Autumn Wins

Words by John Streit. Photos by Mickey McCarthy, Colin Breland, Justin Rienerth, Jennifer Phan & Austin White.

Of all the seasons, Autumn wins on the Outer Banks. Why you might ask? Well, the autumn winds are a-blowin’, sending a steady diet of swell to the good old Carolina coast. Sure, the water temperatures have taken their seasonal dive, and the nights keep getting colder; but we’ll take it in exchange of the waves featured in this gallery. From Avalon to The Lighthouse, conditions ranges from fun and rippable to downright burly on Monday, Nov. 3. That’s the beauty of this legendary stretch of coast — there are usually plenty of options on deck for any given day. Here’s to hoping for a few more days like this before Old Man Winter makes his annual decent!

Nags Head, N.C. in all of her autumnal glory. No takers. Photo: Breland.

Bo Raynor backdoors a toothy section in Kill Devil Hills. He made it. Photo: Breland.

Virginia Beach's Parker Sawyer parks it in this Nags Head runner. Photo: Breland.

Parker Sawyer off the top further down the line on the same wave. Photo: Breland.

John Streit with a hand-drag backside gouge on a frothy one. 1 of 2. Photo: Breland.

John Streit, 2 of 2. Photo: Breland.

Young Outer Banks shredder Nohea Futrell spreads his wings at Avalon. Photo: Breland.

An unidentified bodyboarder stays high and tight on this Avalon teepee. Photo: Breland.

S&A team rider Julian Smith with the lip service. Photo: Breland.

Out of the light and into the shade. Another unidentified rider puts his SUPERbrand where it belongs. Photo: Breland.

Laid back in the afternoon light. Photo: Breland.

One of the most photogenic peaks on the East Coast, northside Avalon Pier. Surfer: unidentified. Photo: Breland.

Barry Prices takes flight into the fall night. Photo: Breland.

Julian Smith with a tight arc. Photo: Breland.

A few miles to the south on Hatteras Island, Mike Bain hangs with the drain. Photo: White.

S&A team rider Justin Rienerth is one of the best barrel riders around. Using his grill mount, he snapped this wide-open backside tube. Photo: Rienerth.

Austin White knows this is what fall is all about. Photo: Rienerth.

Here's Austin White with the double-drag on a thick Hatteras barrel. Photo: Rienerth

Justin Rienerth deep on a frothy pit. Photo: Rienerth.

Mike Bain pulls up under the lip of this twilight beauty. Photo: Rienerth.

S&A team rider Tyler Balak found a dreamy inside bar in town and went to work at last light. Photo: Phan.

Tyler Balak pulls into a juicy drainer. 1 of 5. Photo: Phan.

Tyler Balak, 2 of 5. Photo: Phan.

Tyler Balak, 3 of 5. Photo: Phan.

Tyler Balak, 4 of 5. Photo: Phan.

Tyler Balak, 5 of 5. Photo: Phan.

Meanwhile at The Lighthouse... Photo: McCarthy.

...It was pumping! Photo: McCarthy.

Absolutely firing. Photo: McCarthy.

Looking into this section, this unidentified surfer goes deep. Photo: McCarthy.

The Lighthouse blows the boys a kiss! Photo: McCarthy.

Quentin Turko goes wide open to match wits with yet another Lighthouse left. Photo: McCarthy.

Until next time. Pamilco Sound, N.C. Photo: McCarthy.