Long Sands Beach:
Although a lot of people surf Long Sands, it’s not on the top of the list of regional quality waves. Its nickname, Sloppy Joe’s, is a good indicator of this. There are several peaks along the strip, which help to spread out the crowd. On a decent day, any of those peaks can offer up some long, fun rides. Long Sands is a great place for beginners, due to its wave and crowd factors. The major drawback to summer is that surfers are restricted to a designated surfing area during lifeguard hours, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. This forces everyone to share a single peak. Prime conditions occur during the winter, when bigger swells from winter storms start rolling in and the wind direction is more favorable.
Short Sands Beach is a tiny strip in the town of York Beach that faces north/northeast. The wave is fickle, but can be a goofyfooter’s dream. The beach provides steep, fast, hollow lefts and an occasional right. The perfect combo is a north swell with a south wind, which is about as common as surfing without a wetsuit in Maine – yeah, you get it. If this phenomenon occurs during the summer months, which has been known to happen, and you happen to be around, you, friend, are blessed with some fantastic luck. Spoiler though: surfing is strictly off limits, and violators face tickets and fines, which is enforced.