Well it is the end of the first day in Nazare, Portugal. It is 2 in the morning and I am wide awake. I never really experienced jet lag but maybe I am.
It is also the first time I have left a giant swell in my entire life, usually I am chasing it! It is worth it and I am truly honored to have been invited to explore Praia do Norte.
From the moment we left Hawaii is has been a whirlwind of excitement. We almost lost our bags, twice , and we flew half way around the world to be greeted by a great group of guys who made me feel more than welcomed.
They arrived with a giant van that the boards barely fit in, it´s a good thing Isuzu donated a truck for us to use during our stay in Portugal or we would have been really squished for the hour drive to the town of Nazare.
Even at night and in the rain, we passed some beautiful scenery such as a giant castle !
As soon as we reached town we went straight to the light house to check the waves. The wind was so powerful we could hardly open the car doors.
You could feel the power of the ocean as soon as the wind hit your skin. Between that and the sound of the crashing waves you could tell there was something giant out there.
In the morning, well at noon when I woke up, the team and I went back to the light house to check the waves.
This time I could see a little better!!! My first impression was that it is big, gnarly and dangerous! I now can agree with what Kelly said, "one mistake and it could be your last one."
After checking the waves we had a delicious lunch of fresh Dorado, salad, and potatoes.
I also got to meet Jose Gregorio, the local surf champion who I would be working with.
He gave me a lot of insight on the wave and what to expect.
From there we went to check out the ski's where the boys played a little prank on me. You will have to wait to see the video. It was classic, they got me good!
The PWC are perfect and exactly what I am use to so I feel really comfortable from that stand point.
We rigged them up for safety and they are ready to go for tomorrow.
The rest of the day was very relaxing, we went to the market to shop for some fruit and snacks and then had another delicious meal. This time octopus!! I just finished setting up my equipment and trying on my wet suits!
I feel good and ready to see what tomorrow brings.
I am excited to get in the ocean and see this wave from a different vantage point!
Aloha!!
ALL THE PICS BY WILSON RIBEIRO
