Where to go surfing, windsurfing on LI

SURFING

Montauk has Ditch Plains, where a jetty creates longboard waves, and Turtle Cove, next to Montauk Point State Park. (Ditch Plains requires a parking permit, free to town residents and $375 for nonresidents, and Turtle Cove has no public parking; footpath only.) Popular Southampton spots are east and west of the Shinnecock Inlet jetty, although the only designated area is Little Plains, off Little Plains Road from Main Street; subject to change, call village administrator, 631-283-0247, ext. 224. Parking permits required, free seasonal pass to village residents, nonresident seasonal pass up to $450.

Surfers can do their thing at Smith Point County Park, east of the pavilion, fee for parking. Surfing is permitted at Fire Island National Seashore, west of the county park, and outside lifeguarded beaches at Watch Hill (accessible by private boat or ferry from Patchogue) and Sailors Haven (accessible by private boat or ferry from Sayville). Surfing is permitted at Robert Moses State Park outside protected bathing area; parking fee: $10 a car daily May 25-Sept. 15, $8 a car weekends and holidays April 6-May 19 and  Sept. 14-Nov. 10, $80 seasonal Empire pass for state parks. In Babylon, outside lifeguard area, Gilgo Beach is popular (nonresident parking fee: $20 Mon.-Thur., $40 Fri.-Sun. and holidays; resident parking fee $45 for season; $20 ages 60 and older). Nassau’s sites are on the east end of South Oyster Bay’s Tobay Beach, where nonresidents can surf Mon.-Fri., except holidays, and town residents can surf any day (parking: residents $20 daily, $60 season; nonresidents $50 daily, Mon.-Fri. only, except holidays); Jones Beach State Park, west of parking Field 2 to the jetty at the west end. Parking in Field 2 and West End 2 (parking fee: $10 a car May 25-Sept. 8, $8 weekends and holidays April 6-May 19 and Sept. 14-Nov. 3, $80 seasonal Empire pass for state parks); off Long Beach (call 516-431-3890 or longbeachny.gov for beach schedule and fees).

WINDSURFING

In East Hampton, windsurf in the outer bays (residents free). On the North Fork, New Suffolk Beach permits windsurfing (nonresident parking $40 daily, $300 seasonal; $20 residents for two-year permit).

On the Sound, windsurfing is permitted in Smithtown off Long Beach (town residents only, $7 permit required, available at Town Hall). Other spots include Cold Spring in Southampton (parking permit required: residents $40 season, nonresidents $375). Although these spots are the most popular, windsurfing is accessible throughout Long Island on nearly any body of water, including some state parks. Call parks for restrictions and launching areas.