I paddled out in Hurricane Dean swell in 1989. I had no business being out there, having only started bodyboarding that year. That storm had a very similar track to Bill, albeit at a somewhat lower intensity. Ocean City, MD can not handle that type of swell. All I remember were block long closeouts. By the time I got outside, I was scared ****less. I would paddle for a wave, look left, look right and pull back. I can still remember the sound the waves made when they broke in like no inches of water. I finally decided that I was just going to have to drop in and hope I didn't die. I rode straight down the wave and it exploded on my fins and nearly sucked me off my board. I was grateful just to make it back in. I would estimate the waves to be somewhere at 10 to 12 feet that day.
Some places can handle this kind of swell. OCMD ain't it.




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