WELLFLEET — Carl Breivogel, a 73-year-old surfer, has been participating in the Cape Cod Oldtimers Longboard Classic since the 1990s. Standing on the dune at White Crest Beach on Sunday, rather than competing on the waves — Tropical Storm Henri meant that part was postponed — Breivogel recalled another storm that affected the Classic.
“In 1999, a hurricane stalled off the coast,” Breivogel said. “The air was dead calm, and the edge of the cloud bank was on the southeast horizon. The hurricane was like a wave machine, pumping wave after wave. Some people thought the surf was too big.”