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?
Let me explain

A tidal river, and two kinds of ride.

Start with how the river moves, then pick a ride: a short one on a boat wake reaching the shore, or a long one downriver with the wind.

Hoboken Cove at low tide looking across the river to the Midtown skyline, with the sun low at the right edge of the frame
Start here

The river

Why does it run both ways?

The Hudson is a tidal estuary. Watch a modeled day from the cove: tide, current and sun.

Watch a day on the river
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
Short ride

Ferry and boat waves

Waves with no wind?

A calm morning, and still a line of waves rolls in. How wakes form and how the shore shapes them.

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
Long ride

Downwind waves

Choppy when the wind turns?

Wind against the tide builds steep waves you can ride downriver. Turn the wind and see.

Explore downwind waves

About the short rides. We mean the small waves ferries and boats leave behind once they roll into the shore at Hoboken Cove: close to the beach, far from the boats and the middle of the river. We never follow, chase or ride behind a boat, and we do not encourage it. This site is for learning about the water, not a safety clearance.

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 clear of ferries, terminals, piers and commercial traffic.
Today on the river

Wind, current and waves for the next 72 hours.

Hour by hour forecast wind, NOAA tide and current, and the chop our model expects mid-river off Hoboken Cove, with a map of the whole river. Conditions information for learning, not a go or no-go.

See the forecast

Wind chop on the Hudson seen from a boat, with the Lower Manhattan skyline on the horizon under a cloudy sky72-hour forecast
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