Hatteras and Atlantic Coast in Spring?

[pbourdon]

I did a search, but the only thread that came back was about windsurfing from some guy in Switzerland....so.....

The thought just crossed my mind that it might be a lot of fun to head down to Hatteras or some other southern Atlantic coast break for my spring break coming up next week. My original plans were to head up to the UP to do some snowboarding, but I figured camping in a southern locale and surfing for free would be cheaper than paying for lift tickets and possibly freezing my ass off winter camping up north.

So, the big question is, is there going to be surfable waves down there this time of year? It doesn't need to be big, 3-4ftrs are ideal actually. What are the water temps down there this time of year, I've got a 4/3 and a 2/1 suit. And finally, are there any places down there where one can just pitch a tent and camp for free? Or at the very least, super cheap?

Any info on this would be awesome. Thanks.

[peterslovo]

Very good chance of their being waves, as - depending on where you want to go - Hatteras can pick up all swell directions, and you can access it all in a short car ride. It could be really big this time of year. Typically, the south side of Hatteras (Frisco and south) is smaller, and will handle N to some NE winds.

Water's relatively cold down there this time of year (40s), typically use a 5 mil, but you probably could get away with a 4/3 for some time.

It's been a bunch of years, but I've had good luck camping in Frisco and Oregon Inlet, but I'm not sure if they're open this time of year.

[pbourdon]

Water's relatively cold down there this time of year (40s), typically use a 5 mil, but you probably could get away with a 4/3 for some time.

Damn, that's not what I wanted to hear....I was hoping for more like upper 50s, low 60s....thanks for the info though.

[peterslovo]

Damn, that's not what I wanted to hear....I was hoping for more like upper 50s, low 60s....thanks for the info though.

Lower your expectations by 10 degrees, and you've got it...upper 40s and lower 50s.

In fact, it's 51 according to offshore buoy.
http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=41025

[pbourdon]

Probably have to head down FLA way to get into the upper 50s low 60s then?

[peterslovo]

I spent a couple years in SC, and even there, the water temps in March were in the mid-upper 50s usually, sometimes in the 60s. You could go there, but SC (even the Washout at Folly Beach, probably its best wave) is much less consistent than the OBX.

[khakis]

go hang out on ocracoke! Fun bar at the south end. I think you can camp cheap/free almost anywhere on the island. Can usually find something breaking, though usually nothing big. Just fun, mellow surfing, hang out on the beach, camp, drink beer, fish...mmm...I'm about to convince myself to join you!

[Ottime]

You can camp just south of the Lighthouse. Basically it is camping in a field. As stated, Frisco is a bit smaller - good lefts coming off the pier. At the lighthouse, there are few jetties, which help line up the waves. If you have a 4x4, you can drive along the beaches in areas. I have at times gotten really good waves on an open sandbar near Avon and along the beach several miles south of Frisco.

Southerly winds, head north of the cape. Northerly winds head south. Lighthouse, IMO, has the tamest/easiest waves - or frisco, depending on swell direction.

Go do it. A 4/3 should be fine - but I would be sure to have booties. Also invest in a hood/gloves if you have the cash.

Another option is Long Island. Water temps are not much colder, but there are a bunch of great point/reef breaks out toward the SE tip.