Camp Lejeune

📍 Local Knowledge

Camp Lejeune (Onslow Beach) is an exposed beach-break on the Marine Corps base that delivers rideable surf when windswell and groundswells align. Current conditions show choppy knee to thigh-high surf building toward waist-high in the afternoon, thanks to a new windswell driven by strong northeast winds. This spot performs best in fall—especially September through November—when long-period southeast and northeast swells from tropical systems and nor’easters arrive, and offshore winds help smooth the wave faces. The shifting sandbars create peaky lefts and rights that tend to hold best around low to mid tide. Access is limited to military personnel and their guests, which results in notably lighter crowds. Surfers should exercise caution, especially during storm-driven swells, as rip currents and undertow can become quite powerful here.