Reef Road Surf Guide

Reef Road Surf Guide

Although moody, Reef Road is by far the best spot in South Florida and an excellent wave by any standard. On smaller swells -- under chest-high -- the waves are slow and tend to section off. But when big NE swells are running, lines wrap around Palm Beach Inlet's South Jetty and form long, muscular, point-like lefts that push down the sandbar for more than 100 yards. It's not particularly hollow, but it's exceptionally racy and barrels toward the inside on larger swells. SW winds open the lefts even more.

The coastline south of Palm Beach Inlet faces slightly southeast, so while N winds blow sideshore across the Inlet, they do little to bother the lefts at Reef Road. On the biggest, most out-of-control windswells, huge peaks break in the deep water of the cove, the little crescent of beach up against the south jetty. The gut-wrenching drops are a blast, and some of the waves push through to the beach. Paddle out next to the jetty, but be careful not to be swept onto the rocks. On smaller days, better windswell peaks will be found at Flagpole. When Reef Road is sizable, rogue sets clear the lineup a few times per hour.