It was the spring of 1987 when LJ, Al and Tony set out on their first adventure together. Cape Hatteras offered the best surfing on the Atlantic coast. After finishing exams at Florida Tech, they loaded their boards into LJ’s old VW bus and headed north. Their excitement peaked as the famous black and white spiral rose from the horizon, but by the time the bright red foundation of the Hatteras lighthouse came into view, their dreams of perfect waves were dashed. The Atlantic was flat! Despair turned into hope the next day as they woke to the sound of crashing waves. Unfortunately, the surf was far too big and messy to even paddle out. They hit a surf shop, where a local told them about Frisco Pier. The waves at the pier were sloppy and the rides were short but they had fun just dropping in on the big swells. They were about to call it quits and head back to Florida, when out of nowhere, the wind shifted. A powerful offshore breeze laid down the chop and turned the surf to glass. For three epic hours, the trio surfed clean overhead barrels at Cape Hatteras! The guys still talk about that trip often. That Hatteras road trip cemented lifelong friendships and formed the foundation of the Long Doggers today. We hope that their story inspires you to reminisce about one of your own adventures.