Palm Beach Surf Guide

Palm Beach Surf Guide

Working on any ground or windswell, this mile-long stretch rivals Lake Worth Pier's title as the most consistent surf spot in South Florida. Although the outside reef fires on occasion, it's really an inside wave and something of a reform. It can't hold much size, but north swells in the shoulder-high range will spiral into good, left barrels. Rare souths spin excellent rights, and windswells construct good ramps for a growing number of aerialists.

Flagpole is part of the Palm Beach Public Beach, which sits at the end of Royal Palm Way, a continuation of Okeechobee Boulevard. Either come up A1A from Southern Boulevard (or from farther south), or come east across the middle bridge (Okeechobee Bridge) until you run into the beach. Metered parking is plentiful but costly. The Palm Beach Police Force and its underlying meter maids are sticklers. Many of them harbor a grudge against surfers, so be sure to drive the speed limit. There are free one-hour parking places along the east/west streets.

The sand shifts quite a bit, and different swells will focus better on different peaks, but the main break is between the flagpole, the lifeguard tower and Charlie's Crab Restaurant. Be nice to the lifeguards. Most of them are surfers, so if they clear a good peak, they're just doing their jobs. The public beach is usually crowded, especially on weekends, holidays and before and after business and school hours. Local grommets and transplants from Palm Beach Atlantic College overrun the wave, and though it's generally a user-friendly place with enough peaks to go around, it gets very competitive when school is out. Furthermore, there are a few aggressive, older locals who have weathered all the changes and who understandably feel they are entitled to their pick of the litter. They particularly despise surfers who travel up from Dade and Broward. The locals know the place so well they don't generally resort to violent tactics, but like rattlesnakes, they will bite back if they're provoked.