Surf’s up: Riding the waves of Maine
A participant in Adult Surf Camp catches a wave. Photo: Courtesy of Surf Camp
By Dale J. Rappaneau, Jr.
With more coastline than California, Maine is a worldwide surfing destination, having been visited by such pro surfers as Dion Agius and Warren Smith. But it’s not just the mileage that makes it enjoyable; in the summertime, ocean temperatures range from a refreshing mid-50s in June to low-60s in August.
Popular surfing spots include Scarborough Beach, where you’ll want to head north for the nicer surf; Old Orchard Beach, offering seven miles of surfable water; Higgins Beach, featuring a webcam for at-home surf enthusiasts; and Kennebunk Beach, a sheltered spot that can drum up sweet waves.
Sawyer Theriault, an instructor at Surf Camp, finds a wave on a perfect summer day in Maine. Photo: Courtesy of Surf Camp
Of course, it’s best to take a few lessons before shredding water. Located in Scarborough, Surf Camp (surfcampme.com) offers plenty of options, including 4-day adult-oriented classes ($419/person), 3-hour general audience surf lessons ($99/person), and the eponymous Surf Camp ($559/camper/week), a surf-focused day camp for 9- to 15-year-olds.
In Ogunquit, Liquid Dreams (liquiddreamssurf.com) can help anyone find the perfect wetsuit or board. They even offer surfing lessons, including a Ladies Night ($40/person) every Friday from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Other great surf shops include Wheels N Waves (wheelsnwaves.com) in Wells, Blackpoint Surf Shop (blackpointsurfshop.com) in Scarborough, Maine Surfers Union in Portland (mainesurfersunion.com) and Aquaholics (aquaholicsurf.com) in Kennebunk.
If you’d rather take home a piece of Maine surf culture, head to York for a Grain surfboard (grainsurfboards.com). Using local northern white cedar, Grain produces hand- made surfboards according to each customer’s specific needs.
