Sandy brings surf and flooding to VB

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) - The water at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront was rough with some pretty big waves, Monday. That's exactly what surfers want to see, but Hurricane Sandy did present some challenges for them.

"The water is nice. It's just really, you start paddling  and the wind is blowing straight in your face. It's hard to get down the waves," said Randy Harris.

While surfers tried to catch a wave, Grommet Island Park couldn't catch a break.

"Basically we had the barriers up and the berm to protect the park from sand and of course the water breached and caused some serious damage," said Kenny Denson of Resort Landscaping.

Denson says the ground matting of the playground, which is now covered by heavy, wet sand, will more than likely need to be replaced.

Near the Lynnhaven Inlet, the tide attacked Bubba's Seafood Restaurant and Crabhouse . It flooded the deck, destroying part of it, and filling the restaurant with about a foot of water.

"We have been mopping and drying and cleaning stuff and trying to get ready and hopefully maybe we'll be open later tonight or tomorrow," said Bubba's Manager, Darby Groff.

Nearby, rescue crews did some welfare checks along the flooded Starfish Road.

"Everyone decided to stay. Obviously not the greatest weather out today, so it's better off if they stay inside and ride it out," said Virginia Beach Firefighter Jason Nichols.

In Lynnhaven Colony "No Wake" were the words of the day. Residents posted signs on the streets that read "No Wake" to try and make sure cars slowed down when trying to drive through the deep, standing water.

"If we hadn't put some sandbags on our two entrance doors and the garage over here, water would have come in the house," said Bob Hall.

"It's actually dropped two or three feet in the past couple of hours but this morning it was up over this fence here right up over the top of this post," said Chris Faison.

Hurricane Sandy certainly caused flooding troubles and, at times, churned up unique discoveries. One couple found a large fish with fairly sharp teeth that had died in a large puddle in the sand of the oceanfront.

"Definitely deep water. It probably uses these (fins) to walk along the (ocean floor). Just got caught in a rip tide or something, got thrown up on shore. I mean he definitely doesn't belong up here," said Jack Ogburn.

Ogburn says he fishes a lot in Virginia Beach and has never seen a fish like the one he saw washed up on the shore, Monday night.

Virginia Beach emergency workers tell WAVY.com the only flooding left in the city is in the low lying areas that are prone to flood during high tide. Virginia Beach Public Schools are on a two hour delay Tuesday morning.