Vilano Surf Guide

Vilano Surf Guide

In general, all of this North Beach area is good on hurricane swells and northeasters, as it handles large swells well, maybe even better than most places to the south. On the downside, when the waves are small, North Beach is even smaller. The exception, of course, is Vilano Beach, located approximately 100 yards north of St. Augustine Inlet. The wave has been called St. Augustine's answer to Sebastian Inlet. It's not as consistent, can be smaller than its counterpart and is even more fickle, but, over the years this has been one of North Florida's most powerful breaks. During a S swell, it comes forth from the deep-dredged outwater of the Inlet, hits the shifty sandbars and jacks. Bowls and wedges make for pitching tubes, sometimes just 10 feet off the beach.

Get ready for coquina sand in your baggies, as the wave dumps and spits you out right on the sand. No wonder it's become a skimboarder's heaven, even on small days. The downside of this break is Vilano only works on high tide, as the water needs to get over the outside sandbars, it can't handle a big swell, and it's very unpredictable.