Jayden Smith and Carter Brown took advantage of last Friday’s swell at Baby Beach. Although the sun was shining and the temperature was in the low 50’s, the boys had to suit up in specific gear for the cold winter waters. Brown explained each piece of his attire, which included a 6.5 mm-thick full wetsuit with an attached hoodie, and 7mm-thick gloves and booties. “It’s all about the right gear. With the recent advancements in wetsuit technology, winter surfing now is so much more bearable. Winter wetsuits have way more stretch, better seams, newer materials; all contributing to comfort and warmth,” said a local surfing expert, who did not wish to be named. Brown used a hard-top longboard for Baby Beach’s smaller swell but he typically uses his short board at surf spots like Mansion Beach and Vail Beach. “I like to use my shortboard pretty much always. Especially when the waves are bigger and the beach I go to is rockier,” Brown said. During summers Baby Beach is a popular spot for beginner surfers and it is also where surf lessons are held. Baby Beach tends to have softer waves with fewer rocks than other surfing spots along Crescent Beach and the south side. Local surfers recommend beginners stay on the east side of the island while more advanced surfers could head to the south side. According to Brown, one perk to surfing in the winter on Block Island is it’s less crowded. “I like winter surfing because it’s cool to get out in the water during winter. It’s refreshing and it’s something to do,” he said. “There are way less crowds in [the usual] popular spots.”