SURF CITY, N.C. — Although red flags are meant to warn beach goers of the dangerous waters, those warnings don’t always stop people. In fact, some see them as an invitation to head into the ocean instead.

What You Need To Know

• If you are on the beach and need help, call your local emergency services or 911

• If you get caught in a rip current, swim parallel to shore and not toward land

• If you see red flags, we recommend staying out of the water

Surfing is a way of life in Surf City, North Carolina. Thomas Garden was 13 years old when he first saw his neighbors surfing. That was almost eight years ago, and he’s been surfing ever since.

“Once I had friends that did it, made it a lot more easy and more comfortable to go out and on. Yeah, I just can’t pick it up and never stop after that,” Gardner said.

Gardner is always out on the water, whether the weather is good or bad. He says the best waves come with the storms, and “the best days are like the biggest days and are often the most dangerous.”

He says many experienced surfers prefer the large swells, and the rip currents can even help them.

“Even though it’s like dangerous, there’s still a lot of things you can do to prevent that from happening, and a lot of experienced surfers don’t, like, let that kind of stuff really bother them. It's more kinda about trying to catch the next wave, trying to get the biggest wave or just go home after with something to talk about,” he said.

Even from a distance, hurricanes still bring in large swells and dangerous rip currents, which can make it hard for surfers to get into position to catch the waves.

“It could take like 15 minutes just to paddle out just from how rough the water is,” Gardner said. Despite the rough water, however, Gardner says catching these waves is the most relaxing time of the day.

“Whenever there’s hurricanes off the coast around this time of year, they always just bring in really big swell and those types of waves are always the most fun to ride,” he said.

Other locals, like Hunger Griffeth, agree with Gardner.

“That’s when you get the biggest waves in the best swell,” Griffeth said.

Because Gardner surfs so much, he is also a strong swimmer, which is useful and necessary when the surf is dangerous.

“Ten seconds under this water after a wave feels a lot longer than that,” Gardner said. “Knowing how to handle getting under and over the waves without having to swim, you must. They just wanna be on your boat the whole time, either paddling or standing.”

While some people have confidence in their swimming and surfing abilities, those red flags are still there to warn about going in the water. It is recommended to follow those warnings, especially when there are no lifeguards on duty.

Tim Hobbs, the deputy fire chief of the Surf City Fire Department, says beach goers and surfers should know their limitations and seek out information and safety tips before venturing into potentially dangerous waters.