September historically represents the peak of hurricane season — and the peak of East Coast hype. But any Rightsider worth his or her salt knows that October is our money month. Temperatures fall. Tourists go home. Flannels come out. Fullsuits go on. Sports rivalries heat up. And a variety of storm systems, from distant hurricanes to fast-moving cold fronts to hybrid low-pressure thingamajigs, track across all corners of the Eastern Seaboard, providing handfuls of fun swell, moments of slack wind, and some of the finest sunrise/sunset/fall color combinations we see throughout the year. Best of all, Hurricane Rafael and his no-name kin turned October into one big wave party, without bringing an ounce of the hype heaped on Hurricanes Leslie and Nadine in September.

So don’t take it from us — get in the water and see what October is all about. Tropical Storm Sandy should be taking a late-month boogie up the coast next week…