Abstract:
Surfing has become very popular along the Outer Banks, especially in the Cape Hatteras area where steepening and narrowing of the continental shelf creates big waves. Surfing has grown more family-oriented, and membership in the Outer Banks Surfing Association numbers over 400. Over the past decade surf shops have multiplied threefold. There are surfing restrictions, such as avoiding piers and wearing ankle ropes, but surfers champion coastal issues, working for clean water, clean beaches, and beach access.