Hi,
Planning my next trip. Can anyone recommend to me the best places to surf out at the Outer Banks / Cape Hatteras?
I have heard Buxton Beach is good.
What do you recommend for surfing, and where to launch?
thanks
Matt
Hatteras thoughts
Matt,
We can discuss, but thought I would throw my input on here for others to enjoy/challenge. For straight up seakayak surfing, I have not found a ton of great spots - although have not really looked that hard. The waves tend to be fairly powerful shore break often dumping; particularly north of the cape. There are jetties at Buxton Beach near the old lighthouse site that change the dynamic and might be a good spot to check out. South of the cape, the island forms a bight and in most conditions it seems to have smaller, less powerful waves that spill more than dump. (These are really generalized observations here)
Paddling the Point (the area right at the tip of the cape) can be a blast. It can be big and confused - a real washing maching area. The width depends on overall conditions but extends far to sea as it is the bottom of Diamond Shoals. Access can be a problem depending on NPS closures due to nesting birds/turtles. You can always paddle to the point, but it might add a few miles to your day. Also LOTS of Fishermen if the point is open, so best to launch and land from at least a bit of distance and paddle in.
Best launch options for any of the area is just to drive onto an open section of beach and launch in the surf. If conditions are dumping and difficult, you can try launching in Buxton or near the piers in Avon or Rodanthe as those structures seem to break up the waves a bit. There is a board surfing area known as S-turn that I have paddled past, but not tried to surf. It is just north of the village of Rodanthe.
Another spot to catch some longer rides might be in the inlet between Hatteras and Ocracoke. I can’t remember the status of driving out there on the beach - it is a significant paddle from some of the other areas to get to the inlet.
I did a lot of surfing there as a teen
And the best break always seemed to be at the S-Curves up by Rodanthe. South of the Cape was pretty good too. My folks had a house at Avon and the surf there wasn’t much.