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Photo/ Ryan Seeloff

Brevard County has more coastline than any other county in Florida and with that comes a diverse selection of surf breaks throughout the county. I am not going to name all of the different breaks in Brevard County rather I will mostly generalize on different areas and go into specifics where needed.

North Brevard

Let's start up north. Playalinda when open is really like going on a long road trip to a new break for most Brevard County surfers. Okay it is a long road trip for most Brevard County surfers, but when it is going off this sandy beach break can produce some of the best waves in the county.

Central Brevard

Throughout Cape Canaveral and Cocoa Beach every local will have their favorite spot (Usually the closest to their house) and with few exceptions the quality of waves will change throughout this area as every passing storm changes the landscape of the ocean floor. Notable exceptions are the Cocoa Beach Pier, downtown Cocoa Beach, and a few little spots in the southern area of Cocoa Beach. These spots tend to hold a swell a little better and not close out so much. On good thing about this area of the county is the lack of bone crunching rocks on the bottom (Unless of course you decide to take on the pilings underneath the Pier) and a gradually sloping bottom as opposed to the steep drop-offs that can be found further south. The Cocoa Beach area is also great place for beginners to learn because you can usually find a spot that is not super crowded. Don't forget that Cocoa Beach was once the stomping ground of the Slater brothers.

Patrick Air Force Base is home to one of Brevard's most popular breaks (2nd Light), but there are several other spots that shine. Picnic Tables (The northern most parking lot on the base) is a sandy bottom beach break that gets packed just about every weekend (This is also the place where I had an interesting encounter with an Atlantic Skate years ago). The O-Club has always been one of my favorites when taking out a longboard or taking the kids to the beach. You will notice the old O-Club is not there anymore after burning down a few years ago. This beach break is to the best of my knowledge the northern most area where surfers and other beachgoers will experience a rocky bottom. Sometimes the rocks right in front of the parking lot are covered with sand, but they are always there. If you drift down towards 2nd Light you will find more and more rocks, but the bottom contour along with these rocks bring some of the most consistent surf in the county to 2nd Light. Heading south along A1A is Hangers (Another spot that no longer has its namesake landmark) which can be fun when the waves get bigger, but beware of the rocky bottom. There are several other spots along the southern portion of Patrick Air Force Base that can hold fun surf, so just stop and take a look.

Moving into South Patrick Shores there are quite a few good breaks, many of them with some serious rocky bottoms. The most notable of these is Lums, Perkins, or whatever you want to call it. Located across the street from Shoreview Apartments, this break is super fun, but super rocky. I remember watching a kid run towards the water and dive in only to land squarely on a big slab of old coquina reef. OUCH! The poor dude ran crying to mommy and they abruptly left for the nearest hospital. Seriously though, don't tackle this break without some experience, respect, and some local knowledge.

South Brevard

Satellite Beach has its share of great breaks. Some of those being RC's, Buccaneer, and A Frames (Mark Realty, Pelican Park, or whatever you want to call it). Non-locals aside, you could very well find some of the best upcoming surfers in the area in the water at any time at any of these breaks. Hey, an area that produced the Hobgood twins must have some pretty decent breaks.

Indian Harbour Beach does not get as much notice for its breaks, but there are some jewels along the shoreline of this small beachside community. It is always worth a stop at one of the many beach crossovers to check out the surf.

Eau Gallie down to Indialantic is another stretch of coastline that does not get noticed that much with the exception of The Boardwalk at 5th Avenue. On a good day you will see the locals crossing A1A on their way to hit the waves and it might just be worthwhile to check out some of the breaks. One word of caution for those surfing pretty much anywhere in the southern portion of the county; the undertow can pretty be severe for those not comfortable in the water. It only takes a couple seconds for a small child to disappear in the shore break, so pay attention to your kids!

Melbourne Beach is pretty much a continuation of Indialantic and can produce some really fun surf and has produced countless amateur and professional surfers. Getting to some of the crossovers can be tricky for those not familiar with the area due to where they are located and that is quite fine for every one of the locals.

A1A south to the Inlet is a long expanse of coastline with more than a dozen well known breaks that can hold a variety of swells. At the south end of Brevard County you can find three of the most well known break on the east coast. Spanish House is a really fun break for medium sized swells and always sticks in my mind because of the video scenes from old surf videos that show people walking through the tunnel of plant life on the way to the beach. The granddaddy of all the Brevard County surf breaks is Sebastian Inlet. Known for year as one of the best breaks on the east coast and a place where localism rules on even an okay day, Sebastian can hold some super fun surf on all types of swells. I will say that in my humble opinion the quality of the waves has gone down considerably since the jetty was rebuilt. Home to many surf contests throughout the year, Sebastian is worth the drive on a good day even if you don't get close to 1st Peak. Last but not least is Monster Hole. Monster Hole is on the other side of the Inlet, but this outside break can hold some really large waves if you are willing to brave the paddle out or have someone with a boat or jet ski to take you out there.

As you can see there are plenty of options for anyone wanting to hit the waves along the Brevard County coastline. Don't forget to stop by one of our local surf shops to pick up whatever you need, grab a bite to eat at one of the many great restaurants along the coast (That will just have to be an article soon), and most importantly respect the locals. Now get off the computer and hit the beach!