How are things on the (North) East Coast?

The first vision I ever had of (North) East surfing was Ryan Carlson smoking a cigarette in the snow before he paddled out into frosty Jersey. I think it was in a Lost video. Maybe an Unsound video. Since then, I always knew things up and over here were a bit…different.

I landed on the East Coast this week and was able to flee the mind-numbing gray that’s been suffocating California only to be choked out by ash and smoke from the Canadian wildfires. Same, same but different. After some perusals of the Cape Cod surf scene, my perspective of East Coast surfing is currently a long way from those early visions of the New Jersey sea wolves like Mike Gleason and Sam Hammer in the snow. But I’m not entirely convinced that’s a bad thing. So far the prevailing thing I see from surfers on the East Coast is unending enthusiasm. And if you know me, you know I thrive on enthusiasm.

I don’t feel unlike an intrepid explorer over here, discovering the “old” America at the same time I’m discovering the new surf culture that’s taken root and been reimagined to their liking — a new wave of surf psych not far from where the pilgrims landed and started this whole America thing. We’re a long way from the core romance of ash on Carlson’s frozen cig, but I go into it with optimism.

Next week I will journey to the center of this new surf universe and to attend a surf thing of sorts put on by our friends at WhaleBone Mag in Montauk, New York. It’s called, creatively enough, “The Surf Thing.” I hope to get as close to this new surf culture as is probably safe and/or possible before making any sweeping judgements about the evolution of North East surfing — and really, surf culture as a whole. But I will report back.

So far, one thing is for certain: I don't think I’ll get vibed out. This new enthusiastic surfer has a welcoming spirit and that’s maybe the part that freaks me out the most: being welcomed. I come from a place of territorial, down cast eyes and snarky cross lot glares to newcomers. Just this morning I was on a call with a surfer from the same area as me who literally watched her words when speaking of where she surfs, even though (and she knows this) I drive past her house and spot every single day. We’re literally both locals and we speak softly of that. We’re a funny bunch on the West Coast. Jaded and protective. For better or for worse.

I’ll leave you with the gray week that was — where we couldn’t even muster much color on the website because June gloom had us seeing in black and white. But if you want to read something to lift the spirit, do take a second to read Phillip Dillon’s piece about the artist Richard Serra: It has one of the best quotes I’ve ever read: “It looks better than it looks.” I can’t help but smile and interpret that a million different ways. And for the sake of ending this article, that’s currently my view of (North) East Coast surf culture.

If you wanna hang next week and tell me stories of the North East or have recommendations for coastal NY, Rhode Island and/or Cape Cod, let’s hang or send em through to Hello@inherentbummer.com. Just don’t vibe me out with your good energy. I’m from the jaded land of California and we look grumpier than we look.—Travis Ferré

[Above artwork: Richard Serra, East-West/West-East, 2014.]