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Out in Nova Scotia for the summer, I finally decided to follow a life long dream and start surfing. I bought a board and wetsuit and I've only missed about 4 days over three weeks since getting set up. I friggin love it. Anyone out there a surfer too?

I have been surfing for 15+ years. I always wanted to as a kid and I took it up when I moved to LA from Montreal after university. Have been doing it ever since. I used to get out 2-3x a week but with kid, etc. I probably average once a week now, but more often when it gets good. Here in San Francisco the fall is the best time, winter is good but cold and can get really huge and rough, spring and summer are generally poor but with random periods of great surf. I got out twice this week, small waves but good time to teach my 15 year old niece to surf she was really psyched, it was cool.

What thickness wetsuit do you need in Nova Scotia in the summer? How are the waves? Are there lots of different breaks to go to? Does it get crowded?

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Hey thanks for that!

I'm wearing a 4/3 and it's toasty warm but my feet hurt from the water after an hour and a half - I'm thinking of getting boots. I ride a 7'4" longboard / fun shape / cheater / hybrid now but my cousin has a fish which I love and I'm thinking of picking one up when I'm out here surfing in the fall. In the last 3 weeks the waves have ranged from 1.5 feet to 12 feet. The problem is the wind is off the water and when it gets big they are about 4 or 5 seconds apart and impossible to get past the break. It gets better in the fall I guess, but I'm only out here for a week or two each fall. Today was choppy, big and tight. Tomorrow Magic seaweed calls for 9 - 10 seconds between 7' waves with no wind. I'm a bit stoked hoping to ride something nice.

the breaks are pretty good and there are several. I go to a beach 10 minutes from where I stay in the summer, but there are many more. Apparently when things are good (fall and winter) near a reef / point / boulder zone near the end of the beach it barrels pretty beautifully - though I'm not at that stage yet.
I surf at Martinique beach - the A - frame and the cove as well as at Cow bay (also known as "moose" and at Lawerancetown. One day at L-town we had 3' glassy waves with a long peeling right handed break coming off the point. I got up loads and really really fell in love that day. There are other back road places to find too - some rocky, some off an ugly point, some so sketchy you need to jump out of a boat to surf though currently since standing up and turning is tough enough for me these exotic breaks will have to wait.

from what I've heard though the best breaks are on the south shore at the White point beach lodge. I'll be able to report on this later as I'm going to stay there with the family later this summer.

Crowds: Currently I try to find folks to surf with - I get to the beach at around 7:30 and wait for someone to show up. I don't like being in the water alone - though I've been surfing alone a bit. When the fall / winter Atlantic hurricane season hits things here get sick. Apparently folks come from around the world to freeze their balls off on our beaches here. It's most crowded in October.



I frigging love it. Next September I'm planning a gig in S.F - I'm going to do the fringe - I'll probably only make enough to cover the trip, but I plan on adding a couple of days surfing on at both ends. Is september any good out there?

In addition to this I've found that there are many crazies who surf the great lakes in the fall and winter. I'm loving the sport so much now that I just might find myself that desperate.

I hope to one day teach my kids. There is something so indescribably wonderful about surfing I just can't believe it. the words aren't there yet to describe how much I love it and how friggin healthy it is for me.
j

Still have not surfed yet, but will be this winter.

Not sure if it would help, but the place I'm going has a bunch of podcast of an instructional nature.

http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZSt ... =354136700

Unforutnately, it is impossible to surf in this province. Well, maybe not impossible... but you'd have to hit up like, Lake Athabasca I think to do it.

The nearest surfing spot to me is Grand Beach on Lake Winnipeg. Hence I've never gone. I'd love to learn, though, always have wanted to. It's on the list of things to do when I go to Melbourne.

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Thanks Hounsy!

Where are you going this winter surfing?

I'm planning on hitting Lake Erie a bunch.

The Wife and I are going to Costa Rica for a learn to surf specific vacation. The link for where we are going is in the podcast link.

You got me looking at youtube videos and apparently people do find surf in the great lakes so maybe I will get the bug and bring it back with me.

I followed that link.

WOW - that's going to be a fucking fan fucking tastic trip!

Rock it!

Halifax sounds like good surfing, love the lack of crowds. I will have to make it up there someday! I lived in Toronto for a few years and was tempted to try lake surfing but never made it. Apparently there is a stationary wave in Montreal on the st. lawrence, not real surfing but good practice.

September here is usually the best month. Summer onshore winds are largely gone and decent swells come in but not usually the huge winter swells (regularly gets 20-30'+ here in the winter). Great weather too. Give me a shout before you come out if I am in town I can hook you up with some gear and show you some spots.

All this surf talk makes we want to paddle out but it is blown out today. Seems like this has been the worst summer for surf here in years. If I am still inspired I may try to get some tomorrow at dawn pre-work before the winds come up, but that never seems as tempting at 5am as it did the day before.

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I must say that Lawerancetown can get a bit apey on a good day crowdwise - the winter / fall season can be crazy and the place to catch breaks on the right point can get overloaded with more than 6 people.

Today we had 6' waves with a cross wind 8 seconds apart. Busting past the beach break was a bitch with my 7'4" board. Once out I managed to pearl once, get up and crash hard a couple of times and whimp out and just lie on my belly and hold on for dear life at least twice - this was when there were some 8' swells heading at me and I just decided to bail early rather than have my ass kicked again.

While there I hung out and surfed with 3 others. I was there from 9 - noon and eventually the life guards took turns riding and some other dude showed up. As I drove home from the beach at least two or three other cars with boards were on their way in.

I'm going again tomorrow.

I didn't get my lazy ass out of bed for a pre-work surf and looks like it was the best morning in a while, head-high and semi-clean. Lame. Maybe tomorrow!

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Face reality and wait for a good evening forecast. (assuming they do happen)

Ha, that is likely what will happen. Good afternoon conditions are not unheard of in the summer, just rare due to afternoon winds.

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I was surfing in Waikiki a few months back. I enjoyed the hell out of it except for falling on all the coral.

I'd like to do some stand up paddle boarding....that shit looks cool and might be something I can do around here.

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I used to surf the "Joisey shore" when I was a kid. I loved it- but never bought a board. Wish I had time for it these days.

To those who do- I shall live vicariously through you! Have fun!!!

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Posting your political views on social media is like sticking your head up your ass & whispering: You're just as likely to change someone's mind, and you'll always come out looking like a shithead.

Sunny skies, off shore breeze, waves just about head high - busy day at the beach - at least 40 surfers hanging out riding beach breaks and another 10 hot shots riding a cool a frame that barrels over and around a bunch of rocks near the point at the far end of the beach. No line ups, just good times. I flew a bunch today. It was fun.

made it out on saturday for some small and sloppy surf. fun though - no crowds, a couple good rides. foggy but warm.

What is the sea life like in Halifax - do you see any cool animals while out there? Out here you usually see at least one sea lion or dolphin depending where you are. If you end up over a school of fish it can get pretty crazy with pelicans dive bombing everywhere and lots of dolphins and sea lions. I have been in the middle of pods of dolphins swimming right by my board so close you can see in there eyes and down the blowhole. Rafts of huge sea lions too, pretty cool. Occasionally an otter but that is rare around here. The nature out there is one of my favorite things about surfing.

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35 + trips out in Nova Scotia surfing this summer. It was frigging fantastic. I can now surf waves.

I've started lake surfing with my first adventure jumping off the end of a pier just yesterday. Things were mushy, waist high and warm. I was in Coburg Ontario. That's right. Coburg Ontario.

Great Lakes surfing has been going on since the 50's. Check out some of the footage on this video - pro surfers catching overheads and doubles in 33 degree water...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiEi59gm ... re=related

Three weeks ago there were head high waves breaking just a 8 minute walk from my house with 3 guys out. Choppy - 6 seconds apart but head high none the less...

j

So,

I've ditched my 7'4" board in favor of a 9'6" tuff lite 'basic nugget'

I fucking love longboarding.

I was out today in knee to waist high waves. They were long peeling rights, cleaner than Leave it to Beaver. The water was so cold it hurt my hands, but with my 4 / 3 suit and 8mil boots I was in the water for 2.5 hours. I was the only one surfing at Ashbridges Bay today. This was in prime surfing time 4 - 6pm.

That big low that's been making things tuff in the midwest has been making beautiful swells all over the lakes.

Lake superior had 18' waves 12 seconds apart. I've seen photos of people dropping in on double overhead waves up there.

I shit you not.

The only things the lakes are missing is salt to make the water more buoyant and tasty, kelp or seagrass for me to chew on and tides to fuck things up every now and then.

sweet rides

BTW, I've been out at least 10 time so far on the lakes and it's a gas. Lake Erie seems to have the most consistent surf on the Canadian side, Huron isn't bad either.

Lake O is picky but Coburg Ontario is sick. You walk to the end of the pier past the break. or out onto a jetty passed the break, jump in, surf to the beach get out of the water and walk back out.

No pounding out through a nasty beach break in order to surf.

Much fun. Much stoke.

Hounsey, if you like this shit after your magical trip, I'll make you a lake board

(that's my latest thing, I'm shaping my own board in the basement) I'm making a 6'6" Simmons style board. 3" thick and 23" wide. that and just a 3" rocker in the nose and no tail rocker

The little bitch is going to paddle so frigging fast...

I'm calling it the "sloppy six pack"

I want to create a line of easy to paddle wave catchers for the over 35 year old crowd that doesn't want to work too hard to catch waves

Low performance logs for loafs who like to float.

Wow i had no idea lake waves are that clean and consistent - I thought it was more like get out a few times a year if you are lucky. very cool, I will keep that in mind if I ever move back to TO! I would suggest gloves if its that cold - I always thought they were lame but broke down and got a pair last winter it makes a big difference on the coldest days. A little hard to get used to, makes paddling harder at first but then no problem. Just a few years ago I refused to wear a hood, now on cold days I'm fckn bundled up out there!

Things here have gotten good here after a miserable summer. Past two months I've been out probably 10-15 times with a handful of really good days with clean 8-10 ft waves. I find as I get older I have no interest in pushing myself past the 10 foot range, I have nothing to prove and I don't need to go out in crazy waves to scare the shit out of myself - being married with a kid is scary enough! My favorite surf these days at my local spot (Ocean Beach, SF)is around 6-8 feet and I have been going out at a high tide so they don't break too hard, giving an easier ride. Also this keeps the crowd down as rippers will wait for the lower tide for faster waves and barrel potential.

My main board is a 6'8" x 20.25" firewire, when it gets to 10' my step-up board is a 6'10" x 19.5" santa cruz and below 4' I have a santa cruz 'pumpkin seed' 6'4" x 20 or 21ish, very little rocker, kind of a faux-fish with a pintail. I think for next summer I'll get a proper fish for a little more float.

this is my main board the 6'8 firewire alternator: http://www.firewiresurfboards.com/quiver_boards.php?boardid=alternator

it is easily the best board I have ever owned, paddles great and rips.

Looks like it is going to be good here tomorrow, calling for 6-10'+ with high tide nicely timed for an after work session - hell yeah!

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