While the answer is yes – scientifically speaking – never once in my 14 years of surfing can I remember the water being 38 degrees in Virginia Beach.
But if you want in on these waves that have a habit of showing up every weekend, you got to be ready to grin and bear it. (continued below)
On the subject of winter-surf, check out Surf & Adventure Co. team rider Tyler Balak charging cold Hatteras alongside VB's Raven Lundy:
(continued from above) Since the flat spell ended, almost every session has gone down in ice-cold, all-around conditions as these storms have brought cold air temperatures. Outside of Frisco’s MLK Day swell and Monday, Jan. 25th’s south swell, getting out of the 30’s has been a tall order.
The sad truth is that Sunday’s afternoon session wasn’t the coldest this year – even with nine inches of snow on the ground and air temps in the upper 20s. You see, the sun was out and the wind was light. That water is a constant we all have to deal with.
Me, Jaush Alley and Reid Ganther – way out of his usual San Diego temperature environment – tackled those frosty conditions and were rewarded at first with some semi-clean waist- to chest-high chunksters at our “secret” Sandbridge spot. Halfway through the session, a much larger north swell filled in behind the northeast wind swell for some fast, peaky action.
Looking back at the snow-covered tops of houses and the deep drifts on the sand reminded me of some of the snow sessions I’ve been a part of in the past. The one that sticks out the most was about six years ago, when Hatteras Island was lashed by a storm that dropped 10 inches of snow. Of course, the low pulled off the coast and it’s head-high, peeling lefts had just the right amount of offshore grooming at the Lighthouse.
Me and my buds were game and charged to Hatteras, which had treacherous road conditions from the Bonner Bridge all the way to Buxton. There were actually icebergs in the sound that were jutting out as they collided. It really looked more like a moonscape than the Pamlico Sound.
We got some waves that day, but the wetsuits we had back then didn’t allow for a long enough session before we were sporting blue feet and hands. I still think about all the waves I would have scored if I had my current gear.
That also got me thinking about how far wetsuit technology has come in the past three years – even in the past two years, really. It was always a struggle to get into those non-flexible things, and the accessories left a lot to be desired.
Today’s high-end surfing wetsuits are a drastic departure even from the top-shelf stuff of five years ago. Improvements in thermal lining, flexibility and seam welding have made the 4/3 into a suit you can rock through the dead of winter without any discomfort.
In fact, the worst part of my sessions nowadays is the walk to and from the beach because of the wind and air temperatures. Sure, duck diving still sucks, but not quite as much as it used to. I do sacrifice some warmth for the vision allowed by the bonnet-style hood I wear, but I get much less of an ice headache with that than I used to with my old 5mm hood. And the polypropylene shirt I wear as my base layer actually feels hot against my skin. Keeping the core warm is everything in the winter.
Alright S&A blog readers, I wanna hear about your most intense snow surfing sessions, or the coldest sessions you have ever logged. Go! - John CSB
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