West End, Long Beach Surf Guide
Surf spot guide
Ideal Surf Conditions
Swell Direction
SE, S
Wind
N
Surf Height
Knee-high to double overhead.
Tide
Sand-dependent, but all tides are rideable.
West End, Long Beach Surf Guide
through perhaps not as popular as the event-decorated Long Beach beachbreaks of Lincoln or Laurelton, the West End nonetheless faces pretty much the same direction, if not a lil’ SW, and pretty much has the same jetty/groin setups. And the hollow lefts rifling off the rocks at low tide can feel similar. The West End operates on hurricane swells and nor'easters alike, but can perhaps handle NE winds better than other New York beachbreaks, its jetties sometimes organizing storm surf into peaky fun. A good spot to check when the rest of Long Island is maxed out.
Ability Level
Intermediate - Advanced
Everyone, from posers to pros, depending on the wave size and the water temperature.
Local Vibe
Doable
Long Beach is one of the most hardcore surf towns on the East Coast. It didn’t get that way by being sweet.
Crowd Factor
Moderate
It can get pretty crowded, especially during surf school season.
Spot Rating
Fun
A dependable beachbreak that can fire at will — like a retirement home for aging rippers who can’t handle Lido beatings anymore.
Shoulder Burn
Medium
There’s usually a fair bit of sweep on big swells. That’s why the groins were built, right?
Water Quality
Fair
When it comes to pollution, well, the Big Apple is not that far away. However, this spot historically passed water quality tests at least 95% of the time.
Hazards
Debris, hypothermia.
Bring Your
Shortboard, Fish, Funboard, Longboard, Bodyboard
Access
Metered parking.
Bottom
Sand with a bit of jetty crud.
Best Season
September-March
Do you have local knowledge about West End, Long Beach?
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