This has been bugging me for some time and I guess its time to ask.
Fisrt I have to explain that on the west coast, the ocean current, for the most part, travels from Alaska south along the coast past Canada, Washington, Oregon, California, to Mexico.
In Alaskaian waters, with a survival suit, you will last about 30 minutes before you die.
Off the coast of Washington a surfer will wear a 3/4 to full wetsuit to play, but not all day long.
In Southern California, its shorts and surfboards all day and night.
now to be perfectly honest, this is for the purpose of discussion.

While I was at WW and JIBE, I had no desire to stick my toe in the freezing water. While at WW, I watched a documentary on wildwood the opening day, Memorial Day weekend. Everyone was wearing bikinis and shorts, in and out of the water.

Here is my questian. With the gulf stream traveling north up the coast, and the Kennedys playing on the beach and in the water in Kenny bunk port Maine, what the heck kind of water temp we talking about? The OBX is another place I would like to get wet at. Do you all wear drysuits? Wetsuits? Naked?:puzzled:

http://www.outerbanks.org/outerbanks-weather/

Averages by Month..

This winter ( December ) here in NJ we rode on ocean in drysuits for about 4h max when outside temperature was below 40F .... taking few brakes to warm up your toes and fingers by dancing on a beach .... Fingers get cold quickly because bar pressure when jumping cuts off you blood stream .... so sometimes I swig my arms when I am riding to speed up circulation .... looks a bit funny when people watch me from the shore .... lol...
I start using 3/2 wetsuit on end of April .... and go in shorts sometimes in May

OBX is warmer ... Trip we are doing in April and October is always fun and its time when you get mixed weather .... With North wind we use 4/3 wetsuits or thicker .... with South wind we go in shorts or thin wetsuit .... Water in sound is very shallow and warms up quickly in April and cool down quickly in October .... so there is big difference in temperatures between ocean and sound ...

And some people are just used to the cold...

we have had very cold water this year 46 or so, which is cold for here. we just had a NE fri and the water was definitely warmer from the previous week. out about 4 hours 5/3 no booties gloves, no haed cover , actually felt HOT first 30 min had take few dunks.
the water will warm to 60 within next couple weeks.
if the suns out theres a huge difference and IN the water v. in the wind.

we are in suits about 5 months, 3/2 will get you by but you will be cold in jan/feb. i never wear booties but most do. water temp zooms up this month for us.

OBX u will need something, water never really gets "warm" there even in august. shorty all day kinda

When I was in OBX a few years ago, Wexler and I rode hard for 2 days in the sound. This was late September/early October and we both were only wearing shorty wetsuits and were in the water for 6 hours or more both days. I guess the water temps were in the mid to upper 60s then.

When visiting beaches further south, it is always shorts only by early/mid May and into September before the air/water causes you to need some insulation. Even an insulated rash guard can be enough for the first and last 3/4 weeks of cool water.

When Rich came out to SOBB he walked into the water bare foot and you could hear the girly scream a mile up the beach.:P just kidding.
He said the water was colder than at home. Its always cold here, thats why I buggy.