West End, Long Beach Surf Guide

Surf spot guide

Ideal Surf Conditions

Swell Direction

SE

Wind

N

Surf Height

Knee high-double overhead.

Tide

Sand-dependent, but all tides are rideable.

West End, Long Beach Surf Guide

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

All Abilities

BegIntAdv

Everyone, depending on the wave size and the water temperature.

Local Vibe

Doable

WelcomingIntimidating

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

MellowHeavy

It can get pretty crowded, especially during surf school season.

Spot Rating

Fun

PoorPerfect

A dependable beachbreak that can fire when conditions align.

Shoulder Burn

Medium

LightExhausting

There’s usually a fair bit of sweep on big swells. That’s why the groins were built, right?

Water Quality

Fair

CleanDirty

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?

If you have any insights or information to add to this spot guide, drop us a note at [email protected]