Sunbeams fall across a desk in the corner. I approach this desk quietly as a man stares intently at his laptop screen. I assume that he is checking his e-mail or preparing documents for clients. As I look closer, I see the web page title “Surfzone.” I laugh and ask how the surf looks.

Will Graham, owner of Corolla Real Estate, points to a remote Pacific island and looks longingly at the wave forecast. “Its great here,” he says, singling out a tropical island in the South Pacific. “Looks like we’ll have some head-high surf by Thursday down in Hatteras.” A broad grin peeks from behind his handlebar mustache.

For decades, the consistent waves found throughout the Outer Banks have drawn surfers from around the world. Many of these passionate people choose to make this island their home and incorporate checking the surf and riding the waves into their daily routine. Will is one of the fortunate locals who can balance owning a business and his love for surfing into a productive and satisfying lifestyle.

His passion for surfing began in 1962 while living in Virginia Beach. “I saw an ad in the paper for a board,” he says. “I went and bought it and started surfing that summer. The board I bought was 11 feet long and weighed 50 or 60 pounds. It took the whole summer just to learn how to turn it.”

While most teenagers were saving for a sports car, Will invested in a vehicle to expand his surfing opportunities. “I bought a Mary Jane bread truck in 1965,” Will says. “I paneled the inside of it, then put two double beds in the back of it, and down one wall I built cabinets and put a Coleman stove with an oven attachment inside. On the opposite wall I installed the front seat of a Cadillac; for privacy I used a shower curtain.”

This custom vehicle allowed Will and his friends to spend their summers in Hatteras chasing the waves throughout the Outer Banks’s southern beaches. The adventurous crew also traveled from New York to Florida and Baja, Mexico searching for the ultimate surf.

In the mid ’80s, Will decided to make the Outer Banks more than just a summer home. A strong work ethic allows him to balance his business and his passion for surfing. “I pretty much work every day,” he explains, “so that in the event that we do get surf, I can blast out of here for a few hours with no problem. That’s what I like about what I do: it’s flexible.”