Biggest scam are those places that have a seawall put up by the Federal government to protect their PRIVATE property. Those owners then put up "access stairs" to the beach over that wall. Private property, of course with little parking areas that the public can't use. And the one or two that are 'open', there is no parking ANYWHERE in the area because the locals don't want you there in the first place.
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NJ beaches ranked worst to first (Trigger warning: this is a surfing-adjacent thread).
- Thread starter hal9000
- Start date
They will get you. Got me once and took my friend and me to jail! Belmar, 1971.
How does surfing in the summer, during the day, work in NJ? Are you only able to surf at one single beach (i guess you can walk up and down the beach once you are there)?
Feeling quite lucky with my $40 parking sticker that gives me access to miles and miles and miles of beaches. And anywhere else, you can easily park/walk for free if you're thoughtful
Feeling quite lucky with my $40 parking sticker that gives me access to miles and miles and miles of beaches. And anywhere else, you can easily park/walk for free if you're thoughtful
Varies. Some places it's a town-wide no-go, some places, there's an area the size of a walmart kiddie pool marked by buoys, probably some places with no restrictions.
Ouch - is it legal? Towns enacting restrictions on water?
I know this happens with surf comps - which are infrequent so infrequently complained about / no need for enforcement.
I'd guess that if enough dudes wanted to surf there would be lawsuit that happened already
What am i missing?
You can't drive to and visit Jalama for free for at least 15 years (?) without purchasing a day or annual pass. There's no legal parking for miles outside the gate and it's flanked by miles of private property in both directions. I can't think of any other place in CA that's like that.
Only time I ever got busted was high school being young and dumb when I brought a few girls down to just chill at the beach while I surfed. Didn’t end up doing much surfing and went back to my truck for beers and pushed my luck. The lady behind the booth sent the “blue shirts” over, which is just a few poor souls probably not much older than I was that have no real power
at first our two options were ticket or pay up. I asked if we could just leave and they allowed that instead
in all honesty the booth people seem to give surfers a pass at my local for the most part.
Only time I ever got busted was high school being young and dumb when I brought a few girls down to just chill at the beach while I surfed. Didn’t end up doing much surfing and went back to my truck for beers and pushed my luck. The lady behind the booth sent the “blue shirts” over, which is just a few poor souls probably not much older than I was that have no real power
at first our two options were ticket or pay up. I asked if we could just leave and they allowed that instead
in all honesty the booth people seem to give surfers a pass at my local for the most part.
people of NJ like this system?
maybe...
it keeps the mini-vans full of lakewooders off the pay-for-sand zones in the summer ?
Well NJ people, what you say?maybe...
it keeps the mini-vans full of lakewooders off the pay-for-sand zones in the summer ?
Only the people who live there like anywhere else, localism is great if you are a local.
I dunno. Apparently the town of Hallandale in Florida banned all surfing, but the Florida courts threw it out. My guess is, it varies state to state.
What you are missing (I am guessing you are a Californian):
New Jersey has a short and very intense beach season. See and be "Scene". Wilmington, Philadelphia, half of Baltimore, and half of New York crash the place, and the primary daytime water activity appears to be standing in the impact zone screaming your face off all day long.
In contrast the powers-that-be in that zone are very career/goal-oriented. I'm talking, surfing doesn't mean sh!t to the Dean of Admissions at Penn (Gravy Jersey Shore) or Princeton (Snookie Jersey Shore) and I hope you had fun making that sandcastle/snowman when you were four, because after Labor Day, Kindergarten starts, and playtime is fukn over.
Typically every year I'll be surfing some rando street in Jax Beach and someone from Up Nawth will obviously Up Nawth all over the shop. Normally it's a tentative question about parking or beach tags, and when they get the good to go, they stride forth over the dunes as boldly and cockstrong as Ponce de Leon ever did. Sometimes it's someone openly gawking at me doing the towel wrap/trou drop/trunks or wettie on in public and letting everyone know. That one happens a shitload on the Treasure Coast/Palm Beaches.
I haven't been asked for a tag in years but I'm in a town where every block has beach access and no boardwalk/attractions. Last I checked seasonal tags bought early are $5 and shared with the town next door. "Enforcement" is done by roving teens who are too afraid to ask most people for anything. Surf access is pretty wide open as long as you're not in guarded swimming area every 6ish blocks. Percentage of day trippers is much lower than the more well known beaches but all sorts of people turn up without any issues.
Having to pay for beach access is silly but I dont know what the alternative would be as most of these beaches already have more people than they can handle on a summer weekend.
Having to pay for beach access is silly but I dont know what the alternative would be as most of these beaches already have more people than they can handle on a summer weekend.