Adventurous surfers flocked to Rockaway Beach to tackle the towering waves generated by the nor’easter striking New York City on Monday — many claiming they faced some of the most impressive swells they had ever encountered.
“On a scale of one to ten for today’s waves, I’d give it an eight globally,” remarked 28-year-old Bill McGarry. “I’ve surfed extensively worldwide and have even won competitions back in my youth.”
McGarry and a friend made the long journey from Virginia Beach to chase the waves, enduring a nighttime drive through the storm after researching the conditions online and deciding Rockaway was the best bet amid the bad weather.
“We departed at 2 a.m. and arrived by 10 a.m. right into those clean ten-foot waves,” McGarry shared with The Post. “This is truly beyond what we anticipated.”
Waves over 15 feet pummeled the East Coast from Sunday into Monday as the nor’easter generated wind gusts reaching 60 mph, with the New Jersey Shore through Long Island taking the brunt of the storm.
The storm has led to coastal flooding, causing both New Jersey and New York to announce states of emergency.
Despite the emergency status, many surfers remained undeterred, although a few quickly found themselves overwhelmed — sometimes quite literally.
“I’m hoping to ride the wave of a lifetime. I’ve never surfed in a swell this massive!” exclaimed 24-year-old Gabe Neves as he stepped into the water. “I plan to be out for about 30 to 45 minutes.”
However, within just five minutes, Neves was back on the beach.
“The undertow pressure! The power is incredible!” he commented. “This is insane. Waves between eight to ten feet? Rockaway never gets this large!”
For 29-year-old Dakin Platt, the sea felt “a bit intimidating,” yet he ventured out anyway.
“It’s definitely a thrill, although it feels excessive. I wish I had a slightly bigger board. It’s like floating between giants today,” he mused.
The nor’easter is projected to move out to sea overnight on Monday, though coastal winds may linger at around 25 mph into Tuesday.
Rain has been falling consistently, but the city dodged the severe thunderstorms that have caused major flooding in subway stations in recent years.
Tragically, at least one fatality has been reported in the metro area — an elderly woman was killed when a solar panel was blown from a rooftop and struck her as she walked below.
The emergency declaration also forced the annual Columbus Day Parade on Fifth Avenue to be canceled, with no current plans for rescheduling.
