After a summer with little surf for Wrightsville Beach’s wave riders, the remnants of Tropical Storm Erika gave surfers reasons to come to the beach.
With good conditions on Saturday, Sunday and early in the week, surfers took advantage of the conditions, crowding surf zones and riding waves until the day’s last light.
“Sunday evening was some of the best surf I’ve seen all summer,” said Jeremy Owens, Wrightsville Beach Ocean Rescue captain. “We had several rescues on Sunday because the swell was really bad.”
Owens said lifeguards put up the red flags on Sunday, warning swimmers of dangerous conditions, as rip currents grew stronger throughout the day. Because of the conditions, WBOR added an extra truck to its after-hours patrol.
Tony Butler, customer service manager for Global Surf Industries and owner of wblivesurf.com, said Erika and another disturbance in the Atlantic could be credited for the storms.
“It’s always nice to see a storm give us waves without putting us in harm’s way,” Butler said.
The tropical storm caught weather watchers’ attention earlier in the week. It dissipated off the coast of Cuba on Saturday morning, but still impacted the Carolinas. In Wrightsville Beach, that meant consistent surf swells and rain through Monday evening. The rain didn’t stop several surfers, who were seen riding waves near Johnnie Mercer’s Pier until dark.
Experienced surfers said the conditions weren’t the biggest that Wrightsville Beach can offer, but the consistent surf provided fun waves for riders throughout the weekend.
Jeff DeGroote, South End Surf Shop owner, said the waves “were about chest high” and it was “definitely fun the past three days.”
“I think we’re going to get some better storms through September,” DeGroote said. “That should produce more sizeable surf, which will be a nice relief from the small summer.”
For Owens, the lifeguard captain and avid surfer, a busy September of surf will be welcome after his duties kept him from the water on Sunday.
“They were the biggest swells of the summer,” he said. “Instead of being out there, I had to watch it.”
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