16th Avenue:
Manasquan gets all the attention, but this entire stretch is capable of ultra-hollow barrels. On a good southeast swell, there is plenty of room to spread out, as long as the authorities aren’t in their Robocopmode. In summer, many beaches close during hurricane swells, and violating surfers are removed from the lineup in handcuffs, including the infamous “Spring Lake Three” case of 1996. Google it; it’s fun.
Sixteenth Avenue, across from Eastern Lines Surf Shop, is the surfer’s beach in Belmar. It breaks pretty well on all swells, and is a good spot to catch if it’s not summer. If it is, prepare for a crowd. There are a million people in Belmar in the summer, and the water is no different. There is plenty of parking, which makes it that much easier to crowd the lineup. To the north is 8th Avenue Jetty, which can produce a heavy barrel with even heavier hassles. Don’t bother paddling out if there are more than four guys in the water: 8th Avenue is locals only, and they’re not afraid to let you know it. At the end of Belmar is the Belmar Pier, which, although fickle, can produce a good session here or there. It takes a north swell nicely. There are a number of other jetties in Belmar, so there are plenty of chances for you to score. (Springsteen reference number four: the opposite streets are named using letters. Does E Street sound familiar?)