Get ready to update your profile photos–the boys are looking like absolute male models here. With a beautiful, rocky backdrop featuring Northeast reef break waves, each photo will garner infinite likes and right swipes galore. Scrolling picture by picture, one can assume a fun trip and an eventual score. This is the Hurricane Fiona swell gallery…
While pictures might say 1,000 words, not all of them are the truth. Even such a seemingly comprehensive surfing photo gallery doesn’t always tell the full story.
Hurricane Fiona was a huge, fast moving storm. These surfers ditched NJ in order to capitalize on long-period swell in the Northeast.
Instagram, websites, and other forms of media are weirdly not reality–even though the aim to depict it. While easily confusable, a human’s reality doesn’t omit awkward issues or stupid decisions–But Instagram sure as hell does.
While surfing and shooting and chasing a tropical storm sounds it, the resulting media doesn’t usually show the not-so-glamorous side to the whole ordeal. Oftentimes, the viewer doesn’t see the hours spent driving in circles–no one takes photos of that. Nor does the viewer get a glimpse into the cold, damp, and rickety van that the boys have to sleep/fart in all night in order to get a chance at these waves.
It’s even more of a slap in the balls when the swell finally does show up and you’re wiped-out tired and under-gunned.
Having said that, even a windy and stinky day surfing is better than doing literally anything else. In between all the weirdness, there were many fun rides. And with any surf trip, the most unexpected times are the most magical ones. These moments of pure joy where everything comes together are what drives us (literally and figuratively) up and down the coast and across the world for waves.
Who knows what a “like” even means–but whether it’s the result of driving around or it’s from getting sick waves and model shots–at least surf trips are as authentic as this simulation we call life can be.
Peep the photo gallery below and drop us a line if you feel any sort of way about it – yew are en surf co at geemail dot com.
