West Reef / New York / United States

Also known as ‘Guards’ by the locals, this is a very consistent spot but the waves are heavy and can be dangerous if you aren’t experienced enough to manage them.  Beginners just shouldn’t even think about it, unless they like being dragged ashore and having the water pumped out of them.

It’s just off Sagg Main – look to the right of the lifeguards and you’ll see the break easily, it’s the big long one that never seems to end.  The beach is all clean sand, and it’s empty on weekdays but it gets full of beachgoers on summer weekends and you’ll find it extremely crowded then.

Good wind directions at this place include the north and the northwest, while the swell only counts as good if it comes from the southwest or south.  It starts working at less than 1m, but rapidly builds up to a wave that is almost always over 4m and sometimes even reaching 5m high.  Even better, it works at all tide positions and on both rising and falling tides.  It’s a beach break, right and left, and the waves are hollow, fast and powerful, easily capable of giving you a pounding if you get it wrong.  The length here is exceptionally good, maybe even the best in the state, as it is generally over 500m even on a normal day. 

Park at the end of Sagg Main Street and walk down the beach from there.  Lifeguards patrol the beach, but that’s it for facilities so be sure you’ve got everything you need with you.

Plenty of urchins underfoot that will hurt if you step on them, and that also applies to the locals.  The currents can also pick up here too, especially when the tide is on the turn.