Winter surf here doesn't bode well for photographers. The light is weird... the water is a dirty chocolate brown.... But, the waves are pumping. The lack of green water sometimes requires black and white, but Florida charger Mark Dawson has relocated to the Outer Banks for the barrels, not the water color.
Heavy suits. Boots. Gloves. Hoods. Max Lingg will tell you it's all worth it for a few winter waves on the Outer Banks.
During Tropical Storm Leslie, the outer bar at Oregon Inlet and a shorebreak point appeared that no one could remember ever seeing before. Due to a well timed contest, there was a star studded cast of surfers from the east coast and beyond who were ready to test these new breaks. Tristan Thompson from Florida checks on the inside of a shorebreak barrel.
Hurricane Sandy changed everything. She was tough to shoot because the weather was so bad. After the wind went offshore, I took captured this monster at Jennette's Pier in Nags Head. For a little perspective, the end of the pier shown is over 1000' from the car in the foreground and the pier deck is 25' from sea level. At the peak of the storm and high tide, I shot a handful of waves breaking over the railing at the end of the pier.
I enjoy shooting with the local legends like Mickey McCarthy, and it’s even better when you can catch a friend like Seth Barrick in the barrel while looking over their shoulder.
When the Lighthouse is doing its thing, it is a sight to behold. Many a surfer, photographer and tourist have stood on that little dune.
I guess it's the normal progression, but shooting from land doesn't capture some of the things about surfing I want to capture for others to see. A little Nags Head winter barrel from the right angle.
Wolfgang Blackwood lives on the road to the Lighthouse. He's been charging all winter. I have a few pics of him surfing, but they just don't do justice compared to the pics others have gotten.
Barrels or ramps, Dawson's gonna be on it.
Cody Craig is a California-to-OBX transplant who is always ripping whether he's on a short board in big barrels or on the nose of his long board on a warm summer's day.
Hatteras winter surf. No color. All power.
Dallas Tolson is the most stoked surfer on the Outer Banks and possibly on the planet. I shot this session for a couple of freezing hours after I surfing with Dallas as my primary target. Missed a shot here. Too much spray there. Thought it wasn't going to happen. Was taking lineup shots at dusk with my zoom pulled back and out of the corner of my eye I catch Dallas boosting this air. Zoomed out with the purple of dusk, makes this one of my favorite shots.
Nobody rides a left barrel on the Outer Banks better than Jesse Hines. Here he is practicing on a little one to get ready for the real juice in the upcoming winter months.
Brett Barley standing tall despite the low 40s water temp, the mid 30s air temp and the wind chill that made me colder than I can recall ever being before.
One of the Outer Bank's young local super stars, Morgan Leavel, prepares for an imminent hurricane swell by boosting a few solid airs a day or so ahead of the storm swell.
Matt Beacham grew up on the Outer Banks, left for a period of time and has recently returned. He's a super nice guy who has a a mean cutback and a lot of skill in the barrel. Late afternoon session during the beginnings of the swell from Tropical Storm Leslie in September 2012.
Winter on the Outer Banks means north swells. North swells mean Lighthouse barrels. If the Lighthouse is barreling, Brett Barley will be on it. This isn't anywhere near a big one, but the golden hour light and the slicing of the frothing foam make it one of my favorites.
Day in and day out, no one surfs the 1st Jetty at Cape Hatteras Lighthouse better than Buxton native Brett Barley. He's usually pulling into a massive barrel, but he can break the fins free and take to the air just as easily.
Following Sandy, the road South of Oregon Inlet was shut down for over a month and Nags Head Fishing Pier was only one place "in town" breaking. Emerald Isle to Nags Head transplant, Erik Schub takes full advantage of the ramp at the end of the right.
Florida pro Oliver Kurtz puts on a show whenever he surfs. Did he land this? I'm not telling... but there's video out there somewhere...
