High Surf/Rip Currents

[djmom]

ok forget it, I cant post a freakin picture!

Gromit, I totally agree, but we have hit "Christmas Winds" twice over different Thanksgivings in St. John. And once in Magens Bay (on a cruise) in Feb.

It didn't ruin the vacation, but I have to say it would have been a real bummer if we hadn't known where to go (last time) as it lasted 4 or 5 days.

Vies beach was another good place.

[Greenskeeper]

Hey Greens-- while there are times where there are waves on STJ due to the Christmas winds and weather related activity -- it's normally NOTHING like what we deal with on the East Coast.

I'm so spoiled by STJ that I can't even get in the water on East Coast beaches. It's too rough and you're constantly pummeled and I won't even discuss the water color issues. I know - SPOILED!

My general rule is that if the North Shore beaches are on the rough side head to Salt Pond. Things will generally be calmer.

Honestly you're gonna laugh when you see the waves on the Northshore of STJ.

HAve fun and don't forget to do a TR!
First timer TR's are my fave!!

Thanks and I definately plan on doing a TR. I poached so much info from others, it's only fair.

Thanks for putting the waves in perspective. While we will be careful, you have put our mind at ease. It's all in your expectations. Funny story for a fellow east coaster- we got our kids excited for dressing up for formal night on a cruise by telling them they were having lobster. Well, the waiter put it in front of them and they looked up and said "Where's the rest"? At 7 years old,they were like a crustacean pit crew, deshelling and getting the meat n a vat of warm butter in minutes. The cruise ship tail just didn't cut it. LOL

[djmom]

Greenskeeper-
Even on the day the waves were rough during that unusual week, we went to Salt Pond (like Gromit recommended), Lameshure, Vies on different days. All of those beaches were completely calm and you never would have known what was "going on" at the North Shore.

Of the North Shore beaches, Francis seemed to be the calmest during that episode, but that might vary.

[Greenskeeper]

Thanks. Seriously, someone should take all the information from this site and put it in a book. You guys are waaay better than Frommers or Fodor's.

[Gromit]

Greens-- actual there are a couple fo books that highlight this kind of info both of which are sold on this site:

The St. John Beach Guide and St. john Off the Beaten Track.

I think Feet Fins and Four Wheel Drive also discusses these kinds of details.

[Joshie]

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[Connie]

I'm so spoiled by STJ that I can't even get in the water on East Coast beaches. It's too rough and you're constantly pummeled and I won't even discuss the water color issues. I know - SPOILED!

Hey Gromit. I haven't gone in the New Jersey beaches since my brother in law was killed trying to save his 11 year old son. The son survived, my brother in law didn't make it.

It's really scarey sometimes in NJ and nothing to mess around with.

People panic and that's what happened to him.

I'll spare everybody the details, but it was heartbreaking since they have 6 children.

[Gromit]

Connie-- so sorry to hear that story.

The North Carolina Beaches and even the Delaware Beaches can be treacherous -- it's one of the reasons I love STJ. I can literally float on my back in the water it's so calm.

Can't do that anywhere on the East Coast that I know of.

Flip Flop and I headed to Rehoboth last summer for a girlz week-end and we never once got into the water. The surf was so rough that you could hardly get in without getting knocked over. The beach was so rocky and painful to walk in and the water was COLD and brown!

We both didn't realize how spoiled we'd become until that week-end.

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[PA Girl]

We got the snot knocked out of us in 2005. The waves were up at least 5 out of 7 days of our trip.

The strength really surprised us. We all grew up on the NJ and DE beaches and were used to getting knocked around.

Seriously, the first day at Cinnamon, I really scared myself after getting sucked back in after getting ground into the sand by a wave.

I later read something about how the slope of the shore in the VI makes the waves and currents unlike those found on regular North American Beaches.

[djmom]

After that photo, yes, they hauled their butts out of the water. The waves went straight down, not forward, as we are used to in NC. It was quite scary.

They were trying to be cool about it but you could tell they knew they were in over their heads-literally.

[Wakey]

ok forget it, I cant post a freakin picture!

Right click on the image at Flickr & select "copy image URL" (using Windows Vista) then paste that in the body of the message with the image tags.

After posting the URL I highlight it and then click the image tag for 1 click posting

You were posting the page's URL as opposed to the actual image's URL.

nice

[Greenskeeper]

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[/quote]

Hey Gromit. I haven't gone in the New Jersey beaches since my brother in law was killed trying to save his 11 year old son. The son survived, my brother in law didn't make it.

[/quote]

Connie, I am so sorry to hear about your loss. My condolences to you and your family.

[PA Girl]

After that photo, yes, they hauled their butts out of the water. The waves went straight down, not forward, as we are used to in NC. It was quite scary.
They were trying to be cool about it but you could tell they knew they were in over their heads-literally.

Exactly! You described what I couldn't put into words.

For my experiences on the East Coast, even the big weather waves just sort of pushed you towards the shore. One might get turned around a few times but eventually one washes up on the beach.

On STJ, it was like the waves were pile-driving me right into the sand, often head first, and then sucking me back before I had a chance to catch my breath.

I was always quite confident in the wate (maybe too much so) and it scared me.

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