Photographer and writer Christopher Bickford has lived on the Outer Banks, a string of barrier islands hugging the North Carolina coastline, for over 15 years. Over the last decade he has worked to capture the sights and spirit of this small outpost on the Atlantic, one which has become mythical to many in the surfing community. In Legends of the Sandbar, Bickford has collated these evocative images to paint a vivid picture of the day-to-day life of those who live and surf there; from the parking lot crew, to the early-morning paddle-out, to the euphoria of glorious five-second rides on the perfect swell, and even the reluctant end-of-day exodus from the beach.

In between his remarkable images are poignant essays which reveal the stories surrounding this legendary place. Though the photographs draw the viewer in, it is the elegance and flair of the writing that are the real surprise of this book. Bickford describes the geological formation of the Outer Banks, marks the history of its first human inhabitants, and explores the myriad ecological challenges it faces today, sharing along the way a few home-spun oral histories of life on the Banks, told by and about some of the community's most iconic characters. Revelling in the strange sand formations, the dramatic cloudscapes, and the rough-and-tumble culture of the islands as much as it captures the big airs and deep barrel rides of a crew of working-class surf heroes, Legends of the Sandbar offers a powerful, poetic portrait of one of the top surfing destinations of the eastern United States.