While the rest of the city was busy hoarding canned food, a handful of intrepid surfers were instead chasing after Irene, hunting down the elusive big waves that only a big storm can bring. "It's our only chance as East Coast surfers to get large, powerful waves like in other places in the world," said "hurricane surfer" Shea Lopez. "It's exciting being around the hurricane. You can't help but get caught up in the drama." more ›

While the rest of the city is busy fighting tooth and nail for Duane Reade's last flashlight, a handful of radical surfing dudes are totally psyched for Irene, and the killer waves she's bringing with her. more ›

The body of a Long Island math teacher and surfer who had been missing since Sunday was found today off the coast of western Indonesia. Daniel Bobis, who had been vacationing with his wife and a friend, wiped out while surfing. His body was pulled out of the waters by fishermen, about 20 miles from where he had been. more ›

After more than a month in a coma caused by a surfing accident in the Rockaways, male model Charles DeVoe died Friday. The 28-year-old, who worked with hotshot photographers like Bruce Weber, Steven Klein and Mario Testino, had been in a coma since November 12 when he spent several minutes underwater after the ankle tether connecting him with his surfboard snagged on a pole. DeVoe had been living and working in the city since 2004 (you can see some of his work here). Though it had appeared for awhile that he might recover, his health took a turn for the worst in the past week. The Philadelphia-native's parents were with him until the end. more ›

Firefighters managed to rescue a 20-year-old surfer who trapped in a jetty in the water of the Rockaways, but the Daily News says the victim is "clinging to life." According to witnesses, the victim's "ankle tether - a line that ties the board to the surfer - appeared to be snagged on a wooden post," near Beach 92nd St. yesterday afternoon. more ›

While Hurricane Igor is headed way east, a high surf advisory was in effect through this morning (waves of 6 to 10 feet were expected). Even though one surfer in North Carolina died on Sunday, our local surfers have been enjoying the opportunity. Above are photos from Long Beach and below is a video from Rockaway Beach: more ›

There were some initial reports of a parachuter who was at the Liberty State Park at Liberty Island, which piqued our curiosity. The U.S. Parks Police tells us that it wasn't a parachuter but a surfer with a parachute (kite-surfing!), trying to take advantage of today's blustery winds. Apparently the wind died down, so he lost control of the surfboard and ended up at the rocks near where the flags are at the park. The surfer is apparently doing fine and the Liberty State Park Police took over. more ›

Hurricane Bill washed out one of the last weekends of the summer for most beachgoers after state parks officials closed down most beaches due to the dangerous conditions brought on by effects of the storm. But when surfers got wind of the fact that sea was foaming like a bottle of beer, they simply told the State Parks Department, "The waves are comin', but we ain't got no fear." Officials said that 2,000 surfers, some from as far as California, showed up at Montauk—the most ever counted out there. And one Long Beach manager told Newsday, "You're supposed to have a pass. The surfers refuse to come out of the water when they're waved in to check their beach passes." more ›

Back in April Bobby Vaughn's new surf shop, FTW (Fuck the World) in Rockaway Park, was getting some press. Vaughn told the NY Times that the "main problem with the Rockaway surf scene is that it has not embraced its inner gangster." Vaughn doesn't have a pristine record, but he said he's now "strictly positive" and has turned his life around. NY Mag (who notes that "surfing in Rockaway can be incredibly unpleasant") checked in on the scene he's creating just after Memorial Day. They say that just two months after it opened, the shop is already a default hangout for local teens. "Vaughn plans to turn his surf shop into a clubhouse. He wants to build a tiki lounge in the backyard and a gym in the basement for members of his FTW crew to train on days when the surf is flat. By the end of this year, he hopes to have a team of about 25 kids. The top members will receive a salary, FTW clothing, and money to travel to some of the best surf breaks in the world." So for any of those who thought he'd be leading these kids down a dangerous path, it seems he's redeemed himself. Now let's start working on saving those cute beach houses in the area, okay? more ›

Is Rockaway the new Santa Cruz? While it already has a surf community, the NY Times thinks it's got the right stuff to become the East Coast surf hub now that an SC native, Bobby Vaughn, has opened his shop FTW in Rockaway Park. The paper notes that the area has "good waves, public housing projects and a growing surf culture," and Vaughn (who was a founder of the Von Dutch clothing line) thinks the "main problem with the Rockaway surf scene is that it has not embraced its inner gangster." He thinks that the model surfer "is fearless, tattooed and rides an expensive top-of-the-line surfboard decorated with gang tags." He discovered the area in 2005, after moving here following an incident where he fatally shot his friend (he claimed self defense and was found not guilty). While some locals take issue with his image, he says it's "strictly positive," and that he turned his life around and was reborn after surfing for the first time in NYC. He now wants to "show the street kids here — whether they’re surfers or kids from the projects — that they can do it too.” He'll be conducting anti-gang initiatives through surfing and skateboarding in the area. more ›

Surfers on Long Island today took advantage of the massive high tide created by the effects of tropical storm Hanna. The National Weather Service's High Surf Advisory was only an invitation for adventure-seekers who braved waves as high as 10 feet this morning. Surfers drove for upwards of 100 miles to join up with the surfing community at Gilgo Beach and hang ten on what they called "the best surf in years." Serious surfers have been tracking the storms all week and let out the expected cry for what's next: "Bring on Ike!" more ›

Base to torch, Lady Liberty is approximately 70' taller than most of the waves surfer Laird Hamilton rides; yesterday when he paddled around her he declared, "The Statue of Liberty is pretty big. I'm glad it didn't fall on me." more ›

There are discrepancies in the details of today's forecast but the Weather Channel, Weather Service and AccuWeather all agree that today will be a beautiful spring day. The Weather Channel says today's high will be 70, while the latter two forecasters are calling for 76 and 77, respectively. Gothamist leans toward the higher temperatures, except near the shore. more ›

It's the longest day of the year, so you should be able to fit Shepard Fairey's exhibit and at least one of the following events in. more ›

Anyway, we'd forgotten about it until we spotted the remaindered link to Collective Detective, who reveal the recipe from the DVD extras, as well as the fact that the sandwich recipe was provided by none other than Thomas Keller. He personally taught Sandler how to make this sandwich for the movie. Somewhat fitting, since Sandler's background in the movie is quite similar to Keller's background (a celebrity chef who owns a highly-regarded restaurant in California). more ›