waterfront access.
New Inlet is similar setup, about a half hour paddle in a sea kayak from the free parking lot/put in at the driftway, though the marsh. I have talked to locals who have walked out there from the parking lot, apparently there is a trail, but I haven’t personally checked it out. I’ve thought about walking the surf kayak out on my shoulder, light out, heavy on the way back. Have also thought about towing the surf boat out behind a sea kayak, put a cockpit cover on for towing, or tie it to the rear deck, but haven’t tried it yet. Usually just surf the sea kayak when I’m out there.
Last time I was there was on a 14 foot sup a few summers ago, got some good rides. Even on a flat summer day you can often find knee to thigh high waves around the sand bar. Also a great low tide destination for a hot summer day, one of the nicest beaches around and boat access only.
I just hope it doesn’t get sharky.
I also need to check out peggaty beach, supposed to be a good left there, but you can get worked in the rocks. Went a few years ago but haven’t been back.
I have done Peggoty several times. One set wave on the point. Nice ride. I was out there with a couple surf kayakers. One blew his roll twice and bailed. A little bit of drama in towing him out from a beating along the boulder sea wall. Haven’t gone back since. Largely because with one set wave, it’s a limited resource that locals are territorial about. We were getting some serious stink eye. At my home break, there are three really nice set waves. an offshore reef break and mediocre point a bit far from the parking. So, more resources, less territorial behavior but very low tolerance for bad surf etiquette. I have seen enforcement taking place. A number of years back, one newbie to the break kept dropping in on me (probably because I was the only surf paddler). Finally told him if he kept dropping dangerously in on me, I would break his face when I see him on shore. Off course, I was raging enough to be serious about the threat ( and I also knew the long time locals won’t be piling in on me in a fight as I was already known and accepted in the line up). The underside.
Sux – I woke too late for dawn patrol today. Some nice medium-long swells rollling in this morning.
I got out for an hour at Nantasket 2 hours after the tide turned. I choose the uncrowded south side of the beach, which sometimes has a nice little bowl that holds waves, but today was just mushy shore break. The typical spot further north was kind of packed today. I also haven’t been out in the surf boat for a while, so I kept hesitating to really commit getting on any waves that didn’t look perfect. So no rides, but I did get out in the surf boat for an hour, hopefully my surf mojo will be back if there’s decent waves next time. Would have actually been a good day for the sea kayak, which could have hooked up some rides from way out back, and run straight into the beach.
@Johnnysmoke said:
I got out for an hour at Nantasket 2 hours after the tide turned. I choose the uncrowded south side of the beach, which sometimes has a nice little bowl that holds waves, but today was just mushy shore break. The typical spot further north was kind of packed today. I also haven’t been out in the surf boat for a while, so I kept hesitating to really commit getting on any waves that didn’t look perfect. So no rides, but I did get out in the surf boat for an hour, hopefully my surf mojo will be back if there’s decent waves next time. Would have actually been a good day for the sea kayak, which could have hooked up some rides from way out back, and run straight into the beach.
Several weeks back, I walked along the 'tasket on a windy, short period wave day (after brunch at Stars). No one was out in the usual spots as it was high tide and the waves were pretty messy. I got down to the south bowl and saw a couple of guys out there. Seemed like there was an offshore hump that provided a short peel for the two to work with. The bowl seems like an interesting spot to keep in mind for some less than ideal conditions.
I actually got to 'tasket for a near dawn patrol, given the good session I had there the last time. It looked good on buoy data and initially in person… But, the actual riding was so, so. Something with the swell direction and strong diagonal offshore made for a lot of quick closeouts. Also, the strong offshore made dropping down the face slow. Almost, felt like I was pinned on top of the lip for additional second or two before the drop. Once I dropped in, I could ride a diagonal for a short section before the whole wave closed out. I finally went back down to the area in front of the bath house and band stand. As last time, there was an offshore hump, combined with a rip, to create a peel to the left. Got some okay rides in. A long boardie noticed and asked, “What is that thing (the waveski)? It’s awesome!” Yup. Having an active paddle helped to get some speed to stay in front of the quick peel.
Interesting tid bit. I wore my Fitbit just to track my output while surfing. I burned 25% more calories and had an higher average heart rate in two hours of paddle surfing than what I put out in my normal two hours of daily bike commute. Good to know that surfing gives a good work out (also, to stay in shape to maximize a surf session).
Yeah I’m still trying to find a way to get back in shape. Before the kid I’d paddle 3x a week, after a few weeks of that I’d be in decent kayak condition, could paddle for a long time in knarly conditions. Now I’m a creampuff who gets worn out putting my boat on the car. Friday was my first time back in the surf kayak since early spring, so just needed to get that awkward session over and done with. I guess I’ll figure it out eventually.
I think the current might run south when the tide is ebbing, washing out that south side of the beach with the water looping around in the rocks by the abandoned restaurant, but that’s just a guess. Seems like it should be better than it actually is.
Wednesday looks good, if you can believe the surf forecasts.
Your time ain’t yours when you have young one(s). It’ll pass by quick. I enjoyed my kids’ toddler/school aged years.
Yes. The persistent E-ENE winds have been roiling up the local breaks. If the winds go offshore tomorrow as projected, the waves might afford some fun despite being short-medium period. I plan on getting a dawn patrol in.
If time is limited, this weekend affords a bigger window and the arrival of real swells (from Leslie).
Enjoying the amount of wave days on the tail end of the summer so far.
@Johnnysmoke said:
And the water is still in the 60’s!
Yes. It’s a beautiful and convenient thing. Last winter, my off-side roll went 50/50 on me (forgetting to pull up on the footstrap rather than over-relying on the paddle sweep). Cold water does not spur a commitment to making corrections, especially if the on-side is working
So, each session, this warm season, I stuck with the commitment of ending the session with three good off-side roll before getting off the water. Regaining my confidence in the off-side. Better now than searching for the offside during a post nor’easter surf session. :#
Got out around 11, but I should have hustled a little more this morning, and tried for earlier/mid-tide. I got there an hour before high tide, the wind was coming up, and the incoming tide started washing down the waves. Only the bigger waves were managing to break, but were dumping close to shore, and I didn’t want to play in knee deep water, so I called it quits after maybe an hour. Good day to get out, water is still warm, but very windy. Got blown sideways trying to get on the waves, didn’t have the power or speed to make it down the face, just kept getting blown back.
Got to practice my roll getting out through the break zone, so that’s still working, which is good.
