Asphalt Files: Hatteras Island, Dec. 3.

Words and photos by John Streit.

Foreword – Welcome to our latest blog feature: “Asphalt Files.” This series will chronicle the Surf & Adventure Co. crew’s road missions in search of fun, uncrowded waves around the Mid-Atlantic region and beyond. 

“Isn’t great when a plan comes together?” quipped the tow-truck driver as we discovered our error.

Crossing the 4-wheel drive area at the famed S-Turns, we thought that we had engaged all wheels. No further than 20 yards into Hurricane Sandy’s disaster zone, we sunk into the sugar-soft sand where the dunes once stood – a rookie mistake, as this was our maiden voyage in Josh’s parents’ 4-x-4. A turn of a knob later, and we were on our way toward what unfolded to be a special day of surfing on storm-battered Hatteras Island.

As solid chest-high surf rolled across the sandbar behind him, the tow-trucker didn’t realize he summed up our trip perfectly with his slightly-backhanded comment. We had departed Virginia Beach the night before with hopes of scoring small-but-clean surf in the beachbreak Mecca. Forecasts showed 1- to 3-foot surf ahead of a more solid swell filling in after dark, so we figured we’d be prepared for whatever the ocean had in store. Longboards strapped to the roof. Two Haydenshapes Hypto Kryptos for Josh and I; and a WRV Wombat for our good friend Ronnie. We were ready to grovel out this pristine, sun-drenched day on the Outer Banks.

Now gliding across the sand effortlessly, our attention turned to the greenish brown gems peeling out the back — framed by the skeleton row of shambled vacation homes that are now well beyond the high tide line. Every A-frame we witnessed reverted us to frothing grommets.

Indeed, our plan came together flawlessly: the swell showed up much earlier than forecast, which we theorized was possible given the fickle nature of Hatteras. The winds were light and westerly all day as forecast. Air temperature 72. Water temperature 57. Surf chest- to shoulder-high and oil-glassed.

After deciding on our spot, we surfed for the next four hours with no more than two other folks in the lineup with us. The playful waves and warm temps allowed for a truly memorable session.

Surfed-out but still stoking, we cruised back through the 4-x-4 area into a classic Outer Banks sunset in Pea Island. We all knew this was a special day, and Mother Nature delivered the goods.

Couldn’t have planned it better.