Tuesday, March 19, 2013

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Do CE ECSC Like a Local


Visitor’s Guide to the Vans presents the 51st Annual Coastal Edge East Coast Surfing Championships

The Coastal Edge ECSC is really a celebration of beach lifestyle and the sports, sights, sounds and people that live in or visit our seaside community.  It is America’s oldest surfing competition and second oldest in the world.  Here’s the skinny on how to act like you have been there before.

 

WHAT TO TAKE—

  • Sunscreen
  • Sandals, footwear
  • Hat/head cover
  • Sunglasses
  • Bag/tote/carry-all
    • (Frees up one’s hands, keeps things from blowing away)
  • Cell phone
    • (to locate friends, send photos/video to envious friends who can’t be here, or call for a ride home if you’ve had too much fun)
  • Portable Radio
    • Away from the Main Stage, tune in to this year’s radio partners: TBA
  • Cash
    • CE ECSC T-shirt sales tents accept credit cards, but many of the food vendors do not.
    • ATMs are available on the boardwalk
    • Valid government-issued picture ID (driver’s license, military ID, etc.)
      • No excuses
      • Don’t even try to obtain adult beverages without one
  • Beach chair
    • Optional.  Lot’s to see and do, so there’s lots of walking. But do bring one , hang out and get comfortable watching the competition
  • Binoculars
    • Optional.  For uh…, seeing the surfers out into the water.  (Yeah, that’s it.)

 

WHAT YOU CAN GET WHILE YOU’RE THERE—

  • Food (fair/festival type options)

Hot dogs & sausages, Pizza by the slice, Grilled pitas, wraps, cold fruit drinks, fries, popcorn, nachos, pretzels, funnel cakes, iced cream or icy treats.

  • Adult Beverages (non-alcohol, alcohol, water, soft drinks, sports drinks, etc.)
    • Hoffman Beverage (three tents: Main Stage; Surfing & Volleyball areas)
    • Water
    • Other drinks available from food vendors
  • Samples:Many sponsors provide free samples during the weekend….
  • CE ECSC T-Shirts– The classic take-away from CE ECSC.  You can’t really call yourself a local if you live here and don’t have at least one of these in a dresser somewhere.
    • True locals have two kinds of CE ECSC Tees:
      • Weathered – Not bought pre-broken in, these older, worn, partially faded shirts from CE ECSC’s five or more years ago shirts came by it naturally.  And great memories are attached (or spilled) on each one.  Now relegated to gym work-out wear or house and yard work
      • “New ones” – From recent years, somehow these have remained clean enough to wear out to concerts, ball games, picnics, perhaps even casual bars or restaurants.  These are saved to be worn at just the right occasion.
    • Price: From $15 for t-shirts.  Tank tops, sweatshirts and tie dyes will be available, as will plus sizes for additional costs.

 

 

WHERE TO PARK—Look, this is a beach town in August.  So don’t complain if you cruise down at 2 p.m. on Saturday and can’t find a parking place.  Get there early and stay a while or pay the $10 to park and just deal with it.

Best Bets for the Planet: Consider taking public transportation.  At least from other municipal, private lots along Pacific Ave.  Then pay the fare & take the TRT Trolley down Atlantic Ave. to the Loop.

OR

Take a bike.  Ride it no lower than 6th Street (bikes clog up the boardwalk for pedestrians) and chain-lock it to the railing. Walk with the rest of humanity down to the main section of CE ECSC on the boardwalk or sand. Bike racks provided at the loop.

 

Best Places: (whatever the price, well worth it to park nearest the event)

1)      5th Street & Pacific Ave. (Private lot)

2)      a.k.a., “The Loop Lot” inside Atlantic Ave. turn-around

3)      4th Street Municipal lot, a.k.a., across from Budget Lodge motel

4)      Star of the Sea church lot (private lot)

5)      9th Street Municipal Parking Garage

 

Where NOT to Park:

  1. DO NOT park in lots of businesses, restaurants or stores; be kind and let customers park there.  Most places will tow non-customers anyway, but just obey the No Parking Signs and avoid the hassle altogether.
  2. City resident parking permits are required for neighborhoods of Croatan and Shadowlawn, so be careful NOT to park where prohibited.
  3. Any of the condominium entryways  between 1st and 5th Streets

From the City’s official website:

www.vbgov.com or http://www.vbfun.com

Resort Area Parking — The parking division is responsible for the administration, operation, maintenance, and revenue collection for the City-owned parking spaces located both on-street and in off-street facilities including 25th Street, 19th Street, 4th Street, Croatan, and Sandbridge municipal parking lots, as well as the 9th Street and 31st Street garages.

Contact Information:
Resort Management Office, Parking Division
401 19th Street
Virginia Beach,  VA  23451
Direct:  (757) 385-6667
Fax:  (757) 437-4731

 

WHERE TO EAT—Consider making a day of it: have a relaxed, sit-down meal in air conditioning or outside table at a local Oceanfront restaurant and having a second meal or snack and drinks down at CE ECSC.  Spread the wealth around with your patronage.

  • Boneheads Beach Bistro
  • Strawberry Street Concessions
  • All In One Catering
  • EAT An American Bistro
  • Sherri’s Crab Cakes

CE ECSC Beach vendors

  • coming soon

Nearby Restaurants/Food

  • Schooner Inn restaurant (3rd Street)
  • Waterman’s Surfside Grille (4th/5th Streets—415 Atlantic Ave.)
  • Mahi-Mahs (Ramada on the Beach, at 7th Street on the boardwalk)
  • Laverne’s Oceanfront (Quality Inn, at 7th Street on the boardwalk)
  • Ocean Key Resort restaurant (5th Street—424 Atlantic Ave.)
  • 7-Eleven (10th Street—1010 Pacific Ave.)
  • The Raven (on 11th Street, 1200 Atlantic Ave.)
  • Rudee’s on the Inlet (227 Mediterranean Ave.)
  • Rockafellers (308 Winston-Salem Ave.)
  • Big Sam’s Inlet Café & Raw Bar (300 Winston-Salem Ave.)

 

WHERE TO DROP YOUR CHAIR & TOWEL—

  • Adults –
    • On chairs near the main stage, or anywhere in the fenced area between the surfing and backstage between 4th and 5th Streets
    • Anywhere around the beach volleyball courts from 6th Street to 7th Street
    • Standing near the “Beverage Tent” then walking over to the Main Stage
    • NEW this year: “Beverage Tent” near the surfing competition area
  • Teens –
    • On beach towels near the water, between 3rd Street and the Surfing Competition Area
    • Walking around the boardwalk from 3rd Street to the Skateboard Park
    • Sitting or walking near the Surfing Judges scaffolding at 2nd Street

 

WHEN TO GO …..

  • Miss CE ECSC Swimsuit Pageant
    • What’s a classic American Beach Party without a good old fashion swimsuit contest?   This year hosted by the International Bikini Team

 

What to look for:

    • Video footage of this will be shown at bars from The Block on the Strip to Granby Street in NoFo for the next 12 months.
    • Don’t be surprised: Hard-bodied 32-year old mothers-of-three have won CE ECSC’s swimsuit contest in years past.  Many participants are encouraged by friends to seize the chance to strut the stuff Mother Nature gave them … or show off the results of that health club membership their “ex” gave them last Christmas.

 

WHAT NOT TO BRING—

Leave at home to avoid hassles.

  • Bikes (Below 6th Street)
  • Boom boxes (do they still make these?)
  • Coolers (OK, you can bring them, but they’re not necessary.  Takes up lots of space and you have to carry it around.   Pretty much everything you’d care to eat or drink is right there, on the beach.  And remember, proceeds help the Jaycees’ charitable causes.)
  • Pets.  Yes, even dogs on leashes (sorry); and Just Say No to huge reptiles, snakes and exotic birds.
  • Anti-tourist attitudes.  True, lots of locals consider CE ECSC their own, but chill out & share the beach.  “Keep the stoke; it’s all good.”

 

Cameras: Do’s & Don’ts—

  • DO: Telephoto lenses (for obvious reasons)
  • DO: Bring “Fast” speed film. Still using film, old school? Sunny days on white sand beaches is too much light.  (need at least 400 ISO rated film). 
  • DO: Better yet—what are you waiting for?— Go digital already.
  • DO: Bring compressed air to “blast” away sand grains if you should get some on the camera or in the workings of the camera.
  • DO: Consider plastic bags for your cameras. Zip-lock larger freezer bags will keep out sand and any moisture. Better yet, Skippy, get a real camera bag.

How to dress—

  • Like it’s the last, best hope for a late-summer beach party.  Because it is.
  • Bikini – only if you can pull this off (you know what we mean)
  • T-Shirt, shorts, sandals.  A “Hawaiian luau” shirt is only OK for guys over 40.
  • Bring a pull-over or a sweatshirt in case of cool evening or rain
  • An old ECSC shirt from years ago is OK to wear
  • Stop by Coastal Edge or the Vendor Village and get out-fitted right
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