Waves at a Safe Distance

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OCEAN CITY – In the early morning hours, as the first rays of sunlight begin to reflect off the ocean, an old rusted beach cruiser is ditched in the dune grass, out of sight from the uninquiring eye.
Its owner suits up, grabs his surfboard, hops over a barricade on the beach entrance and paddles out, duck diving under the frigid waves. The beaches behind him are empty. No morning joggers, dog walkers or fisherman, who usually dot the sand for a typical offseason weekend sunrise.
A police car passes on the boardwalk but doesn’t seem to notice or slow down. Uninterrupted, the surfer catches his first wave.
Ocean City’s beaches are closed, along with those of several county towns, as a way to slow the spread of the coronavirus, which has had a historically devastating effect on the country and the world.
In the ocean, all alone, as socially distant as one might imagine being, this surfer is breaking the law.
Some surfers are skirting the beach ban by using jetties to access the ocean, something some locals do anyway when the currents are strong. 
“There’s a rip current there. It’s great. You know, you say stay away from the rip, we’re like where’s the rip? We love it. We want to be ripped out there,” said one surfer, Ron Curcio, of Ocean City.
John Tracy, who founded the Fins for Friends surf contest in Avalon, where the beaches closed April 7, after our interview, said closing access to the ocean would hurt surfers’ minds and bodies.
“For surfers, it hurts them to look at the water when there’s unridden waves. It’s like torture,” Tracy said. “For a lot of people, it’s like their church or their meditation time. There’s so many things about it that make it torturous if people can’t go surfing.” 
For Curcio, the ban feels personal.
“Surfing is like our lifeline. For so many surfers, for multiple reasons, so it feels kind of personal when authority tells you, you can’t go to your ocean to heal,” Curcio said. “All due respect, I agree with social distancing. Surfers never really get that close.”
Tracy agrees surfing is a safe activity that is inherently socially distant. You don’t want to be on top of each other in the water, and he doesn’t advocate hanging in groups on the beach.
“You’re not staying on the beach. You go, you surf, then you leave the beach,” Tracy said. 
Jon Foglio, who owns the Surf Snack Shack, in Avalon, said he fears surfers who are being irresponsible and uncompromising, packing one spot where there is a good break, instead of spreading further out, will ruin it for everyone else.
“If you show up at a spot and you see more than three or four guys surfing it, then you’re beat. Go find a spot where you can surf by yourself. Find a different spot,” Foglio said.
“You don’t need to have a pack mentality and show up to the beach with six of your friends to go surf. I think it should be if you are allowed to surf, you go solo. You go social distance,” he said. “I was kind of upset [April 5] when I checked the jetty in the morning and saw legitimately 30 people out by the eighth street jetty [in Avalon].”
Peter Byron, the mayor of Wildwood, recently decided to close Wildwood beaches, but will make an exception for surfers, fisherman, walkers and joggers. North Wildwood will do the same. He said he saw surfers following social distancing guidelines and enjoying fresh air and the ocean during a ride last weekend on the beach.
“I saw some young kids surfing, they looked like high school aged kids, and they were not on top of each other. Regardless of this coronavirus that’s out there, if you’re a surfer you don’t want to be on top of each other, it’s too dangerous,” he said.
Byron said he didn’t want to discourage kids from doing a healthy activity while schools are closed, activities are cancelled and free time is piling up.
 “The beach in the winter has its attraction, too,” Byron said. “Those guys that find the waves a little bit better in the wintertime, or just look for something to do, other than hang around the house. I would hate to see that taken away.”
The beaches in Avalon, Cape May, Sea Isle, Ocean City, Strathmere and Wildwood Crest have closed. Wildwood and North Wildwood are closed with some exceptions, including one for surfers.
“It’s surf at your own risk. If they want us to wear a mask, I would go for that,” said Curcio.
Foglio stressed safety and sacrifice now, so the curve can be flattened before the summer season is badly affected. When there’s a will, there’s a way.
“For me, as a surfer, if they did close beaches completely in Avalon, I’m going to find spots to surf, but I’m going to go by myself. It would be insane if we’re not allowed to surf,” said Foglio.
To contact Shay Roddy, email sroddy@cmcherald.com.