In the 1980s, three Atlantic Beach surf shops — Bert’s, AB, and Marsh’s — gave teenagers a social network as connected as Facebook and as immediate as Twitter. Before long, surfer fads turned into fashion, gossip became news, and young people found their community.
Surf NC
Professor Longboard: Tony Silvagni
If you want to learn to ride the waves, one of the world’s best surfers is more than happy to teach you.
Gidget Grown Up: Jo Pickett
Legendary East Coast surfer Jo Pickett travels the world, chasing waves. But she makes her home in Wilmington, where Carolina’s blue swells remind her of family and the importance of living fearlessly.
A Feast of Love
Craig Love has turned surf culture into his own culinary style. Now, he’s got a kitchen full of surfers — from managers to cooks — who share his deep appreciation of the sea and all that it provides.
Where Sea Meets Soul: Wild Wonders in Rodanthe
When waves are breaking, surfers in Rodanthe cancel other plans — or show up late with wet hair and irrepressible grins.
Where Sea Meets Soul: Easy Riders in Wrightsville Beach
Wilmington’s surfing scene sparks creativity and, in turn, creates friendships. Just ask Chip Hemingway and Will Allison.
Where Sea Meets Soul: Dawn Breakers in Kill Devil Hills & Nags Head
Here, on the fine edge of the Outer Banks, the Atlantic offers a working man’s wave, reliable and steady. And when these early risers catch a ride, they feel on top of the world.
Downtown: Swansboro
In this quaint, laid-back town in Onslow County, every turn leads you back to the water.
The History of North Carolina Surfing
What began as a would-be surfer’s dream more than a century ago has become a reality for wave riders up and down the North Carolina coast. It’s a history written on the water by generations of surfers with a shared passion.