Swell surf from Colin
By Blake Bunch
Most Lowcountry citizens have been through some serious storms in their lifetimes and when hurricane season rolls around, a palpable level of anxiety is present; especially on the barrier islands. But while the rest of the coastal community is Saran-wrapping their valuable documents and stocking up on canned goods, surfers are waiting for that first storm like a kid waits for Christmas morning.
As most beachgoers are aware, Charleston is not exactly the “wave capital” of the Southeast, but when tropical depression Colin swung by about 800 miles off of our coast on August 7, it kicked up some amazing swell. Waves ranging from chest-high to the occasional head-high set brought tons of activity out to the Isle of Palms, Sullivan’s Island, and Folly Beach breaks. Several amateur and professional photographers with high-resolution lenses also appeared along with the surfers, snapping pictures of surfers hitting the high waves and occasional barrels. It was a great change of pace from the hot, lazy days of an otherwise sweltering and uneventful summer.
As tropical depression Colin began to dissipate on August 8, our surf began to return to normal, though many online surfing sites predicted that the effects of the storm could be seen in the swell upwards of Wednesday.
Surfers do look forward to swell generated by storms, but not hurricanes or storms dangerous enough to threaten the safety of residents. One item of concern is the safety of surfers during large swells. If the surf is rougher than normal, surf with a buddy, wear your leash and don’t let the current drag you too far from your original position.
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