Any sprinter will tell you that the key to a successful race is getting a good start. Those first few seconds will set you up for either success or failure, so you’ve got to be ready to burst off the blocks when the time is right. But this year, summer storm season sort of jumped the gun, with Tropical Storm Beryl lighting up the Southeast before hurricane season had even begun. The Mid-Atlantic also got a taste of Beryl’s offerings while an additional barrage of groundswell hit all points northward from late May to early June. Luckily, East Coast surfers from Canada to the Carolinas were ready to hit the ground running, and all who managed to get salty during those weeks will probably agree that this year’s storm season is, in fact, off to a wonderful start.

But one question remains: What kind of race is this, really? After all, hurricane season stretches on for six months. So, will this prove to be a sprint, with our season ending as quickly as it began? Or will it be more like a marathon, with swell after swell pumping up our coast? Only time will tell. But one thing’s for sure: The race is on. So let’s all hope this summer’s storm season ends up being blessed with both speed and endurance. If so, you can bet EasternSurf.com will be right there to document it every step of the way.