Hurricane Erin Sends the East Coast Into a Full-on Froth
Hurricane Erin never set foot on land, but she sure left her calling card. From the Space Coast to the rocky points of Maine, this storm cranked out overhead-plus lines that had surfers high-fiving in parking lots and lifeguards locking gates in record time. Here’s the coastal blow-by-blow.
Florida: Double-overhead at Sebastian Inlet
Wednesday morning at Sebastian Inlet State Park, sets stacked to the horizon. Photographers with 600 mm lenses back-pedaled as barrels unloaded across both the north and south sides. Surfers lucky enough to snag the keyhole reported rides so long they needed a snack break halfway.
Same day in Volusia County, the vibe was mixed: Ponce Inlet looked like a washing machine, but insiders who knew which sandbars to hit scored clean, head-high walls. "You just have to read the beach like Google Maps," one local told WESH. Translation: bring binoculars and a 4×4.
Delaware: Beach Closed, Debate Open
While Floridians threaded tubes, Fenwick Island officials slammed the gates. By Thursday, CoastTV reports, even walking over the dunes was off-limits. Lifeguards say 8-foot wash-through sets and marathon rip currents made it a no-go zone; some locals call the closure “overkill.” Either way, drones are now the only way to shoot those empty peaks.
Maine & the Carolinas: Cold-Water Glory
By Friday, the swell marched north. Maine’s forecast jumped to 6–10 feet, prompting the NWS to issue a weekend-long high-surf advisory (full details here). In North Carolina, Carolina Beach lit up with 12-foot faces, and Wilmington’s lifeguards logged more rescues before lunch than they usually see in a week.
Shoot Smart, Stay Safe
Whether you’re sliding into a 5-mil in Maine or trunking it in 80-degree Florida juice, Erin’s swell is a reminder: storms make magic, but they also bring real consequences. Check in with local patrol, shoot from the shoulder if you’re on a jet-ski, and maybe pack an extra memory card—because when the next set rolls in, you’ll want to hit record, not rewind.