30 great photographic reasons to be thankful you are a surfer this Thanksgiving as presented by our Friends Of The Porpoise at Wave Riding Vehicles to whom we thank profusely for being with ESM – now www.easternsurf.com – since the very beginning over 30 years ago. Check ’em out here ! WRV 

So all you turkey with stuffing and gravy wave riding lovers out there, lets take a moment today and every day to give thanks for ….

… for snagging the wave of the day. Joey Crum gets himself disappeared at The Lighthouse, NC. Photo: Mez @mezapiels

… for Growers. Namibia like line-up comes to South Jersey. Photo: Jon Gilman

… for local heroes who rip on a World Tour level but are just blue collar, hard working home boys at heart. Bo Raynor is as down to earth and as humble they come but his surfing is other worldly. Bo air’s it out just down the road a piece from where the Wright Brothers first took flight at Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina. Photo: Mez @mezapixels

… for dramatic, backlit waves and those who can chuck a massive bucket out the back. Kendren Ferrero creates some crystalline, watery art in Florida. Photo: Tom Dugan @tomduganphotos

… for some shade on a scorching hot summer day. Cooling it between waves at Rodanthe, North Carolina never looked more fun with three perfect excuses not to paddle back out right away. Photo: Mez @mezapixels

… for point breaks both rights and lefts. New Hampshire on fire in and out of the water. Photo: Brian Nevins @nevinsphoto

… for Pig Dog barrels. Unidentified at the trough in Palm Beach County, Florida. Photo: Dane Riva @dane.riva.photo

… for the heart pounding sprints up the beach for your first go-out when it’s positively bombing! Photo: Joe O’connor @joeoc_Photo

… for Man Turns. Pete Mendia gets Mideival in Palm Beach County, Florida. Sequence Photos Sean O’brien @the saltedlens

…. for cool-ass locals who populate every break on the East Coast who don’t act like dicks as long as you don’t. Outer Banks North Carolina posse ( l-r ) Matt Pruett, Bo Raynor, Jeff Myers and Gabe Morvil. Photo: Mez @mezapixels

… for being totally surfed out at sundown wondering if you can possibly muster up the strength to paddle out one more time. Photo: Mike Nelson @fullnelson_photo

… for being able to shoot off the Sebastian Inlet jetty straight into Larry’s Lefts ( named in honor of the Godfather Of East Coast surf photogs, Larry Pope ). Tommy Coleman works the money shot angle at the Inlet as good as anybody ever has. Photo: Mez @mezapixes

… for pier views. Jennette’s Pier, Nags Head, North Carolina. Photo Jon Carter @joncarterphotography

… for small wave wizardry in seemingly unlikely places. Luke Gordon working his acrobatic magic in the small waves of Folly Beach, South Carolina. Photo: Anthony Osment

… for overhead, open faces and jamming bottom turns. Unidentified sizing up her options in South Florida. Photo: Paul De Marco @pauldimarcophotography

… for that weightless moment during a driving, perfectly executed high line speed carve off the lip. Chauncey Robinson, South Brevard County, Florida. Photo: Mez @mezapixels

… for the beautiful, glacially carved out coast of the Northeast hiding some of the most esoteric line-up’s you’ll find anywhere on the East Coast. Photo: Josh Kelly @joahuakellyphoto

… for when it’s solid 6 foot faces with lips pitching out eight feet into the flats. Sam Hammer setting up in Long Island, New York. Photo: Mike Nelson @fullnelson_photo

… for the ESA ’s barreling into their 60’th year in 2027 as the worlds longest running competition organization either pro or am. Unidentified competitor curls his toes around the nose during the 2025 Easterns at Jennette’s Pier, Nags Head, NC. Photo: Mez @mezapixels

… for thick n’ glassy, shore break barrels. Unidentified slotted like a champ and about to receive the ultimate rush in surfing somewhere in South Florida. Photo: Greg Panas @gregpanas

… for the North Carolina DOT who performs the herculean task of keeping the two lane, thin ribbon of  blacktop lifeline of Highway 12 cleared off during hell storm conditions. Photo: Mez @mezapixels

… for discovering a secret, beach break sandbar and surfing it for 3 days with just a small handful of friends. Gideons goes off during Hurricane Erin, Central Florida. Photo: Mez @mezapixels

… for brutal wipeouts. Admit it, we all love them, especially when not on the receiving end. Kai Sommers ( left ) and Logan Dawson both hoping for successful landings in Ocean City, Maryland. Photo: Michelle Sommers @sommerssurf

… for when West Coasters catch the East Coast firing and finally stop asking ”Do you we have any good waves over there?”. Malia Ward – daughter of Chris “Wardo” Ward – during Hurricane Erin in Central Florida won’t ever have to ask that question again. Photo : @tomduganphotos

… for big, backside hacks. Kai Sommers carving the guts out of it in Maryland. Photo: Michelle Sommers @sommerssurf

… for solo sessions. Photo: Ralph Fatello @ralphs.pic

….. for getting slotted deep AF. Unidentified on a perfect, South Florida dreamer. Photo: Paul Di Marco @pauldimarcophotography

… for wetsuits created with space age-like materials to keep us warm in almost any conditions. Photo: Ralph Fatello @ralphs.pic

… for jamming it on a rail as hard as you can and pulling it. Unidentified in Central Jersey. Photo: Tim Torchia @timmytorchia

And last but not least we are thankful for all the dedicated, supremely talented surf and video filmer’s along our shores who capture these magic moments and let us share them with you all. Photo: Joe O’Connor @joeoc_Photo