Surf: General: Perhaps the most popular surf destination in Surfside is Octagon, which is a little more than a stretch of open beach with sandbars between 150 to 300 yards offshore. Octagon's sandbars provide long, mushy but workable, sometimes large walls that take well to longer crafts. Also, on huge swells, the inside of the ship channel just to the south will chuck out a large, crumbly wall. Tides: Medium Size: Waist high to a double overhead Wind: N, NW; W with swell Swell: S, SE Bottom: Sand. Paddling: Can be a long paddle through multiple sandbars depending on the size. Spot Rating: Consistent fun walls good for longboarding and larger surf craft. Access: Easy, but watch your step going over the breakwater. Crowds: Crowd Factor: Crowded on the weekend. Local Vibe: Despite a healthy local surfer population, it's pretty mellow. Environment: Near the Freeport harbor, home of several chemical plants. Hazards: The jagged breakwater at high tide and lots of errant surfboards. Season: Late summer/fall; late winter to mid-spring