There is a quote Galveston surfers often use - "If you can surf in Galveston, you can surf anywhere!" By this they mean it is hard to surf there because of the Texas coast's bad reputation for producing small, choppy, inconsistent surf. Surfers have long been known to try to keep the best spots to themselves, and this adage exemplifies the tradition of surfers trying to downplay good spots, such as Galveston. Although not a world-renowned surfing mecca, for the committed, there are definitely those perfect days that make it all worthwhile.

Galveston is the highest place on the Texas coast that gets fairly consistent surf. The Texas coast gets a lot of wind, and kite surfing and wind surfing are very popular as well. The system of sandbars and troughs, coupled with the shallow bottom, causes a thin-walled wave. Because of this, the waves are usually small and gentle- an overhead day is not common.

That said, when a storm system enters the Gulf, or right after one of the many frontal systems that move through the area, there can be days of long, glassy, beautiful, sizable surf that rivals the surf anywhere. Summer is very inconsistent, but the rest of the year, particularly in the spring, it's definitely worth the effort. Because they have to stay tuned into the constantly changing conditions to get the big payoff, surfers in Galveston are among the most committed in the world.

The most consistent spots are along the Seawall, where there are 15 rock jetties and several fishing piers. The most popular breaks are near 25th Street, and near the 37th , 47th, 51st, and 61st Street jetties. In the summer months surfing is allowed on the west end of the island at the beach access roads and between the Flagship pier and 53rd Street. These are called "multi-use areas" and permit surfboards, hard-bottomed boogie boards, wind and kite surfers, other hard-bottomed craft. The area near the Flagship Hotel at 25th is usually a slower, wave that is great for beginners and long boarders, and 37th street is a more performance oriented, aggressive wave.

Inexperienced surfers should stay away from the piers and jetties and not surf on days the Galveston Beach Patrol flies a red flag. Leashes are required on the Seawall beaches during the summer months. All surfers should be familiar with the "multi-use area" regulations in Chapter 8 of the city code. Questions can be directed to the Galveston Beach Patrol at beachpatrol@galvestonparkboard.org, (409)763-4769, or by checking their website at www.galvestonbeachpatrol.com .

Current surf and weather conditions can be found in the Galveston.com Weather Center, while beach and surf webcams are also available with continuously-updated imagery. Check out the Galveston.com Board Room, where you can participate in surfing-related Forums & Blogs, as well as upload your own photos and video!

From Blog.Galveston.com

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:09:46 +0000 Partly cloudy to mostly cloudy and cool through tomorrow. Mardi Gras weekend weather should be mostly cloudy and cool with a slight chance of showers. Current Outlook (Tropical Outlook Below) Cool weather and cloudy to partly cloudy skies will prevail for through the end of the week. We may see a slight chance of showers tomorrow and on Friday as an weak disturbances move east across the region. This morning’s weather map shows high pressure over the Plains from South [...] Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:16:36 +0000 Tuesday’s Surf Report On Tuesday, Feb. 7th, we still have flat surf conditions, with east winds at 15-18 knots. Another cold fron will hit the coast tomorrow and winds will go from North to NE. We can sometimes pick up some sideshore swell from a NE wind, so the possibility exists for something tomorrow afternoon and possibly Thursday [...]

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