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Surfers Barrel to Earl

Hurricane expected to produce 10-foot waves

By Rob Quinn, Newser Staff

Posted Sep 2, 2010 1:38 AM CDT

(Newser) – People heading away from North Carolina's Outer Banks as Hurricane Earl approaches are passing hardy surfers heading in the other direction. Earl is the biggest hurricane to threaten the East Coast since Hurricane Bob in 1991, and surfers up and down the coast are getting ready to take full advantage of the rare, dangerous world-class surfing conditions expected, the New York Times reports.

Earl is expected to cause waves up to 10 feet high along the Delaware and New Jersey shore when it churns by tomorrow. "We're going to have all sorts of crazy wind and rain and not a lot of fun down here," the founder of a local surfing school tells the News-Journal. "But then immediately after that, things are going to clean up and we're going to get a nice small window when things are going to come together just perfectly." He warns, however, that inexperienced surfers should stay away.

[Images (4)]

[Quotes (1)]

Red flags warn swimmers from the water at Kure Beach, N.C., as waves increase from Hurricane Earl beyond the horizon. (AP Photo/Bruce Smith)

Surfers roam the beach looking for the best surf spot as Hurricane Earl heads towards the eastern coast on Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2010 in Virginia Beach, Va. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Casey Snow, of Havelock, North Carolina, watches the waves crash as Hurricane Earl heads toward the eastern coast in Atlantic Beach yesterday. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

A surfer rides the waves as Hurricane Earl approaches in Buxton, North Carolina. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)

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As soon as all the surfers saw these things come up the coast—there was Danielle and then Earl behind that and now Fiona behind that—everybody just started licking their chops. - Bethany Beach Patrol Captain
Joe Donnelly

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Surfers Barrel to Earl