Hurricane Erin: The Swell Every Lens Has Been Waiting For
If your camera gear has been gathering dust, it’s time to blow the salt off—Sebastian Inlet State Park was absolutely firing on Wednesday. While most locals hunkered down with hurricane snacks, the inlet lit up with double-overhead sets rolling in clean on both the north and south sides. The lineup was thin, the light was golden, and the spray backlit perfectly—dream conditions for anyone willing to risk a sand-blasted lens.
Further up the coast, Florida Today’s crew captured Brevard’s beaches pitching like angry washing machines. How angry? Erin’s outer bands were slinging eight-to-twelve-foot walls that closed out faster than a bar tab at last call. Locals took one look, muttered “sketchy but surfable,” and paddled out anyway. Spoiler: most came back grinning through bloody noses and salt-crusted smiles.
Not everyone scored. Over in South Carolina, Folly Beach had to pull the plug on Surfer’s Healing, the annual surf day for autistic kids. One mom summed it up perfectly: “Bittersweet. The waves we wait for all year are the same ones keeping our groms on the sand.” Still, the beach vibe stayed strong—families traded boards for footballs and the photographers pivoted to portraits of sand-castle triumph instead.
Safety PSA (because we care): Volusia County posted double-red flags and shut vehicle access at high tide. Translation—unless you’ve got jet-ski assist and a buddy system, save the heroics for another swell. Lifeguards have jet skis, ATVs, and nerves of steel, but they’d rather shoot your session than fish you out of the impact zone.
Bottom line: Hurricane Erin is the rare mix of size, shape, and story light that comes once a season. Charge it if you’re experienced, shoot from the shoulder if you’re not, and tag @SurfSnaps so we can repost the carnage and the glory in equal measure.