Carteret County Surfing Information in Atlantic Beach and Emerald Isle NC – Where Is The Best Place to Catch Waves?
Carteret County surfing information and links for Atlantic Beach, Emerald Isle NC, and Morehead City including the best places to surf, to shop, to get contest dates, and to learn. Consider subscribing to comments here and leaving information on surfing related events and information that we missed including the best places to surf on Bogue Banks.
Readers are encouraged to share this resource on social media sites like Twitter and Facebook so that others moving to or visiting the county can learn more about surfing events and the local scene.
April 2020 News: The Town of Emerald Isle declared that access to the Atlantic Ocean for swimming, surfing, and kayaking will be re-opened on April 18, 2020.
Due to county and municipal ocean restrictions setup to combat the novel COVID-19 Coronavirus, surfers in Emerald Isle started a petition saying that the restrictions on anyone entering the water are too strict. This came on the heels of several surfers being arrested for not abiding by the order. Emerald Isle and Atlantic Beach officials maintain that the beach access restrictions deter visitors from coming to the county from other areas, while the surfers maintain that one can surf and still maintain social distancing.
The Buddy Pelletier Surfing Contest, Foundation, and Longboard Classic
The Buddy Pelletier Surfing Foundation and Contest is an annual favorite for local surfers on Bogue Banks and attracts surfers from all over Emerald Isle, Atlantic Beach, and from other locations throughout the East Coast.
This annual contest is a celebration on the life of local Buddy Pelletier who was a professional surfer and loved the East Coast surfing community. His family and friends now maintain a charitable foundation, humanitarian outreach, and local scholarships for area youth who love the art of surfing.
Readers: Please use the comment form at the bottle to let us know which locations offer rental equipment and surfing lessons. Also, if you are a local surfer, any links to the best places to catch waves is very much appreciated.
Atlantic Beach
Marsh’s Surf Shop
615 Atlantic Beach Causeway, Atlantic Beach, NC 28512
(252) 726-9046
Bert’s Surf Shop
304 W Fort Macon Rd, Atlantic Beach, NC 28512
(252) 726-1730
AB Surf Shop
515 W Fort Macon Rd, Atlantic Beach, NC 28512
(252) 726-9382
Emerald Isle
South Swell Surf Shop
8204 Emerald Dr, Emerald Isle, NC 28594
(252) 354-7175
Hot Wax Surf and Paddle Sports
200 Mallard Dr, Emerald Isle, NC 28594
(252) 354-6466
Carolina Surfboards
North Carolina Hwy 58, Emerald Isle, NC 28594
Bert’s Surf Shop
300 Islander Dr, Emerald Isle, NC 28594
(252) 354-6282
Morehead City
Action Surf Shop
4130 Arendell St, Morehead City, NC 28557
(252) 240-1818
Local Reports
To get information on wave heights, tides, winds and other meteorology links about waves and weather please visit the Bogue Pier report and forecast HERE.
EILive offers surf reports, webcams, and weather information along with a breakdown of current conditions along Bogue Banks: http://www.eilivesurf.com/
Please use the comment for below to give us information on local surfing lessons, places to go, events and contests, and area information near Bogue Banks.
News
August 2020: Officials with the Buddy Pelletier Surfing Contest cancelled the 2020 event due to the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic.
November 2019: The Emerald Isle Board of Commissioners honored 7 local surfers for their actions in helping distressed swimmers this past summer. Those recognized include Alex Lewis, Mike Conner, Jacob Price, Peyton Weist, Luke Brooks, Rick Scott, and Eric Zaleski.
Shout out to Andrew Wigmore, the surfing attorney and of course the locals that support and maintain the Buddy Peletier Classic!
Let’s not forget the other old dudes that helped pave the way: Paul Quinn, Roy Heverly, Brad Styron, and Buck Rains.
I feel like the best place to catch swell locally can never really be nailed down due to changing conditions under the water related to beach nourishment and dredging, so the break is going to change seasonally. I have been seeing this for awhile now especially on the west end of Bogue Banks where dredging is more consistent.
Also, who would rely on a surf cam or surf report when you can get out on the beach and summons the swell spirits? haha
Since we are including Carteret County as a whole and not just Bogue Banks, Shackleford Banks should gave gotten a mention 🙂
If you are interested in getting really good pictures and video of local surfers, along with incredible sunsets then Bogue Pier and Oceanana Pier are great places to check out the local action and learn more about aquatic life.