For diehard surfers, swell time awaits

On the Water

Hurricane Irene may bring worry to many in New England, but some look forward to riding it out

August 27, 2011|By Milton J. Valencia, Globe Staff

Sandy Kirby of Hampton, N.H., cheered as her surfing son, 4-year-old Jonah… (Photos by Jessey Dearing…)

HAMPTON, N.H. - Jan Stoklosa had just gotten out of the water yesterday afternoon at North Beach, beyond a stone barricade between the surf and the street known as The Wall, when he paused to reflect on the rolling waves behind him.

“I just had to get wet, paddling around,’’ said the 59-year-old from Hampstead, N.H, as a couple dozen surfers navigated the smallish breaks. “It makes you feel good. But it hasn’t hit yet.’’

“That’’ comes later this weekend.

The arrival of Hurricane Irene along the New England coast could prove to be a menace for many in the region, with potential flooding, downed wires and trees, and possible power outages. But it could turn into a carnival for a hardy group of surfers who wait patiently through lackadaisical surf days through the spring and summer for days like today, possibly tomorrow, particularly Monday.

While Irene will bring winds, she will also bring waves, with forecasters predicting clean, above-head waves in some regions of New England.

“This is when our real surfers get out,’’ said Jared Hay, a 22-year-old college student from New Hampshire who was giving surfing instructions to three young girls for the local surf company Cinnamon Rainbows yesterday.

He may head to Rhode Island today, then return to New Hampshire for more surf Monday, once the chaos of the winds from the storm passes.

Surfing is a hit-or-miss passion in New England, which is essentially the bottom of the rung of the world’s surf scene. A trek to the beach can yield little but knee-high whitewash, enough to keep cool in the summer months but nothing to brag about.

But for a dedicated breed of diehards, hurricanes mean a swell is arriving. The strength of the storm promises big waves. And, with the right winds before and after the storm, the shape of the wave could be picture-perfect.

That could be today in Rhode Island, and Monday in New Hampshire. Depending on wind conditions, Cape Cod could see decent surf throughout the weekend into next week.

When such storms hit, surfers from Maine and as far as Canada often trek to Rhode Island to enjoy the surf in Newport, then follow the swell up along the coast until they can ride it out. Pro surfers from as far as Australia, sponsored by surf companies like Quiksilver and Billabong, often migrate here for significant storms.

During Hurricane Bill in 2009, pro surfer Ian Walsh captivated audiences in Rhode Island, and Chris Ward did the same in New Hampshire. Videos of those surf days have become Internet hits.

“Surfers in New England wait all year for hurricane swells,’’ said Bryan Johnson, 28, a surfer who works at Pioneers surf and skate shop in North Hampton.