Most of my pre-cane surfing has been done in Charleston (easier to GFO when it hits) but I grew up surfing Hatteras--steepest beach in the East.

The waves are much larger in South West CR, but the surfing is safer because of the long rollers as opposed to the violent breaks and steep beach at Hatteras. I have a friend that has a trailer in Buxton who is a true, old-school surf bum and he's one of those guys on the horizon.