Dozens of surfers converged on Higgins Beach in Scarborough today, chasing waves kicked up by Hurricane Ernesto, which is currently churning out to sea east of Nova Scotia.
Taylor Hamilton, who drove down from Rockport, said the waves were some of the biggest she's ever seen here.
"It's great today, honestly, like [the waves] are breaking in all the right places. It's awesome," she said. "We never usually get above like three to four feet, if it's good. But right now, I'd say it's like a solid six feet consistently."
Jake Lawrence, of Warren, said today was his first time on a surfboard.
"It hurts a little bit, little bit more than you'd expect," he said, with a laugh. "The water's got some power — getting slammed all around."
Undeterred, Lawrence said his goal for the day is to get up on two feet.
A high surf advisory is in effect for much of the Maine coast until 8 p.m. tonight.
While Ernesto is not expected to make landfall in the U.S. or Canada, the National Hurricane Center is warning beachgoers up and down the East Coast to beware of high swells and potentially dangerous rip currents.
