In the summer of 1987, when neon colors and big hair ruled the scene, a lanky teenager named Clifford J. Fitswell, known to his friends as Fitz, was on a quest for the ultimate wave. Fitz, with his shaggy blonde hair and a perpetually sun-kissed tan, was a true surfer at heart, and the word “hurricane” sparked excitement in his ocean-loving soul.

Living in Virginia Beach, Fitz had heard rumors of a massive hurricane churning its way up the Atlantic. The waves were rumored to be legendary, and Fitz couldn’t resist the call of the surf. With a worn-out surfboard under his arm and a backpack filled with snacks and a change of clothes, Fitz set out on the adventure of a lifetime.