Surf: General: An island off the coast of Massachusetts, Nantucket has a thriving beach scene during the summer and a consistent surf scene in the Autumn and winter, when the beach breaks on the south coast light up. In addition to a series of fun sand bars, there is also potential for novelty surf on the island. Surfers have ridden ferry waves on Nantucket, and every few years pictures pop up of frozen slurpee waves breaking during cold snaps in winter. Tides: All tides. Size: Chest- to head-high. Wind: NW, N Swell: SE, S, SW Bottom: Sand. Paddling: As with most beach breaks, rips get strong during ground swells. Spot Rating: Fun beach break peaks, particularly during Autumn and winter. Access: Beach-side parking and shuttles. Crowds: Crowd Factor: Gets incredibly crowded in the summer, but less so in winter when it is freezing. Local Vibe: There's a core crew of local surfers in Massachusetts, but Nantucket has enough sand bars for everyone to coexist peacefully. Environment: Water stays pretty clean, despite proximity to the East Coast. Hazards: Crowds, hypothermia in winter. Season: Autumn and winter have the best swells and conditions, although winter gets very cold.