Overcrowding at Rockaway Beach is pushing surfers to stake claims for more of the blackballed swimming area. Photo: ANDREEA WATERS
It takes a special breed of surfer to live in New York. In comparison, most of the surfing world is spoiled by waves and weather for most of the year. Don’t get me wrong, as a former New York City resident and surfer, the waves can absolutely turn on. But add in the lengthy subway ride to the beach (for those without a car), the seasonal necessity for thick wetsuits and the rarity of waves, and things become difficult. Which is why surfers at Rockaway Beach, the closest surfing spot to New York City, are furiously fighting to protect what little surfing rights they already have.
As with many beaches in the summertime, Rockaway is blackballed, dividing the surfers from the swimmers. And the surfing community, with numbers on the rise in the area, is experiencing overcrowding due to a limited amount of space. Currently, surfing is only allowed at 67th and 90th streets while swimmers enjoy the rest. The surfer’s argument is that they have brought the area much-needed revenue through people flocking to the waves; thus, they deserve more space to continue bringing in profits. But a new housing development wants to keep the beaches for the new residents, who will most likely be swimmers.
“Surfing has completely exploded, and we’re jammed into small areas,” Conrad Karl, a local surfer and restaurateur told The New York Times. “We need to spread out a little bit. It would be safer.”
With the forecast for Rockaway currently showing high winds and a whopping 1-2 foot, conditions aren’t ideal for surfers or swimmers. Maybe everyone should just grab a greasy slice of pizza, put on Fat Joe’s seminal Rockaway anthem “Lean Back,” and learn to get along.
