Surf's Up, Boston!

A giant, rolling blue wave crashes down like a pane of glass on the ocean floor. A long-haired surfer clad in a wetsuit comes barreling out of the whitewater, waving the "hang ten" symbol to his buddy, who responds by shouting out "gnarly ride, duuuuude!" No, these aren't Laguna Beach brats surfing in perfectly warm California water; it's a scene right out of our own backyard- New England. There are plenty of primo spots that are all a short drive from Boston, along New England's North Shore., You won't find those giant, plunging tube waves that are prevalent in epic Hawaii-based surfing movies like Endless Summer anywhere around here, but there are plenty of ankle to chest-high rolling waves that are perfectly rideable. And it's way cooler to tote surf wax to the beach than a Nora Roberts novel. Here are five beaches in New England that with the right technique, and a little bit of sunless tanning lotion, could make you the next Laguna Beach star.

GOOD HARBOR
Massachusetts has the longest surfable coastline of any New England state. But there aren't many surfers in Massachusetts compared to other coastal states, so Massachusetts beaches don't usually have the densely packed lineups that Rhode Island or New Hampshire possess. Another thing about Massachusetts beaches are that most of them are either inconsistent (like the ever-changing sandbars at Cape Cod beaches), or private beaches you can only have access to if you've got rich parents with a summer house (I'm looking at you- Martha's Vineyard). Luckily, Plum Island recently opened its long beach to surfers, though it is not accessible until late July/early August because of the nesting season of the piper plover bird, and is practically desolate in the fall and winter. The closest you're going to get to a decent beach, that you have access to, with good waves is Good Harbor in Gloucester. Located on Rt. 127A, Good Harbor is a very clean beach, with public restrooms and a food kiosk. Good Harbor has decent wave breaks for Massachusetts, which on average are short and choppy, but can swell up nicely in the right conditions. What sets the rad-ness meter on Good Harbor apart from other beaches in New England is that it is practically "local vibe" free, so even if you're a beginner, it is easy to blend in. It's in your interest to get there early because surfing isn't allowed from 9-5 during the summer, or pick up a wetsuit and brave the chilly New England seas in the wintertime.

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