So dedicated: 9-year-old N.J. surfer has hit the waves 400 days in a row

A young N.J. surfer can’t get enough of the sport, no matter the weather

Photojournalist Bill Rohrer documents a N.J. boy's dedication to his beloved sport of surfing, no matter the weather

BRIGANTINE, N.J. - Some might think it’s way too cold to surf right now, but that’s not stopping one local kid from surfing 400 days in a row.

9-year-old Carter Doorley taught himself how to surf when he was just five. "He has been out in Nor’easters, wind, rain, heatwaves we really done it all," said Dawn Doorley, Carter’s mom.

The temperature was close to 30 degrees, with a brisk wind and water temps just above 40 degrees in Brigantine, New Jersey. But that didn't stop Carter from catching a few waves.

"At least three, if I can. But if it is really fun out I try to catch as many as I can," Carter explained.

He’s trying to surf as much as he can every day and has managed 400 days in a row. Fox 29 Photojournalist Bill Rohrer caught up with Carter on day 241.

"When COVID first started and they started shutting down all the parks and the playgrounds, the hockey courts, we didn’t really have anything for him to do," Dawn said. "So we were looking for an outlet for him to get some energy out and he asked if he could surf."

His parents obliged. They began to document his journey on Instagram, celebrating little milestones along the way. Like when Carter raised money for the Funny Farm Rescue Animal Sanctuary, in Mays Landing.

"He came up with an idea to surf a wave for every dollar donated. I thought that he would get like $50, maybe or $25 but he raised over $300," his mom said.

Carter also collected over 1,100 cans for the True Spirit Coalition’s Food Pantry in Brigantine during the holidays. But that’s not all. He plans to donate $500 to go toward repairs, so the local skate park can reopen.

Carter says all he wants to do is help people. "Because my dad is a firefighter and a lifeguard, so he helps people as well. So I just want to help people, too, with him," Carter added.

Carter ends each surfing day the same way by picking up trash along the beach. "I try to pick up trash to keep my beaches clean," he explained. "So we can have a beautiful ocean."

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