Outer Banks:
Forget Michael Jordan, barbeque and tobacco — even tobacco lawsuits — when it comes to surfing, the Outer Banks stands as North Carolina’s most valuable commodity. From the northern beaches of Corolla to the holly and palmetto-lined roads of Frisco — and farther south to the island of Ocracoke — Hatteras and its surrounding beaches offer a refreshing shot of consistent and hollow surf for the dehydrated traveler.
For decades, the Outer Banks has been the most hailed and well-documented of North Carolina’s surf regions — and rightfully so. While a wide continental shelf flattens swells like pate at most East Coast beaches, the region’s narrow shelf allows swells of all sorts to hit the beaches relatively unfettered, and the cape’s exposed locale receives the full brunt of all low-pressure systems, northeasters and other tropical and non-tropical events. Sitting where three distinct water masses meet, Hatteras also gets a little help from weather stirred when coastal water from Virginia and North Carolina mixes with the cold Labrador Current and the warm waters of the Gulf Stream. Such stormy conditions made the Banks a popular hangout for pirates in the 18th century, including the infamous buccaneer Blackbeard. While Blackbeard was eventually found and dispatched, history proved the low-lying, sandy surface of the islands to be lethal to many a vessel, earning the barrier island the moniker “Graveyard of the Atlantic.” In terms of strict spiritual reward, however, this Graveyard still breathes life.
Nowhere else on the East Coast is the yin and yang of the beach lifestyle more evident than the Outer Banks. In addition to being First in Flight, this isolated barrier island of North Cackalacka also is first in serving up the finest blend of soul, stoke and overall commitment to the ocean enigma. Besides abundant and captivating species of wildlife in and out of the water, and a gracious and down-to-earth mystique that is unmatched in its simplicity, there is superb fishing, clean water and unlimited access to miles of coastline. (Granted, there are also hurricanes, psychotic rednecks, malevolent cops, questionable chicks and a devastating lack of industry exposure for hopeful local surfers.) But when talk turns to North Carolina’s humble, grassroots beach communities, the Outer Banks is always the first place mentioned, serving as the tip of the dune-berg.
Outer Banks Surf Crowds:
Once inhabited mainly by isolated fisherman, the beaches of Dare County are now connected by a network of bridges and ferries; the villages and towns of today harbor a hardworking and diversified local population, as the economy of the island has become almost completely dependent on tourist dollars. From June through August, the sandy arteries of the Outer Banks get clogged with enough beach boy cholesterol to give Frankie and Annette heart attacks, and locals live a symbiotic, love-hate relationship with summertime visitors. This fragile bond carries over into the water at times, and the virgin Outer Banks traveler may get a sour taste in his or her mouth when attempting to ride some of the more popular waves on the island. Fortunately, there is enough coastline that — with a little help from four-wheel-drive — you can find your own little piece of the aquatic pie on any given day.
Outer Banks Surf Hazards:
All the usual, and a few unique ones: rednecks, heat stroke, skin cancer, dehydration, jellyfish, sea lice, sharks, bluefish, cops, STDs, pregnancy, riptides, bar fights, tobacco (NC’s finest vegetable), water spouts, turning lanes, speed limits, Bible Belt, closed-mindedness, hurricanes, lightning, floods, submerged pilings, neck-crunching tubes, jar heads, fat chicks in thongs, alcohol, dirtweed, horrible drivers, tourists, pier owners, sand traps, Breathalyzers, pirates, scalding sand, cactus, sand spurs, Jimmy Buffett, ball and nipple rash, ignorant and jaded locals, deep-fried seafood, mosquitoes, horseflies the size of your big toe and perhaps the most annoying hazard and the one most responsible for traffic accidents — OBX stickers.
Best Surf Seasons on the Outer Banks:
Summer
Hurricane season begins in June, and although the jet stream may be as straight as McGruff Crime Dog, disturbances off Cape Verde can move quickly across the Atlantic, depending on how warm the water is at that point. Anyone on the Outer Banks during the epic summer of 1995 will testify to the glorious tropical gifts that can come with summertime.
Barring hurricanes or tropical storms, south swells can creep in overnight at any given time, sometimes before the Weather Channel’s Jim Cantore even sees it, and dawn patrollers can score back-lit morning glass before the college kids shake off their hangovers. Furthermore, due to their relative beach angles, some of the southern beaches like Frisco and Buxton can turn on better in the summer than any other season. So summer sucks on the East Coast, right? Typically, yes. Flatness, jellyfish, tourists… But while spring is the season for hope, summer is the season for surprises. And we all love surprises.
Fall
The tourists thin out, the air cools off, business slowly drops and the surf cranks. North swells, south swells, east swells, windswells, hurricane swells and an abundance of light westerlies — fall is when you get shacked on the Banks. Big pits, small pits, clean pits, dirty pits — it’s time for all those famous spitting barrels that Hatteras is famous for. You can usually trunk it until October, but those wetsuit vests come in very handy in Dare County. The fishing rocks this time of year also, and if you have the means, go offshore and haul in a boat full. Ask anyone on the East Coast, and most will reveal that there just ain’t anywhere better than Hatteras, especially in the fall — unless there’s a hurricane striking the coast.
Winter
Outer Banks surfers deal with cold water in the winter, very cold water, sometimes as low as 37 degrees. Add to that stiff northwest winds at about 30 mph, frozen sand, icebergs (no joke) in the sound and you got yourself a real man’s hard-core surfing situation. Ice cream headaches don’t go away after you emerge from the depths. They continue to throb as the wind whistles through your thin, thin eyelids. A 4/3 wetsuit, a good set of sealed booties and gloves and retractable balls of steel are all musts this time of the year. A hood and a warm girl to curl up with at night are also suggested, but not required.
Spring
The water remains cold — lower 40s to lower 50s — until the Gulf Stream starts to push in, which can happen early or late in the year. One year, surfers were not able to shed their fullsuits until mid-July. There is never a need to purchase a springsuit on the Outer Banks. Surfers here go straight from trunks to fullsuit and back to trunks, seemingly overnight. The air temperature is constantly rising and falling, but generally feels colder from all the northeasters that cough on the island around this time. This is also the time of the year when sharks become more of a threat, and their usual food ain’t even swimming around yet. Still, the waves during spring are second only to fall, and swells (particularly from the north) keep coming and coming, treating the teased adults to a few final blasts before school lets out for the summer.
Directions to Best Surf on the Outer Banks:
Linked to the north by US 158, the Banks extend from the Virginia state line southward to Cedar Island. Toll ferries connect Ocracoke to Cedar Island and the Swan Quarter, and there is free ferry access across Hatteras Inlet. Western routes are US-64 and 264 through the island of Roanoke, and NC-12 runs the gamut south toward Ocracoke.
Central to Southern North Carolina:
While Cape Hatteras receives the most praise and attention of North Carolina’s surfing spots, there are several other power pockets along the state’s central and southern beaches. Facing mostly south to southeast, these spots differ from most of the Mid-Atlantic by getting better with tropical activity instead of northeasters. When storms situate themselves well below Hatteras in the nook of the Carolinas, these beaches can hold powerful tropical swells that may completely miss the Outer Banks window. This positional bonus also promises better summertime surfing conditions, particularly around central North Carolina. When the southwest winds start pushing, a July day in Atlantic Beach and Emerald Isle can give surfers noodle arm and nipple rash but evoke nothing but loud groans from the Outer Banks.
While the various barrier islands of Central and Southern North Carolina can stand par to Hatteras’ title of Soul Mecca, the cultural vibe is generally different. Despite the subtle changes between individual communities, the whole Outer Banks seems simply pure. On the other hand, beach towns here have their own distinct sets of pluses and minuses. One town might reek of hostility, while the next beach over still smiles like Jimmy Carter on morphine. Closer to South Carolina, popular surfing culture seems all but extinct, while Wrightsville Beach packs together more surfers, surf shops and surf teams than anywhere else in the state. In fact, considering its block parties, kicking bar scene and surf-tagged youth, it wouldn’t be entirely unfair to refer to Wrightsville as the Virginia Beach of North Carolina. (Now that we mention it, the waves are similar, too.) So while the actual ridability factor doesn’t hold a candle to the Banks or beaches north of Maryland, the Central and Southern North Carolina surf scene continues to develop, and a trip here can garner varying results. You may score great waves — or just great fishing. A few towns have ornery residents — one has paralyzingly beautiful sunsets. With acute senses, an open mind and a good surfboard, you’ll no doubt find some treasure here. Happy hunting.
North Carolina Surf Crowds:
Most of the crowding in Central and Southern North Carolina is tourist-related (big surprise). Every summer and holiday weekend, Raleigh and other inland cities catapult their masses to the beaches of Atlantic Beach south to Sunset Beach and living on the same canvas can be nerve-wracking to say the least. Other than the scores of waders, boogers and weekend loggers clogging the lineups, the surfer crowd factor is usually pretty mellow, and if you can hold your own in the water, chances are that there won’t be a problem catching waves. (Remember: this rule may flip-flop with swell, weather, holidays, etc. and in no way applies to the town of Wrightsville Beach, which carries a completely separate set of statutes.)
North Carolina Surf Hazards:
Dangerous sea life shows its many different faces here — more so than even the Outer Banks — and the sharks, sea lice, man-o-wars and bluefish provide enough discomfort to make up for the OB’s claim on flying pests. Furthermore, fishermen from Atlantic Beach to Carolina Beach can be some of the gnarliest bastards you’ll ever meet. Add marines, topless dancers, college kids, movie extras, crackheads and shitkickers and all types are represented.
Best Surf Seasons in North Carolina:
Summer
It’s so humid. These places get hot — very hot — and very humid in the summertime. Air conditioning, fans and window tint are all must-haves. The New Hanover County area (Wilmington, Wrightsville Beach) in particular is the most humid subtropical area in the state, and summers are horribly uncomfortable in the daytime. However, the nighttime temperatures are surprisingly pleasant. Figure on about high 70s to low 100s in the daytime and mid 50s to low 60s at night. There is also lots of southwest wind this time of year, which means lots of waves for south-facing beaches.
Fall
Hurricane season, zippity-doo-da! Some breaks in Southern and Central North Carolina can claim better storm conditions than Hatteras. The trade-off, though, is that these beaches — Wrightsville, Carolina and Topsail beaches in particular — also claim more storm damage from recent hurricanes, and many of the towns are still recuperating from their losses. Thus, these beaches take no chances. If a hurricane is on the way, be prepared to be evacuated; however, hurricane passes have become much-utilized tools in recent years, so it’s worth cozying up to a serious-minded local surfer. Fortunately, fall also evicts the smoldering weather, and daytime temps return to a more manageable 60 to 80 degrees.
Winter
Not so bad. Waves suck at a lot of places for the lack of south swells, but the water doesn’t even get remotely as cold as the state’s northern coast. Nothing needed more than a sealed 3/2 and a pair of booties. (Some need gloves from January to February, maybe.) Air temps run around the high 30s to mid 60s, on average.
Spring
Springtime is usually one of the better seasons to be farther south on the Carolina coast. The water doesn’t take long to warm up, and surfers are usually out of fullsuits by early April. Gloves and booties are a three-month setback at worst, and the air temperature is delightful. Thunderstorms are a huge part of spring weather phenomenon and bouts with rain can last for a week. Aside from these and other ordinary fluctuations in the atmosphere, you can bet on temps to be around the high 60s to low 80s in the daytime. The waters are usually up to about 60 or 65 degrees by April, barring a late cold spell.