GETTING INTO A LONG ISLAND STATE OF MIND Phlogging The 2010 Atlantic Hurricane Season With Tom Dugan And Dick “Mez” Meseroll Words and photos by Tom Dugan
Chasing hurricanes these days is a no-brainer for East Coasters. When I
saw 10- to 12-foot waves in the forecast, I knew it was time to head to New
York where the conditions would be perfect for this swell. What I got was not
10- to 12-foot, but rather four- to six-foot and really good.
We headed for Montauk to get the brunt of the swell. Now what I remember
as a grom surfing here has sure changed. The things that were most notable included
the fact that the foliage has really grown up in the last 30 years. The prices
have also gone through the roof — we paid $18.00 for a burger and over
$12.00 for a pack of cigarettes. The crowds were also out of control at most
spots, but what has not changed is the wave quality.
Montauk is mostly rock bottom, so over the years lineups haven’t really
shifted that much. The only thing that I noticed is that every nook and cranny
is now being surfed. Let me tell ya, the surf biz is very much alive and well
in the Empire State. We made contact with some surfers up island like Alex
Fawess, Tommy Bunger, and Bill “Hutch” States as to where and when to go. And
after a long day of photos at Gilgo and editing them that evening, I got to bed
around 1:00 a.m. and was up the next day at 4:30 a.m. to head out to Montauk
for the morning glass.
The swell peaked on Day Two, but not as big as expected. There were some
big ones, the wind was straight offshore all day, and the air temp was 94 with
no clouds in the sky and 73-degree water. So people were surfing bareback or
with some rubber, but it was the best conditions for any beach you could ask
for, especially in New York for the end of summer.
Back to the high cost... if it was not for my friend John Franciscovich
helping us out at the Second House Tavern with a room and killer grinds, the
whole trip may have broke the bank. What was cool is every morning and night
like 20 turkeys would show up to feed right outside of our door — all I
could think about was eating them. John is a big boy and surfs with power and
style. When you first see him it will intimidate you, but give him his waves
and he will show you what, where, and when out at the East End.
What we learned is that there is a tight crew of surfers in Montauk. Some
old, some young, some female, some shortboarders and some longboarders (well,
actually, a lot of longboarders), but that's a story for another phlog. The
people you see at the Long Island beaches will amaze you. Checking the surf one
morning was Margaritaville’s Jimmy Buffett, writer Allan Weisbecker, Real Housewives Of New York reality
star Alex McCord, and more characters than you could shake a stick at. Montauk
dished up two big days and head-high conditions the rest of our stay, all with
perfect, hot, and sunny conditions.
EasternSurf.com would like to thank John Franciscovich and the Second House Tavern for
the hospitality. Check ‘em out at www.SecondHouseTavern.com.
And hit them up Sundays for beer and burgers for only $10!
THE OLD IN-OUT
The 2009 WRV Outer Banks Pro Presented By Hurley Is Moving Ahead Like Clockwork
Along The Graveyard Of The Atlantic... Let's Hope Hurricane Season Doesn’t Dish
Out A Bit Of The Old Ultraviolence
BILL OF SALE Surf Expo Comes To Town Early With Lower-Than-Usual
Attendance Rumors And Category 4 Hurricane Bill Zooming In. Will You Blow Town To
Bro Down Or Sit Tight And Get Right?
