New Smyrna Beach: Sandbars, Sharks, and an Iconic Surf Town

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Editor’s Note: This feature is presented by our partners at White Claw.

New Smyrna Beach, Florida means something different to everyone who calls it home. For some, it’s “The Shark Bite Capital of the World.” For surfers, it’s one of the most consistent breaks on the East Coast. And for Hometown Hype director Sam Scribner, it became the place where he rediscovered surfing after his life changed forever.

Sam grew up surfing in Central Florida, living and breathing action sports — until a freak accident left him paralyzed from the chest down. Forced to rethink how he stayed connected to his friends and passions, he picked up a camera. From iPhone clips at skateparks to voice-activated GoPros and finally a DSLR mounted to his wheelchair, filming became his path back into the culture he loved.

“It was really difficult at first to still interact with my buddies, because we were all 22 at the time, so everybody kind of wanted to keep living and keep rolling,” he remembers, “I had to find a new way to hang around them. It started with me just going to skateparks with them, and I would take out my phone and figure out a way to fumble it around.”

What started as casually shooting from the sand and concrete turned into something deeper: a way to feel part of the lineup again. And Scribner gained a deep appreciation of the place he calls home.

“The inlet gives us one of the best waves on the East Coast, arguably, depending on who you talk to. At least one of the most consistent breaks on the East Coast,” Sam said. “So, it’s been really cool for me to put this piece together and really dive into history and learn from a lot of the local legends that I’ve seen over the years out in the lineup or from the beach. The history of this place, it’s rich. There’s a lot going on here.”