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There are two ways to roll up to Surf Expo — the biggest, oldest beach and boardsports tradeshow in the world that overtakes Orlando twice a year. You can be a wreck — nervous about all those meetings and hungover from all those parties and exhausted from all that schmoozing. Or you can be a cruiser — all salty from the sea, baked by the sun and straight buzzing with lactic acid and the memory of your best turn. 

Name or no name, Earl continues to serve up options galore from Canada to Florida. Photo: Gabe Reuben

Because you just went surfing that morning.

And how could you not this weekend? There was, after all, a hurricane swell in the water. St. Auggie, Ponce, NSB, maybe even one of the Melbourne beaches, you don’t have to go far to find a shreddable wave and really put the surf in Surf Expo. Suffice to say there were a lot of cruisers roaming the aisles of the Orange County Convention Center last Thursday thru Saturday. And Michael Dunphy, who’s coming off his second victory at the WRV Outer Banks Pro and looking to defend his WSL North American QS title, has been bumping more rails than usual at New Smyrna Inlet, arguably the most consistent surf spot on the East Coast, where contest-like intensity set the scene this weekend.

Check Out the Swell Story from Round One: The Tropical Tandem of Danielle and Earl

Michael Dunphy, always looking for that ten, New Smyrna Beach. Photo: Tupat Eichstaedt

“Yeah, it’s been super fun… and super crowded!” Dunphy laughs. “But all the boys have been flaring up: Noah, Evan, Eric, Cam… My main goal is always to win one of the WSL-rated events that come to our coast each fall, but backing that up with finding the right spot to be on hurricane swells keeps me extra busy this time of year. But I love it. The forecast is saying there’s gonna be waves for as far as we can see, too, so bring it on!”

Balaram Stack, decidedly out of sight in New England. Photo: Brian Nevins

A couple hours south at the other Inlet (Sebastian), a similarly talent-stacked scene ruled the atmosphere, as several generations of Floridian shredders framed themselves between the jetty, the sharks, and the lens of legendary photographer Dick Meseroll.

Daya McCart, Sebastian Inlet. “I tell ya,” says Mez. “For her age and size, this girl rips with lots of power.” Photo: Mez/ESM

“Wow, these grommets are really growing up fast,” says Mez, whose head was on a swivel all weekend trying to keep up with the action. “Hopefully this was just a warmup for the weeks ahead, but I’m so friggin stoked to be on the beach, getting some reps in and hanging with the gang. I feel like I’ve been in a cave since May! I think we’ll do better this fall, but I’m not bummed at all on the early returns. Speaking of… The wind just went dead offshore at 5-10mph. Back at it!”

Chip off the ol’ haircut. Original Sebastian supergrom Phillip Watters with his son Cash. Photo: Mez/ESM

Chauncey Robinson, stalefish for breakfast in Florida. Vid: Mez/ESM

Eventually, this all-ages show came to an abrupt halt after being raided by dumping rain, torrential sideshores and dangerous lightning. And with many more days of surf on the horizon, there was only one thing on our fearless shooter’s mind: “Beer o’ clock and a bag of cashews at Long Point Bait & Tackle. Some traditions stand the test of time.”

Other experiences, though, had no traditional precedent to compare themselves to.

“Yeah, it did get bitey at the end,” laughs Simon Hetrick. “You can see my arm go flying…” But in all fairness, how do you make a wave that cannibalizes itself? Vid: Stephen Hetrick

“Wild day on the East Coast,” reports Maryland pro Simon Hetrick, who ventured way up to the Northeast solo, sans photographer or ski, to charge a mysto slab. (He did, however, get his pops Stephen to fly up there and film for a bit.) “I got the call to hop on a boat and check out a wave I’ve been wanting to scope for awhile now. We were out there by 6am, greeted by a couple healthy seals and a lot of water moving in all directions. There were some diamonds in the rough, though, and everyone got some fun ones and made it back safe. This one wave in particular felt wild as I fluttered over the foamball. I’m lucky to have had only a little brush with the reef, so I guess you could say the Megalodawn Patrol was successful [laughs].”

Sophie Whalen, selectively aggressive in New Jersey. Photo: Timmy Torchia

When angels envy humans, New England. Photo: Brian Nevins

At some point this weekend, Earl lost its namesake and underwent extratropical transition, which as Director of Forecasting Kurt Korte explained on Friday is just “a fancy term meaning it won’t classify as a hurricane anymore, regardless of how strong the winds are.”

“A key part of extratropical transition is an expansion of the storm’s wind field, another crucial ingredient for swell production,” Korte said. “That, combined with the storm’s slower forward movement once it’s to the southeast of Newfoundland, means swell production isn’t over. We’ll see ENE swell filter back to the East Coast and another reinforcing northerly pulse head down to the Caribbean.”

Now that’s a toe in. Mike Melega at the Belmar Pro. Photo: Timmy Torchia

What’s going on down there? The 20th Annual Cecil Lear Belmar Pro, that’s what. Photo: Michael McKenna

Semantics aside, true hurricane surf conditions — overhead sets, light offshore winds and a ferocious shorebreak — greeted competitors at the 20th anniversary of the Cecil Lear Belmar Pro. “ When I arrived at the Belmar Pro early Saturday morning I was hoping the forecast would hold up, and it did!” says Jersey shooter Timmy Torchia. “Solid offshore conditions and some tubes. The beach angle was tough with harsh glare from the morning sunrise, so I decided to swim, which led to a super fun session before the contest and during. It’s great to be back on the hunt!”

We’ll just call this spot “Shut Ups” and leave it at that. Photo: Brian Nevins

While Jersey flexed its pro-am muscles, the New York surf community got flanked by two feel-good philanthropic events. Up in Montauk, organizers of the 7th Annual A Walk On Water (AWOW) Surf Therapy Fundraiser, which benefits children with special needs and their families, set up shop at Ditch Plains; while down in Rockaway Beach, Skudin Surf and dozens of volunteers put all their energy into a Surf For All and Life Rolls On Foundation event, which drew 82 participants living with various disabilities or challenges. 

“Hurricane Earl was a community storm,” Will Skudin finishes. “We all enjoyed it together.”

Charge of the light brigade, Maine. Photo: Gabe Reuben

Caffeine thirty, Atlantic City. Photo: John Bellingeri

Chauncey Robinson, dazzling himself in pre-dawn Florida. Photo: Jeff Margaritondo

Mia Gallagher, upscaling in New Jersey. Photo: John Bellingeri

Earl, now nameless, forever flawless. New Hampshire. Photo: Brian Nevins

Why hang five when you can slap five? Mike Melega, New Jersey. Photo: Timmy Torchia

Hurricane Earl as it tracked N/NNE on Friday, September 9th.

Stay tuned to Surfline as the storm formerly known as Earl continues to kick up surf along the East Coast.

It Ain’t Over! More Tropically-Fueled Swell to Come…

Watch It Live Up and Down the East Coast:

Long Sands | The Wall | Matunuck | Terrace | Manasquan | Jennette’s |  Avon | Crystal Pier | Washout | Jax Pier |New Smyrna | Satellite | Ft. Pierce

Check Out the Caribbean Too:

Maria’s | Puntas | Jobos | La Ocho | Soup Bowl

See What’s Coming Next:

Northeast: South Jersey | Queens | Suffolk County | Rhode Island | New Hampshire | Maine 

Southeast: Central Florida | New Smyrna | Jax | Folly | Wrightsville | Cape Hatteras | Nags Head

Caribbean: Rincon | North Coast PR | Northeast PR | Barbados 

The third and final part of a weeklong September surf saga on the East Coast and Caribbean

East Coast surfers dust off the cobwebs in fun-enough hurricane surf — with more to come.

Home-wrecking coastal storm gives the East Coast a week of wind and waves — but mostly wind.

Another toast to the low-pressure buffet that overfed surfers from Florida to Jersey to Puerto Rico to… wait, Europe?

A picture-perfect ending to a month that gave East Coast surfers a little bit of everything

Hurricane Henri graces Florida Board Riders comp in New Smyrna Beach