Winter Surf’s Up in Long Beach

Neither snow nor sleet nor sub freezing temperatures keep these brave surfers from catching a good winter wave.

When a winter storm hits, people are generally warned to stay off the roads, in their homes. Go sledding? Maybe. Go surfing? Umm…

“Winter surfing is a lot better than what you would envision as someone who’s not a surfer,” says Dr. Gene Manna, an anesthesiologist and surfer from Garden City. Like so many serious boarders, Manna does not see surfing as a summer-exclusive activity. Heck, for these guys, surfing in the summer isn’t even preferable.

“Winter surfing has distinct advantages,” says Manna.

Perhaps the “hottest” winter surf spot on Long Island is Long Beach. The City By the Sea plays host to countless winter surfers, and they come from all over Long Island—and beyond—to catch those waves.

“I feel the waves are better, definitely, in the winter,” says surfer Stephen Hernandez.

That’s debatable. One thing is for certain, though: the water is certainly a lot colder.