  We prove a compactness theorem for sequences of low-action punctured
holomorphic curves of controlled topology, in any dimension, without imposing
the typical assumption of uniformly bounded Hofer energy. In the limit, we
extract a family of closed Reeb-invariant subsets. Then, we prove new
structural results for the U-map in ECH and PFH, implying that such sequences
exist in abundance in low-dimensional symplectic dynamics. We obtain
applications to symplectic dynamics and the geometry of surfaces. First, we
prove generalizations to higher genus surfaces and three-manifolds of the
celebrated Le Calvez-Yoccoz theorem. Second, we show that for any closed
Riemannian or Finsler surface a dense set of points have geodesics passing
through them that visit different sections of the surface. Third, we prove a
version of Ginzburg-G\"urel's "crossing energy bound" for punctured holomorphic
curves, of arbitrary topology, in symplectizations of any dimension.
