A Cold Day for Surfing in Bay Head, New Jersey

Located at the head of Barnegat Bay, the town of Bay Head (aptly named, eh?) is one of the Jersey Shore's brightest gems. Founded in the late 1800s, this quaint little village is nearly surrounded by water, with the bay on its west side, and the Atlantic Ocean on its eastern edges. Bay Head is home to some of the most adorable cottages in the area, it also seems to be a favorite destination for the well heeled, with exquisite mansions lining the shoreline. It was also hit hard by Superstorm Sandy, causing nearly the entire shoreline of houses and beach dunes to be rebuilt. The town is tiny in both size and population, with only a little over a half a square mile in area and less than 1,000 residents, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in beautiful beaches.

It's on one of those beaches that we set our brief story, on a cold winters day back in 2015 on one of my visits home from Hawai‘i for the Christmas holiday. During the summer, one has to pay a fee to visit the beaches along the Jersey Shore (true story!), Bay Head included, but in the off season, the beaches are what they should always be - completely free.

What they are not in the off season, generally speaking, is warm. New Jersey is a surprising surfer's hot spot, considering that the state only has a narrow window for warm weather, but the local population manages to make the best of its circumstances, and won't let a little thing like freezing weather or frigid water get in the way of one of its favorite past times.

And if I can't be prevailed upon to take up surfing in Hawai‘i's much more accommodating waters, I won't be convinced to do so in New Jersey, especially in the winter. However, the same can't be said for my best friend, someone who's willing to get out in the water in much less appealing times than yours truly.

And so there we were, my friend, her husband and a few family members on the beach on that cold December day to watch her try out a few waves. While the rest of us watched her from the shore, we were able to enjoy the beauty of this small Jersey Shore community in all its winter glory.

A little hamming it up for the camera.

On Howe Street, there's a tradition of decorating the area for Christmas, which we had to check out since we were in the area.

Each shell can be used to leave a personalized message - which we as a group did below.

Overall, it was a fun way to spend a brisk winter's day down at the beach as my friend celebrated her birthday with a quick surf session. Whether you're visiting the Jersey Shore in the summer, or the winter, make some time to check out what the beaches have in store for you.

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Bay Head Details

Bay Head is located at the top of Barnegat Bay, and is about an hour and 15 minute drive from NYC, or a ~2 hour train ride on NJ Transit's North Jersey Coast line. While the summer is when most of the action is happening down the Shore, don't be afraid to check it out during the winter months.

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Day of travel: December 12, 2015