Winter Surfing on Plum Island in Newburyport

The Beach at Plum Island, January 2020

Growing up on the South Shore (of Boston) I remember a small group of "crazy" kids who were surfers, and what I remember most is they always said the best waves here in Massachusetts are in the winter.

Winter Surfing on Plum Island in Newburyport

Paddling out to catch a wave 

We headed up to Newburyport this past weekend to go to Plum Island, and Parker River National Wildlife Refuge in the hopes of seeing some Snowy Owls. Parker River is one of the best places in Massachusetts to spot these winter visitors- and we did see one......very, very far out in the marsh beyond my camera range. Some other birders were nice enough to get a peak through their lens though. 

It was a nice January day- not too cold, and the surf was rolling in some nice waves. Heading out to the beach at Plum Island we saw a number of surfers enjoying the day. 

Catching a wave at Plum Island Beach

Parker Island Wildlife refuge follows about 7 miles south of Plum Island Beach on this sandy isthmus, and as a nature reserve no surfing is allowed- but down at the very southern tip of the island is Sandy Point Reservation  which run by the state of Massachusetts and is open to all as a beach. Parking is extremely limited, even in the winter. We caught another surfer down this side of the island riding the waves along a stretch of rocky shore. 

Surfer at Sandy Point

The waves seemed a bit more predictable on this side of the island, and this surfer had a few good runs while we walked the beach.