I gotta say...

MakiSupaStar · #1 09-07-2010, 10:53 PM

I was looking though these pics of Hurricane Earl on the East Coast, and it's flared up an old idea I've always wanted to do, but never really had the time. I always wanted to track a hurricane on the east coast. Fly into Florida, and just surf the swell all the way up to Maine. I've been looking at the surf on the east coast (from a west coast perspective) for close to 10 years now, and it seems to me that there are a ton of good spots along the east coast that could easily be mapped out to ride out in front of the weather front. I don't know. Maybe it's crazy, but let's say I could do it. Where would I fly into and start in Florida? Where should I hit along the way? What about prevailing winds, bottoms (reef, sand, point break) that would favor this kind of venture? This is where I would depend on local knowledge. So East coasters, if you could, how would you do it? I might be just crazy enough to try this idea out in the next year or two.

Here are some shots of Earl.

http://www.surfline.com/surf-news/hu...r-banks_47371/

This is just the most recent in a whole bunch of hurricanes that I've watched over the years. Any pictures from you local folks of waves from past hurricanes that you remember, or better yet rode? Do you guys remember the course headings of the hurricane?

I hope that I'm not being insensitive to the amount of damage these things cause. Trust me that wasn't my intention. It's just been a dog turd summer for surf over here on the west coast, so my mind wanders.

j vegas · #2 09-07-2010, 11:33 PM

Not very doable, IMHO. Coming from South Carolina, hurricanes bring the biggest waves I've ever seen back home. The catch is the relatively small window of winds blowing perpendicular to the shore.

Two years ago in Virginia, I ran 5 miles up the beach chasing a buddy who couldn't even make it out past the breakers. That was with the winds blowing parallel to the beach. He was in great shape, but completely exhausted after about 30 minutes of paddling and staying on his board.

Having said that, it's an experience you just won't get on the west coast. Fly out, watch Point Break a few times, and then go for it.

MakiSupaStar · #3 09-08-2010, 12:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by j vegas

Not very doable, IMHO. Coming from South Carolina, hurricanes bring the biggest waves I've ever seen back home. The catch is the relatively small window of winds blowing perpendicular to the shore.

Two years ago in Virginia, I ran 5 miles up the beach chasing a buddy who couldn't even make it out past the breakers. That was with the winds blowing parallel to the beach. He was in great shape, but completely exhausted after about 30 minutes of paddling and staying on his board.

Having said that, it's an experience you just won't get on the west coast. Fly out, watch Point Break a few times, and then go for it.

Meh, not to knock your buddy, or you for that matter, but we've all done that. Huntington Beach, my local break, gets walled out with a cranking side current, but because of time constraints I've hitched a ride south on our lifeguard truck and made the drift. A whole lot of work for a little reward. But if I had the time, I could have traveled south to somewhere like Trestles and totally scored. I bet you guys could have too, if you had the day to kill (not all of us do). But if I was on a vacation, I totally would. Most of these waves that I've seen pics of are doable and comparable to the size we get here in California. I think a quiver of boards ranging in size from a 6'0" fish to a 6'4" thruster (Channel Islands Flyer II) to a 7'6" gun would suffice. Perhaps a 6'10" swallow like my 6'4" would be good too. I think if I focused on the best spots possible, points, and fairly sheltered nooks, it's doable. How far does it take to travel from Florida, say Sebastian Inlet to say Rhode lsland? I'm just curious.

DigMe · #4 09-08-2010, 06:44 AM

You could surf the streets and culverts around here right now what with Hermine just hanging over us for the last 24 hours. You shoulda flowneded into Waco.

bc

dangnewt · #5 09-08-2010, 07:47 PM

Newport RI is the surfing spot around here that I am aware of but, not being a surfer, and not being a local surfer, I'm not sure where the best is (was) along the RI shore.

Thunderscreech · #6 09-08-2010, 09:06 PM

Virginia Beach and the Eastern Shore got some good places I hear tell. Back Bay state park, too. check that out.

dave64o · #7 09-09-2010, 05:15 AM

Wasn't that the basis of an old Gilligan's Island episode?

MakiSupaStar · #8 09-09-2010, 11:31 AM

Here's some pics from Delaware to Maine.

http://www.surfline.com/surf-news/re...o-maine_47375/

Passinwind · #9 09-09-2010, 12:00 PM

Hey Daren,

I'll try to get my bro in RI to chip in. He used to chase storms up and down the east coast pretty regularly, albeit mostly to windsurf. I grew up in CT on Long Island Sound; people there mostly went to RI or Long Island to surf IIRC.

One time we had to call my mom and cancel a long-planned dinner because of a killer nor'easter coming in that day in Mass. I was visiting from the west coast and had to borrow gear --much smaller gear than most people even own there. Then we had to sweet talk the cops into allowing us to launch, while they were aggressively chasing away storm watchers. "Gee Orrificer, I would never think off sailing out of the river to that bar/point break at the river mouth, it must be a mile away!" 50 knot winds, fairly smooth double head high sets in side-off wind...a little too scary for me, especially on borrowed stuff. I did find my comfort zone nearby and get a great day in though. Prolly would've been great the next morning for surfing, if you could figure out how to stay off the beach. Lots of closed access at the best spots in New England, I think. But as always, that's down to who you know.

Check this book out. I found lot of hits by Googling "hurricane chasing surfers."

MakiSupaStar · #10 09-17-2010, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Passinwind

Hey Daren,

I'll try to get my bro in RI to chip in. He used to chase storms up and down the east coast pretty regularly, albeit mostly to windsurf. I grew up in CT on Long Island Sound; people there mostly went to RI or Long Island to surf IIRC.

One time we had to call my mom and cancel a long-planned dinner because of a killer nor'easter coming in that day in Mass. I was visiting from the west coast and had to borrow gear --much smaller gear than most people even own there. Then we had to sweet talk the cops into allowing us to launch, while they were aggressively chasing away storm watchers. "Gee Orrificer, I would never think off sailing out of the river to that bar/point break at the river mouth, it must be a mile away!" 50 knot winds, fairly smooth double head high sets in side-off wind...a little too scary for me, especially on borrowed stuff. I did find my comfort zone nearby and get a great day in though. Prolly would've been great the next morning for surfing, if you could figure out how to stay off the beach. Lots of closed access at the best spots in New England, I think. But as always, that's down to who you know.

Check this book out. I found lot of hits by Googling "hurricane chasing surfers."

Thanks Charlie. I knew I wasn't crazy. I'm going to buy that book. This little video is kind of cool. Kind of the spirit of what I'm talking about. They followed Danielle and then there's another one for Alex too.

http://www.surfline.com/video/webiso...danielle_47527

warwick.hoy · #11 09-17-2010, 11:28 AM

Honestly a good day in Va. Beach is probably not nearly as good as a bad day anywhere on the west coast. I'd follow the storm,...it always seemed glassy the day after a storm.

I'm sure there are some reefs of the coast of Florida,...but you'll be hard pressed to find anything other than sandy bottom up the remainder of the coast.

I've never surfed the Eastern Shore but hopefully you don't need to poop there,...the eastern shore is the land of outhouses.

The Outer Banks is where it's at as far as the middle east coast. Barrier islands with a sudden geography helps pitch that water up and the gulf stream is a bit closer to shore. A little less touristy/resorty. May be a little difficult to navigate with a storm bearing down. Typically any tourist evacuate to the mainland since the OBX has the ocean on one side and the Abermarle Sound on the other.

Good luck flying in though,...Dulles shut down with TS Hannah blowing in in 2008 stranding me and my newlywed wife. My dad had to drive up from Chesapeake (3hrs) to get us at midnight, spoiling the surprise. It was a cool little adventure I have to say, but if my dad could safely drive up to DC to come get us,...then they probably could have safely flown us down to Norfolk. I think we were pretty far ahead of the storm as it didn't seem to materialize in the area until the afternoon we arrived. Maybe the pilots were too drunk.

MEKer · #12 09-17-2010, 12:13 PM

Go for it, dude.
Remember to post pics or we will not believe you.

Oh, ahh, er, just in case, leave your bass gear to me in a will and include free shipping please.