Two paddlers stand on boards with arms raised on calm water off Hoboken, the Midtown skyline behind them at sunrise

You can surf in Hoboken? Well, kind of.

Let me explain. Here is what we mean by surf: tiny ferry waves, long downwind runs, and the conditions behind each.

Let me explainLooking for ocean surf?
Look closer

Three things you may have noticed on the water.

Surfers can answer all three. Pick the one that nags you, or read on for the two kinds of ride.

Let me explain

Here is what we mean by surf.

We surf two smaller kinds of ride on a tidal river, and each has its own conditions behind it. Each path covers the science, what to know about Hoboken, a small tool to explore and some safety notes.

A white cruise ship passes on the Hudson under a dark, stormy sky, with Hoboken piers and a ferry in the foreground and the Manhattan skyline behind
Path one

Ferry and boat waves

Ride
Short, a wake rolling into the shore
Comes from
Tiny ferry waves: a wake from a boat that has passed
Conditions
Boat speed, size and depth, water depth, piers and land, and when boats cross

How boat wakes form, how depth, piers and land shape them at each Hoboken shore, and when boats pass. Educational only.

Explore ferry waves
Looking back over the stern of a small sailboat at paddlers on stand-up boards and kayaks following in a long line down a choppy Hudson River at sunset, with the lower Manhattan skyline behind them
Path two

Downwind waves

Ride
Long, travelling with the wind and tide down the river
Comes from
Long downwind runs: wind against the current
Conditions
Wind angle and strength, fetch, and the tide running against the wind

How wind, fetch and the tide stack up the river, and the angles that matter on the Hudson.

Explore downwind waves
A word of cautionThis is not wakeboarding or wake surfing. Both are dangerous on the Hudson.

We do not endorse or promote riding waves from commercial vehicles, and we never suggest following or riding behind a moving vessel. This site is educational. It explores waves that reach Hoboken's shores and why they behave as they do.

Before you ever paddle here:

  • Learn the tide and current for the day, and what they do to the wind.
  • Always paddle with others, and with someone experienced.
  • Wear a life jacket, dress for the water temperature, and carry a way to call for help.
  • Check the official NOAA marine forecast. This site is not a safety clearance.
  • Stay well clear of ferries, terminals, piers and all commercial traffic.
Hoboken Cove at low tide looking across the river to the Midtown skyline, with the sun low at the right edge of the frame
Both rides start here

A river that flows both ways.

The Hudson is a tidal estuary, so it runs upstream and back down twice a day. Tide, current and wind decide what the water does. Watch a modeled day from the cove: the tide climbing the beach, the current building and fading, and the sun coming up behind the skyline.

Watch a day on the river

Join the club

You don't need to be on the river to surf.

Stand on the waterfront and watch the water. See the swell and the wakes roll in, and where the wind roughens the surface. Then picture yourself riding what you see. We call it mindsurfing, and it is fun.

It is also useful if you spend time on boats. Reading wakes, chop and current from shore helps you anticipate how the water will behave before you head out.

Joining is free. Follow @hobokensurfclub on Instagram to hear about conditions, cleanups and boathouse programs along the waterfront.

Want ocean surf sessions through the club? Read more and tell us.

Maxwell Park and Hoboken Cove Beach, Hoboken NJ 07030.

Sunfish sailboats on the cove beach in front of the boathouse