Ben Gravy is making waves in New Jersey, thanks to an unexpected perk from a state beach replenishment project. In a surprising turn of events, the state’s ongoing efforts to replenish its beaches with sand have resulted in a perfect left pointbreak right in Gravy’s backyard—creating a new surfing opportunity with the help of taxpayer dollars.
Since 1936, New Jersey has spent nearly $3 billion on beach replenishment, according to NJ Spotlight News. These projects, which have moved an estimated 240 million cubic yards of sand, are aimed at protecting the state’s coastline from erosion. While the longevity of the sand placement is uncertain, these efforts occasionally give rise to some serendipitous surf breaks.
Fresh off a tropical surf trip, Gravy returned home to find himself catching waves in front of construction equipment—an experience he couldn’t help but laugh at. “It’s not every day that you wake up and the state of New Jersey decides to build a perfect left pointbreak at the end of your street,” he said. “We had to drive about 38 seconds to get to this wave. The team was kind of going off. Got yelled at by the wave pool employee a bit. They were blowing the air horn! I couldn’t tell if it was because of your barrel or cause they wanted us to move!”
As wave pools continue to pop up globally, New Jersey’s unconventional approach stands out. With its sand-bottom setup, a touch of local flavor, and the occasional worker’s shout, the Garden State has certainly kept things original.
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