The Lobster Claw

Brian Nevins

We’ve been going up to this zone for 15 years and have unearthed some dramatic waves, each inherently different, but this slab holds the scare factor. The location is stupid hard to get to. There’s a lot of trespassing involved through private land. Most of the Northeast is like that. I’ve been shot at multiple times. I’ve been physically removed from property by the authorities. As I’ve gotten older I’ve realized that I either need stop exploring there or get permission, because of the risk involved.

This specific wave is the oldest secret spot in the book. I’d never gone to it and nobody else really does. It’s like the legend of yore. I’ve been to a couple of spots close to this one, and they’re really good, but I never intended to go to this slab. Then Balaram Stack came up for a swell and got wind of it from a couple kids, and wanted to try it.

When we finally got out to the point and came around the knoll, we crossed paths with the landowner, who was driving a tractor. I felt like that was it, but then I talked to him and basically said, “Look, I’m really sorry. I’m not going to lie. We’re trespassing. But we’ve been wanting to see this wave our whole lives and we think it’s going off right now.” He let us pass. I couldn’t believe it.

Balaram Stack

When we go searching for waves in this area, even at the spots that we know work on certain conditions, we have a low success rate. We were driving around and surfing other spots, and just ran out of options for places that we knew would be breaking, so we gambled. We felt like we had the right conditions and we were determined to figure out how to get there.

It’s a mission to even park anywhere near the joint. We had to walk a long way before getting to the wave or even being able to check it. I’ve seen a lot of beautiful coastlines everywhere in the world, but this area in particular, being that we had to walk miles to get there, was incredible. 

We passed little coves that had trees with leaves that were changing colors and a bunch of waves that would’ve been scores. But when we saw this slab blowing its brains out—the others just didn’t compare. The wave is like The Box and North Point mixed. I was worried the tide was too low and if it was even worth trying to surf it. If I didn’t paddle out, though, I’d always regret it.

Colin Moran

I was visiting from the West Coast when Balaram asked me if I was interested in a road trip. Lately I’ve just been pulling the trigger and going places, wherever the wind blows. Balaram is all about getting the biggest tube he can find, which really makes me want to surf with him and get one too. I’m not really into big waves that much, but he gets me hyped. He and Nevins both have that mindset of wanting to chase and find crazy waves, which I dig. They know everything about the area up there—which was good because I actually had no idea where we were or where we were going. 

 I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw the slab. I couldn’t believe something like that existed there. It was the first time in their lives Balaram and Nevins saw it break, too. Their eyes were bulging out of their heads, so I knew it wasn’t a normal occurrence.

No one was out and the wind was coming up. I was scared to paddle out but Balaram made me go. He was like, “Let’s go. Let’s do this!” And I was like, “Ah, ah, ah, okay…” All I had was a shortboard that was 14 inches in the tail. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. 

I was paddling over a crazy one and was so in awe that I didn’t notice the wave behind it. I got destroyed. The thing sucked me down to the bottom. That wave is insane. I don’t think I even got any good waves that day. You pretty much have to go from laying down to standing up inside the tube. You have to want one bad to make it.

Brian Nevins

It’s as wide as it is tall. It caught all of us off guard with how gnarly it is. We have really good barreling waves around here. Some are amazing, some are scary. But this wave has an extra thunder to it that makes me want nothing to do with it. Whoever else is onto it is more than welcome. I’m never surfing that wave.

Balaram, though, has always been his own little show and on his own program, ever since he was a tiny kid. There was one day on this trip that I was thinking we only had an hour at dawn to score the slab and it was going to be rainy. The adult in me was like, “Let’s just pass and check it the next day.” Balaram went to the spot by himself and paddled out. It was probably 15 feet. That wave has become his baby.

Balaram Stack

I don’t think many people have conquered that wave. Or anyone, actually, including us. I went back on another swell to try. I pulled into one and it was probably the biggest barrel I’ve ever pulled into up there. 

The end of it kind of chandeliered and I didn’t make it out. I slammed my shoulder and I’m still dealing with tendonitis in my rotator cuff. It was freezing cold so, at the time, I didn’t really know how much damage was done. I was just cold and filled with adrenaline. There’s nobody around, no service—no way to get in touch with anyone—so if you get hurt you’re in trouble.

On this trip we got a just little taste of that slab. Now we know that its potential is through the roof. The wave is on the top of my list to get on the East Coast. Finding something on that level, that’s relatively close to home, is the ultimate prize.

[Feature image: Atlantic pinch and compression, as viewed from the hike in, a welcome sight after scouting for miles on foot]