Asphalt Files: Get Busy Living - Surf & Adventure Co

Jason Scoville, getting busy with a Hatteras nugget. Rob Scott photo.

Foreword – The “Asphalt Files” series chronicles the Surf & Adventure Co. crew’s road missions in search of fun, uncrowded waves around the Mid-Atlantic region and beyond. Words by John Streit. Photos by Rob Scott and John Streit.

The dictionary defines a tattoo as a permanent mark or design made on the skin by a process of pricking and ingraining an indelible pigment or by raising scars.

We all know that — most of the time — tattoos carry much more meaning than just a cool picture or phrase painfully buzzed into one’s skin. That said, our good friend Jason Scoville boasts one of the more understated script tattoos I’ve seen. At first inspection, the phrase incites laughter, especially when knowing the wide-open nature of “Scovs.”

The tat.

“Get Busy Living.”

Simple enough. But think about it — those are truly words to live by. Get out there. Go for it. Chase your passions.

Like all of us at Surf & Adventure Co., Scoville’s passion is surfing. It led him from Virginia Beach to St. Augustine, Fla. to San Diego, Calif. Along with school and work obligations, surfing has always been at or near the top of his priorities.

The holidays brought Scovs back home to Virginia Beach, and when the swell forecast showed potential for a fun day on the Outer Banks, he wanted to feast on the islands’ gift of brown-water runners with myself, Josh Alley and Rob Scott, who had his camera in tow.

Fueling up. John Streit photo.

Of course, winter often brings howling winds and cold temperatures to temper the excitement of searching for a fun sandbar. There were plenty of the prior on this day, and after fueling up at the local breakfast spot, we hit the road in search of the latter.

NC 12. John Streit photo.

The massive winter storm that pulled off to the northeast sent waves to Carolina’s shore, but hard offshore winds plowed into the 3- to 4-foot swell, stealing most of its punch. We knew the odds were stacked against us finding something fun when spot-check after spot-check yielded disappointing results.

The boys come up empty at Jennette’s Pier in Nags Head. Rob Scott photo.

Correspondence with some friends who had already been down to the island gave us a glimmer of hope. We knew the incoming tide would be critical in helping the small swell punch through the wind, so the crew waited until the afternoon for their shot at finding something that would make the road trip worthwhile.

Close to losing hope and returning to Virginia Beach with our tails between our legs, we decided to check one last spot along the side of N.C. 12 that had yielded fun waves in the past.

John Streit photo.

One look over the dunes and we sprinted back to the car to suit up and get out there. The wind was laying down a bit and fun running walls were pulsing across the sandbar. Our patience was rewarded.

Scoville pulling into a windy little drainer. Rob Scott photo.

Scoville, Josh and I ended up sharing a memorable afternoon of empty surf, however wind-blown, shifty and difficult-to-read it may have been. Rob snapped some awesome shots and we ended up returning home cold, tired and surfed-out — which are all good things when searching for winter waves on Hatteras Island.

That’s what happens when you “Get Busy Living.”