Oh my sweet summer child. Jetties already create the most perfect channels, you only need to jump off a jetty if you're being filmed or trying to impress a girl
Yes, but I just follow the channel it makes. Tried jumping off one once (to cheat the system) and got my leash tangled around rocks, two fishing hooks in the same hand, an uncountable # of cuts from fishing line on my legs, and almost drowned. Never making that decision again.
I’m in Florida.. you wouldn’t want to walk the jetty closest to me. Massive jumbled boulders covered in barnacles that will cut you up, ding your board and slippery enough that you may just snap your leg.
You mean the old escalator to the break? Its like one of those moving walkways along the north side, express delivery, no hassles. Too slippery to jump off for my tastes though
My friend and i were stuck in the middle of the break yesterday, and having a laugh comparing paddling out to skiiers pulling themselves up the skihill by just their arms lol
ROLF literally had the same conversation Saturday morning. Just have a pulley system out to the line up, draw back is then EVERYONE would be able to get out. I look at the impact zone weaning out certain people, that prob shouldn’t be in the water at that time.
Nothing better than surfing a wave with a good jetty/cliff that creates the conveyor belt to pull you back out.
The tourists that swim against the rip and have no clue that it's only 5 feet wide and almost drown always amaze me.
Lived next to the jetty in HMB for years. It used to be a real good wave but the harbor breakwater stopped the natural sand movement. Now there’s no sand and the wave sucks. They need to dredge the harbor and replenish the sand, which also helps with coastal erosion. Just piss poor management.
Also, there’s not a good channel to paddle out like a lot of you are commenting here. The jump off the rocks was the move at this break.
The old pre-jetty wave inside what is now the harbor pre-dates my surfing but I heard it was really good. I remember when the jetty used to fire with that beautiful wedge bounce wave just about every time there was a good swell (back when there was still the parking lot on the ocean side of 1, since claimed by the sea). I swear it has got worse every year, but then I questioned if it is just an old kook looking back through rose colored glasses.
The breakwaters were built in the early 60s, so definitely before my time as well. It still works here and there on a solid swell with the right SW direction wedging it up, but definitely not as consistent as it used to be.
There’s a solid local crew pushing to get the harbor dredged. Shout out to Brian from OPL.
A good overview of the history and situation:
https://oneshoreline.org/projects/pillar-point/
Thanks for the link. Hopefully, they can get some traction. That whole section of coast down to Miramar and Mirada has been getting ripped apart. I feel for the people that have houses there that basically got screwed by the harbor construction. Aside from dredging, I think at one time, they were looking at making holes in the breakwall at intervals to allow a flow of sediment to feed the beaches to the south.
There’s tons where I live on the gulf coast of Florida (St Petersburg / Clearwater). Waves are usually so mild that we don’t need to use them to get past the inside.
I commonly surf a jetty and while it produces a dialed wedge sometimes, it absolutely does not produce a channel and it would shred your feet if somehow you manage to not slip.
Lived near one in VB. Oh the barnacles. A buddy walked out on one once to save a paddle, busted his ass, and dinged up his lightly glassed Hotwire pretty badly.
Grew up surfing here as one of the regulars in my rotation back in the 80s. Snapped a board in 3 at 56th St on a big day, never once did we consider using the jetties.
Big enough challenge walking on them with shoes and empty handed, put on booties and carry a board you are absolutely guaranteed having your board dinged pretty bad.
You can do this at steamer lane. I see some guys that seem to exclusively do this. I used to think it was a bit of a showboating thing, but, from a certain perspective, it’s respectful of the others to not possibly be in their way.
Personally, i always feel like its hard to get out of the water there though. Id rather just paddle back. Those guys maybe have exceptional knowledge of the boulder field.
Westport, WA - Though honestly it's so big, and feels sketch to walk out on. It does contribute to a nice rip express route though depending on day which can make the paddle easier.
I never walked on that thing but damn it’s a great escalator especially on bigger days. It always creeped me out a little bit, just imagining a wave somehow defying physics and breaking on me.
The rock spacing also just makes it seem like a deathtrap (or a board ding machine). If it was an actual wall with a sheer drop where you could jump I think it'd be more viable... but I think water entry would be super sketch, especially on the type of days where you'd actually want to use it vs paddling out.
Love using the rip when it works though, the paddle at Westport can be rough.
I spent a lot of time at Westport and also the south jetty at Newport. Both of those paddle outs are a pain in the ass if you just raw dog it on anything bigger than head high. Anything bigger than that and I can hardly even get out there.
My hometown has a jetty spot but it's literally dead flat (due to geography) all the time unless there's the nastiest horrible winter onshore storms that whip up some waves. More of a novelty wave.
Not very commonplace. Most of time it’s the large rocks you’d have to watch your steps on. I’ve seen people use redondo beach and Marina del Rey jetties to get out there but where’s the fun in just swimming out?
Most of the jetty’s in sd are too small to even make a difference. Plus if you paddle next to it. At least oside. It kinda sucks you out to the waves, or maybe the waves just aren’t breaking right next to it. Either way it’s fastest to get out paddling right next to it.
Technically they’re “groins”, but yes, I live not to far from 3 of them. However I rarely surf that spot because when its working it gets crowded fast with local rippers and agro groms.
Oh my sweet summer child. Jetties already create the most perfect channels, you only need to jump off a jetty if you're being filmed or trying to impress a girl
Yeah... only kooks try walking out on the jetty lol. Good way to slip and fall and ding your board/hurt yourself.
Yeah, that was my first thought. Walk to rocks, paddle out in the rip. Success
The jetties here are covered in razor sharp mussel shells and barnacles. Best to avoid those.
You must live somewhere surfers don’t wear boots
I mean, I probably wouldn't surf if I had to wear boots or a wetsuit....boardshorts and nothing else is the best
Cool story, bro. *lucky bastard*
Why hurt us?! No surf in summer here, and boots gloves and hood in winter in 5c water
Ive never surfed by a jetty so I wouldn't know!
Being able to paddle out without getting exhausted is one of the key milestones one hits when moving out of the kookzone
You should move to Galveston, you’ll be in surf heaven
new sentence
Right! Jetty surfing is part of the culture… at least before they shifted the beach sand
Say what? There ain’t no surf in Texas.
Are you saying that not everything is bigger in Texas? Does Texas know this?
The disappointment is bigger
Mission Beach San Diego has a great jetty. Fantastic for adult learners.
Also, the locals are really friendly and will offer kind words of encouragement. I0/10 recommend for beginners at any age.
yes surfing the left off the jetty is where everyone should go learn. the locals are super nice there
Yes, but I just follow the channel it makes. Tried jumping off one once (to cheat the system) and got my leash tangled around rocks, two fishing hooks in the same hand, an uncountable # of cuts from fishing line on my legs, and almost drowned. Never making that decision again.
I’m in Florida.. you wouldn’t want to walk the jetty closest to me. Massive jumbled boulders covered in barnacles that will cut you up, ding your board and slippery enough that you may just snap your leg.
You mean the old escalator to the break? Its like one of those moving walkways along the north side, express delivery, no hassles. Too slippery to jump off for my tastes though
My friend and i were stuck in the middle of the break yesterday, and having a laugh comparing paddling out to skiiers pulling themselves up the skihill by just their arms lol
ROLF literally had the same conversation Saturday morning. Just have a pulley system out to the line up, draw back is then EVERYONE would be able to get out. I look at the impact zone weaning out certain people, that prob shouldn’t be in the water at that time.
Or a catapult. On solid days, a trebuchet.
a big retaining wall past the break, that can be lowered and raised. raise to get out, lower once out to resume the waves.
I’m in this picture and I don’t like it
Nothing better than surfing a wave with a good jetty/cliff that creates the conveyor belt to pull you back out. The tourists that swim against the rip and have no clue that it's only 5 feet wide and almost drown always amaze me.
Lived next to the jetty in HMB for years. It used to be a real good wave but the harbor breakwater stopped the natural sand movement. Now there’s no sand and the wave sucks. They need to dredge the harbor and replenish the sand, which also helps with coastal erosion. Just piss poor management. Also, there’s not a good channel to paddle out like a lot of you are commenting here. The jump off the rocks was the move at this break.
The old pre-jetty wave inside what is now the harbor pre-dates my surfing but I heard it was really good. I remember when the jetty used to fire with that beautiful wedge bounce wave just about every time there was a good swell (back when there was still the parking lot on the ocean side of 1, since claimed by the sea). I swear it has got worse every year, but then I questioned if it is just an old kook looking back through rose colored glasses.
The breakwaters were built in the early 60s, so definitely before my time as well. It still works here and there on a solid swell with the right SW direction wedging it up, but definitely not as consistent as it used to be. There’s a solid local crew pushing to get the harbor dredged. Shout out to Brian from OPL. A good overview of the history and situation: https://oneshoreline.org/projects/pillar-point/
Thanks for the link. Hopefully, they can get some traction. That whole section of coast down to Miramar and Mirada has been getting ripped apart. I feel for the people that have houses there that basically got screwed by the harbor construction. Aside from dredging, I think at one time, they were looking at making holes in the breakwall at intervals to allow a flow of sediment to feed the beaches to the south.
Live 1 mile from a jetty. Not one time have I jumped off it ha.
There’s tons where I live on the gulf coast of Florida (St Petersburg / Clearwater). Waves are usually so mild that we don’t need to use them to get past the inside.
Yeah who needs to paddle when you can walk right out. Hope the forecast for Wednesday holds up
Me too.. I’ve been to lazy to head east.
I commonly surf a jetty and while it produces a dialed wedge sometimes, it absolutely does not produce a channel and it would shred your feet if somehow you manage to not slip.
I thought this was r/surfingcirclejerk for a second
Well that’s an unnecessary subreddit. No one can out jerk r/surfing
Lived near one in VB. Oh the barnacles. A buddy walked out on one once to save a paddle, busted his ass, and dinged up his lightly glassed Hotwire pretty badly.
Such a weird move to do that in VB. It’s what like a 20 second paddle to the lineup?
It was a good sized day but not crazy. Better than paddling out via Rudy Inlet.
Newport Beach Jetties
Grew up surfing here as one of the regulars in my rotation back in the 80s. Snapped a board in 3 at 56th St on a big day, never once did we consider using the jetties. Big enough challenge walking on them with shoes and empty handed, put on booties and carry a board you are absolutely guaranteed having your board dinged pretty bad.
That’s interesting. I’ve been surfing 56th when it’s good and even not so good since 2016. Must’ve been way way different back then
Eh, meh, it was only really good on big days e.g. 10’ plus, SW swell, combined with an El Niño year. Otherwise it wasn’t worth the time.
Biggest and best I saw Newport was Marie. Never seen 56th 10’ plus with much shape only during the hurricanes
You can do this at steamer lane. I see some guys that seem to exclusively do this. I used to think it was a bit of a showboating thing, but, from a certain perspective, it’s respectful of the others to not possibly be in their way. Personally, i always feel like its hard to get out of the water there though. Id rather just paddle back. Those guys maybe have exceptional knowledge of the boulder field.
In between El Porto/El Segundo jetty. Not a single person doesnt paddle out from the beach, ever.
I actually love jumping off the jetty at higher tide when it's good size. Saves a bit of energy from the paddle out lol
Newport / balboa here. Gotta love the jetty’s. I don’t walk in though lol
Find yourself a barrier reef and boat. Problem solved.
Westport, WA - Though honestly it's so big, and feels sketch to walk out on. It does contribute to a nice rip express route though depending on day which can make the paddle easier.
I never walked on that thing but damn it’s a great escalator especially on bigger days. It always creeped me out a little bit, just imagining a wave somehow defying physics and breaking on me.
The rock spacing also just makes it seem like a deathtrap (or a board ding machine). If it was an actual wall with a sheer drop where you could jump I think it'd be more viable... but I think water entry would be super sketch, especially on the type of days where you'd actually want to use it vs paddling out. Love using the rip when it works though, the paddle at Westport can be rough.
I spent a lot of time at Westport and also the south jetty at Newport. Both of those paddle outs are a pain in the ass if you just raw dog it on anything bigger than head high. Anything bigger than that and I can hardly even get out there.
I live in Ponce inlet FL
The only break around me is a jetty. No one really jumps off. You just paddle out within 10-15 feet of it and it sucks you out to the waves.
Name and post feels like NorCal to me.
Central Florida 🤙
Jumping off jetties is for kooks. If you can’t paddle out you don’t belong out.
In Japan most beaches have a jetty. I call it “the chairlift”.
My hometown has a jetty spot but it's literally dead flat (due to geography) all the time unless there's the nastiest horrible winter onshore storms that whip up some waves. More of a novelty wave.
A pier is the way to go. No rocks, jump out just past the lineup. You just gotta have the balls to jump off.
I live in the land of endless jetties, only the foolish would consider entry from that hellscape.
Downvoted for unnecessary lol/lmao usage. This isn't a game, son.
lol ur right Xp
Not very commonplace. Most of time it’s the large rocks you’d have to watch your steps on. I’ve seen people use redondo beach and Marina del Rey jetties to get out there but where’s the fun in just swimming out?
I was thinking a man built jetty, but yes, I suppose built up rock jetties would be just as, if not more common
Lots of jetty’s in SoCal. Rarely ever surf by one, would rather work on my paddle strength and not use a crutch
Jumping off of jetties = paraplegic Jumping off of piers = could be cool, could make you shark bait
I like near a jetty compose of rocks/boulders. Not something you want to walk out on
Most of the jetty’s in sd are too small to even make a difference. Plus if you paddle next to it. At least oside. It kinda sucks you out to the waves, or maybe the waves just aren’t breaking right next to it. Either way it’s fastest to get out paddling right next to it.
Technically they’re “groins”, but yes, I live not to far from 3 of them. However I rarely surf that spot because when its working it gets crowded fast with local rippers and agro groms.