If we didn't freak you out with the threat of killer jellyfish on your next aquatic adventure, then maybe you'll have the courage to visit our latest surfing spot. Just know that it sits just west of the San Andreas Fault, and we all know things have been shaking out west.
Just south of the Point Reyes National Seashore, Bolinas, California is a great honky tonk surf town--if you can find it. The locals remove any signs put up on the main road indicating the way into town. The Marin County public works department tries to provide directions to the town, but often new signs stay up for less than 24 hours.
The surf is consistent and not too severe, making it the ideal location for both beginners and intermediates. Surf schools like 2 Mile Surf Shop offer lessons for both individuals and groups and will certainly provide the gear to keep you warm in the cooler waters of Northern California. If you venture to Bolinas, just be sure to respect the locals--and don't tell them you read about it here!
We were shocked--shocked--to see Matthew McConaughey, Our Lord Of Perpetual Bare-Chestedness, with a covered torso on a recent surfing trip in Malibu. The famously shirtless new dad covered up with a neoprene top that he paired with board shorts in a fashion move that probably puzzled the paparazzi out of harassing him.
Maybe this is just a promo shoot for his upcoming movie "Surfer Dude," but if Matt really wanted to rip up some waves he'd check out our Honky Tonk Surf Towns map. Watch the trailer for this year's most pointless movie--featuring McConaughey, naturally shirtless--after the jump.
If Anne of Green Gables had lived 50 years later, she might have tied up her braids and hitched a ride to this northern coastal fishing town nicknamed "The Crick." Once a refuge during the Seven Years' War, the town now thrives primarily on lobster fishing and a smattering of summer beach traffic.
The best surf up here starts in August. If the waves are inconsistent during your stay, consider a sea kayaking tour or walk up to the famous lighthouse.
We know it's out of season, but we can't help including at least one Australian outpost in our Honky Tonk round-up.
Its population has swelled since the '80s, but we like to think Torquay township, in the state of Victoria, retains some of its pioneer charm. The site of one of Australia's most famous shipwrecks, this 19th-century picnic spot southwest of Melbourne has become a surf magnet thanks to its proximity to the scenic Great Ocean Road along the southeastern coast and the Surfworld Museum celebrating the beach bums of yesteryear. The awesome currents, of course, don't hurt either.
Paddle surfer CJ Kanuha isn't content to ride the waves just anywhere. So he tied himself to a jet ski and rode right up next to Kilauea on the big island of Hawaii.
The board rider got within 20 feet of the shore, but the molten rock sliding into the ocean didn't exactly make the ride pleasant:
I was tentative to get too close at first, and for good reason, the boiling water there is well over 200 hundred degrees in some spots, super hot, and it quickly melted the wax on the surfboard.
And that's not all: The water badly burned Kanuha's legs before he could paddle off. Maybe we'll stick to some other surfing spots for now.
It's a balmy 50 degrees today in this southeastern Alaska town, and the waves are waiting: From an Inuit word meaning "the place where canoes rest," Yakutat catches great Pacific tides which keep the water warmer than the air year-round.
Don't by spooked by its proximity to the North Pole; boarders might find that with a wetsuit the ride is downright toasty. And how bad-ass is it to surf alongside a glacier? Photographer and Alaska native Scott Dickerson puts it this way:
There must be something about Alaskan surfers and the challenges that they must overcome to surf "the last frontier" that drives them to another level of addiction.
The town of 600 people, sandwiched between Mount Saint Elias and Mount Fairweather, even has its own gear outpost--the Icy Waves Surf Shop (635 Haida St.). Plus: No bears!
There's a reason the Eastern Surfing Association picked Buxton, North Carolina for its Best of the East surfing competition this September: The little village marked by the famous Cape Hatteras lighthouse picks up tides from northern Canada, giving it some of the biggest waves on the East Coast.
The fishing's not bad, either, and unlike other eastern surf oases, you probably won't have to attack a shark to get clear waters.
The ESA Easterns will be held September 21-27. The closest major airport is Wilmington International (ILM).
Hanalei Bay is a two-mile crescent shaped epitome of a surf town on the north shore of Kauai. It features a low-key attitude, great surf during the winter months and that all-important picturesque setting. There are even lifeguards to keep you safe after even the most gnarly wipeout. (Maybe that's why our readers love it so much?)
If you work up an appetite from all the surfing and sun, check out the nearby taro plantations. The starchy Hawaiian vegetable is a staple for islanders, though cooked up as poi, it doesn't always impress visitors.
The Hanalei Wake-Up Cafe has more mainland fare. The walls are covered with pictures of great and not so great surfers, and plastic chairs and an outdoor balcony make this place an ideal hole-in-the-wall breakfast spot. We recommend the Over the Falls French Toast, but get there early as the place closes by 11:30 am.
Finally, check out the Princeville Resort if you need somewhere to stay. Even when surrounded by stunning ocean views, who doesn't love an infinity pool?
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by kjb
