Cole -
I found your statistic amusing. Back in the mid/late 60s, O Club was packed with a bunch of us less accomplished surfers. Later we graduated to 2nd Lite (originally known as AP Shack, but then the CCB boys got to it and changed the name) which had a somewhat heavier wave, especially when the shorebreak was coming into those huge boulders that used to line the dune. I noticed (as you observed) that the crowd is heavier at O Club again. I am guessing that the old guys prefer the softer sliders as we did when we were just starting out. The cycle of life in action.

I would also note that there was another reason we hung out at O Club even in high school esp in summer. The Officers Club pool drew a lot of high school hotties in bikinis. Nothing like leaning against a hood and looking cool to draw them in. (Never seemed to work, but we kept trying.)

Agree with Cole. Kept a journal when I started FIT in the early 90's and it showed lots of great days of good swell and associated winds. Boardwalk was a great wave with awesome shore break and the 2nd light area felt like point breaks. My theories on surf degradation are 1. beach replenishment, made worse by shit sand 2. those offshore reefs put in place a few years back 3. decades long cyclical weather patterns (less NE swells) 4. my arthritic shoulders and adult responsibilities. I'd like a solid Cat 5 to park itself offshore a few hundred miles and pump in monster swell to reset the beach and protective reef aka underwater breakwaters. Of course this would lead to more renourishment starting the stupid cycle again. How does anyone support pumping in sand. Such a waste of time, energy, resources for no long term benefit. In fact its so stupid it might be the only thing on NSR that everyone could agree on.

Surfed a little clean bump today. It was small but it worked.

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"One of the reasons why propaganda tries to get you to hate government is because it's the one existing institution in which people can participate to some extent and constrain tyrannical unaccountable power." Noam Chomsky.

Well...little need to worry about overhead swell/ lots of wind chop over this summer.
My friends at rosentiel atmospheric sciences have a rather pessimistic view of between now and thanksgiving for our area.
But of course they are all a part of the great global liberal climate change conspiracy....
btw: i've surfed this area since the early '60s. There's plenty of waves out there folks....
go have fun

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It's a democratic hoax

Edited: 05/09/2024 at 09:18 PM by nukeh2o

And hopefully ease these stupid sand dumps, since they'll be gone by September.
again

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It's a democratic hoax

If you learn to foil, every day is 1 foot and firing. Choppy or glassy.

Offshore reefs?

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"If I say it's safe to surf this beach, captain, then it's safe to surf this beach!"

I went to RSMAS as well. It's supposed to be a very active La Nina transition tropical season, so maybe I'm misunderstanding their pessimistic view for wave potential for our area?

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"If I say it's safe to surf this beach, captain, then it's safe to surf this beach!"

Edited: 05/10/2024 at 05:16 AM by SurfCaster

All you have to do is look at Sebastian Inlet from the 70's to now.. It's been a precursor to what has been occurring further north in our county for sometime. There is too much sand on our beaches. Take a look at pictures of our beaches from the 60's to now if you aren't aware. Thank heavens for coquina rock at a few select locations!

Edited: 05/10/2024 at 08:41 AM by MWD407

The offshore reefs put in the IHB area and south a few years back about 100 yards off the beach.

We started exploring south of Indie in 64-65, shark pit, the spot, the well, the hippie house, spanny, whiteys and the north jetty among others. Some we found with the board to board walk to the beach and just surfed there, once the bridge and jetty were finished it was the jetty and wabasso. Worked at Long Point in 67-68 and didn't have to be to work until 9 so had many sessions where the only things in sight were the herons! Had some awesome weekend surf parties at the well with bondfires and slept on the bluff--great times!

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Romans 8;18-32 John 3;16-18; Ecl. 10-2

My suspicion as well. Losing that little bit of wave energy on those reefs, that makes all the difference between "small-but-fun-and-rideable" and "lump-breaking-on-the-beach".

Was not aware of those...USACE says 1000ft not 100yds and will not affect wave break... but we've heard that before. I'm no biologist but how does a reef 1/4 mile offshore replicate the coquina worm rock reef habitat in the surf zone? Separate topic I guess

USACE reef project link

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"If I say it's safe to surf this beach, captain, then it's safe to surf this beach!"

Edited: 05/11/2024 at 06:06 AM by SurfCaster

The mitigation reefs did nothing to the surf. They are too deep. You guys are grasping for reasons why the surf is crappy.

So what did they mitigate?

The politicians, developers, and newcomers care about the waves. But all they can do is SUP so to them 0.5 ft glass that never breaks is "firing"

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"If I say it's safe to surf this beach, captain, then it's safe to surf this beach!"

Edited: 05/19/2024 at 05:37 AM by SurfCaster

95% of Brevard's beaches are no longer surfable past mid-tide going high unless there's a bit of size. I blame it on all the sand we keep dumping on the beach, but what do I know?

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R I P Mama G.

@Salt.And.Savagery.Fishing

@Laserwolf.Laserwolf

Edited: 05/19/2024 at 06:19 AM by Long Beard

https://www.visitspacecoast.com/blog/39-million-beach-restoration-project-protects-wildlife-while-protecting-way-of-life/

http://www.visitspacecoast.com...otecting-way-of-life/

What's funny is the fact that the best part of Cocoa Beach is the part that wasn't restored the last time around.

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I was right.