Overview
Third Street is a sandbar beach break in Kill Devil Hills, tucked between Avalon Pier and First Street. It picks up plenty of swell and breaks both left and right over sand, but with no jetties or groins to hold things in place, the setup lives and dies with the sand. Only periodic beach nourishment and constant Atlantic energy shape the bank, so when Third Street lights up it tends not to last long. The slope off the old Sea Ranch hotel is steep enough to leave a trough at low tide and a fair bit of backwash up high.
When It Works
The bank takes swell from north-northeast through east to southeast (NNE-E-SE), so it is open to northeast groundswells and tropical pulses alike. It works from 1.2 m / 4 ft to 2.4 m / 8 ft, roughly head high to overhead and up. Autumn is the prime window, since the spot is storm dependent, with tropical cyclones through late summer and fall, then fronts and nor'easters into late fall and winter. It is a fairly reliable zone when the sand cooperates, and when things line up the locals tend to catch on quickly.
Wind and Tide
Look for west-southwest (WSW) offshore wind, with a workable window running from southwest to west (SW-W). It can break on all tides depending on the sand, though a rising tide is generally the better call. Just expect that low-tide trough and some backwash off the steep beach at high.
Local Tips
Third Street suits everyone from beginners to experts, and almost any craft works here, from shortboards and fish to funboards, longboards, SUPs, skimboards, and bodyboards. Crowds stay fairly spread out thanks to the limited parking, and the lineup can feel a little reserved. Paddling is normally manageable, but the right south swell can make it tough to hold your spot on the peak. Keep an eye out for the triangle wrecks just to the south, between First and Second Street.
Access
Parking is the main headache here. There is not much right at Third, so grab a spot at the Second Street access and walk down. Don't park on the street unless you want a ticket or a tow.
