June and July are the least consistent months of the year for rideable surf along the east coast. But this year we've seen a little uptick in wave size, more than what would be considered normal. I've honestly not left my neighborhood once and I've somehow ridden more than a hundred waves from June 1st to this point. And while there's been plenty of quantity in surf days, the quality of such has left much to be desired.
I enjoy riding a longboard, but it's hardly a thrill gliding on waves that aren't even as tall as my knees. On the days that have gone over knee-high, I've busted out the grovelers and fish to see if I could squeeze as much speed as possible out of the gutless conditions. Winds have not been great, and the timing of tides with peaks in swells not optimum. If you're trying to make a legit turn or smack a lip of consequence, you'd have just been disappointed. Outside of the groms and the beginners, there just wasn't very much hooting and hollering... just the silence that comes from not looking a gift horse in the mouth and realizing that in most years during these months my beach would look flat like a lake.
So that's why we travel in summer so much as east coasters. We pretty much have to or we'll pay the price later. There's nothing worse than having to get in shape while you're trying to navigate maxed-out size and period beach break during tropical storm surf because you've been laying around in the AC for two months eating snacks. It's much better to already be in-shape when August and September deliver the goods. The best way to do that is to sharpen your skills in some healthy travel surf, and come home ripped and ready to shred some hurricane juice.
But because I wasn't paying attention and I let my passport expire just before summer, I'm limited to travel within the United States. And outside of California, which is a complete clusterfuck of kooks and man-baby rippers crowding up every inch of every surf spot, there's not much on offer for wave quality summer surf. If only there was an American island state where the water was warm with fun waves all summer... wait a minute, actually there is. So after watching the cameras of Surfline for the past two weeks and confirming a decent forecast, I booked a trip... stay tuned to see if I find fun waves and uncrowded surf in the Aloha state. I'm on pace to ride more waves this year than any other year since I started counting them back in 2015. Below is a gallery of photos for waves on the east coast in June and July. I'll add a Hawaiian gallery after I return at the end of the month. Hope you're surfing where you are!
JUNE/JULY GALLERY
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