Outer Banks North Carolina

There was a time that the north side was one of the best and most consistent waves in "town." Outside of periodic glimmers on both sides of the pier, that hasn't been the case in more than a decade. There is always hope that the next storm moves the replenished beach around and deposits sand in the right places, so it is always worth a check. If you do surf, watch out for the pilings off the end of the pier left by Hurricane Dorian back in 2019.

The sandbars around Nags Head Pier have been reasonably reliable over recent years, but of varying quality and location. The north side of the pier has seen the most action lately, but between the south side and Curlew Street occasionally shines when the sand is right. Given the focus of the best sand typically isn't right up against the pier (which technically you need to be 300 feet from anyway), it is possible to score a fun, lightly attended session here from time to time.

The original pier was built in 1939 and over the next 60+ years it sustained damage from storms and was rebuilt numerous times. After Hurricane Isabel in 2003, the remnants of the old pier were largely removed and replaced with a 1,000 foot long concrete pier that opened in May of 2011. While the rest of the sandbars along the Northern Outer Banks have changed significantly with each beach replenishment cycle, the sand around Jennette's is pretty consistent, offering something to ride more times than not. The pier also hosts a number of events, including the WRV Outer Banks Pro around Labor Day and the Eastern Surf Association's Easterns every September.

Named for what was the final, winding stretch of Highway 12 as you trekked south from Pea Island into Rodanthe, S-Turns was the epicenter of Outer Banks surfing for years. Historically, S-Turns was consistent -- south windswells, tropical swells, nor'easters and everything else -- you could depend on it being good. That changed right around the time Serendipity (aka the Nights of Rodanthe house) was moved in January 2010. Whether the house helped anchor sand or subsequent washouts of the road changed the break forever, time will tell. One thing is for sure, and that is access will never be as easy as it was. With the opening of the Jug Handle bridge in the summer of 2022 which bypasses Mirlo Beach, the days of pulling off Highway 12 right at the break and hoping not to get stuck are gone.

While not as revered as other some other surf spots nearby on the island, Avon Pier can be the focal point of surf on Hatteras Island when everything aligns. The sandbars shift frequently on both sides of the pier. From outside sandbars near the end of the pier and the dreaded inside trench to the close-to-the-beach grinders depending on the sand, there have been many faces of Avon Pier over the years. Regardless of sand, the pier can often pick up more swell than surrounding zones, making it quite reliable. Playful on the small days and scary on the big days, the surf can vary drastically based on whatever the Atlantic throws at it. The pier breaks best on S windswells or large NE swell events, although nearly everything in-between can be rideable and fun. The pier handles NW winds better than points further north, making it worth a look on the right wind/swell combo.

There are three groins here -- southernmost is the First and the northernmost is the Third. On a solid south or southeast swell, the Third can produce some heavy sweeping rights, while between the groins several peaks produce more short-lived thrills. But the First is the major draw for its consistently heavy, sometimes long, barreling lefts when northeast swells march down the coast. NW and even NNW winds are doable here, which is a good thing as they often coincide with those northeast swells. The local crew is pretty heavy, and when it is on people drive from afar, so you won’t be alone. That said, on good days the current is usually pouring southward, so there is a conveyor belt effect in the lineup which spreads waves -- and the crowd -- around a bit.