"The pressure of the undertow! The power is too much!"
Summer has transitioned to autumn, in the northern hemisphere, and now autumn is flashing some winter. An “atmospheric river” is currently washing over southern California causing residents to drive 40 mph below the speed limit while totally freaking out. Across the country, a nor’easter whacked the east coast with winds a’howlin’ and floods a’floodin’.
It also pushed epic surf toward the greatest city on earth.
Yes, Rockaway was served with very fine surf, yesterday, with the New York Post lauding two Virginia Beach surfers, one a former champion, for their mastery.
28-year-old Bill McGarry and a pal studied the weather data and decided to travel north of the Mason-Dixon line at 2am, arriving at 10am and paddling straight out. “As far as the waves today, I would say this is about an eight out of 10, worldwide. I’ve surfed all around the world. I did a lot of contests when I was younger. I won some,” McGarry told the outlet.
Wave heights were reported in the 10 to 15 foot range and caused flooding in certain areas.
While McGarry shined, others were dealt a brutal reminder of the Atlantic’s hidden power. 24-year-old Gabe Neves was initially bullish, sharing, “I’m hoping to catch the wave of my life. I’ve never gone out in a swell this big! I’m planning on a half-hour to 45 minutes out there.”
Within five minutes, he was back on the beach, telling the Post, “The pressure of the undertow! The power is too much! This was ridiculous. Waves eight to 10 feet high? Rockaway never gets this big!”
29-year-old Dakin Platt was also served a man-sized portion of humble pie. “A thrill for sure, but it’s a little much. I wish I had a slightly bigger board. It’s like floating between mountains today,” he declared.
Back to Neves’ planned 30-45 minutes in epic surf, though, what is the shortest time you’ve ever allotted for a sesh?
Was it fun?
Share, please.
Billy has a hot mom..
Blindly followed mates on a report that La Gravierre was the pick of the bunch and got decimated in the shorey the other day. Did not see one rideable wave. Didn’t even pass the bar and bailed on it, drove a half hour north and scored.
Xox
Do you know Mailman?
Forgot all about him..
No! Continue!
Xox
Big swell, Mid-Atlantic / East Coast edition:
A) 10 mins = sitting on beach stairs ‘timing the sets’
B) 15 mins = pulling on neoprene / waxing up
C) 10 mins = stretching on beach (i.e., procrastinating)
D) 10 mins = waiting for lull / swearing at East Coast gods re short period swells
E) 10-15 mins = paddling into anticipated lull but not making it out the back (see short period swells, supra) / duck diving / paddling like lunatic / duck diving / reeling in board / duck diving / paddling like banshee / duck diving / duck diving / duck diving / duck diving / paddling like madman
F) 30 mins = breathing hard / waiting for perfect wave bc no fucking way want to deal with that paddle back out for anything less than perfection
G) 15 seconds = big hairy drop / pull up and in / get annihilated
H) 120 minutes = (repeat steps E – G)
this, my friends, is the manifesto of big swells on the east coast. i shudder reading it and how precise it is ….
i personally got a touch of Toledo belly and found a sequestered bay and a sense of perverted pride as i rolled passed young bucks on 2×4’s and old studs on boards with volume north of 45
livin’ the dream
My personal best was near on 1000kms of driving & searching for waves to get only get one take off to belly ride in some way too wild and hairy conditions on a Victorian beachie.
That wasn’t planned though. I battle internal demons to not just end any surf after two waves if I’m surfing shit, it’s sub par conditions or its crowded.
Neither Bill or Gabe can match the excitement generated by a sighting of AOC surfing in dirty water!