It all began

 A small group of madmen were tempted enough to risk it all.  In the darkness of Wednesday morning they met at Santa Monica Airport, loaded up and left at dawn.  All the signs were there as they flew south hugging the coastline.  South Bay, Lunada Bay PV, Seal Beach, Huntington, Swamis, and San Diego were getting hammered by a sold 20 ft WNW swell. (see SURFLINE for SoCAL highlights)  Now the West Coast doesn't see this type of activity very often and to top it off, they were forecasting a swell of  equal stature Christmas day.  So far the trip seemed worth all the sacrifices.   As they crossed the border, the Baja coastline was lit up with most spots firing all the way to Ensenada.  A few passes around Todo Santos island confirmed that this was truly the swell of the last 5 years.

Flying low near the Baja coastline provided a spectacular visual appetizer for the main event - a tow-in session at the Bombora.  Normally a trip to Punta San Carlos has travelers dreaming of mega wind swept peaks & lines.  Not this time... glassy conditions were the order of the day and as they passed over Isla Benito and  Sacramento reef, it was apparent that mother nature had delivered.  

When the plane cleared the Valle de Cirios  everyone  began screaming at the view....every spot in the San Carlos area was going off.  After landing, the group began rushing to ready the equipment for the first go out.  The first of a series of mishaps occurred when the better of the two support jet-skis was damaged during the launch.  The second older ski was immediately  brought out and the first team of Mike Botello and Reggie Cury headed for the Bombora.  Because of the lack of wind, a thick sea spray haze hugged the surface like a fog. This made spotting and photography very challenging.  Waves were breaking several hundred yards outside of the most common spots.  Water photography was to precarious as there were rogue sets.  The only way to view the teams was with binoculars.  Even the 600mm camera lens was only slightly effective in magnifying the riders.

After several minutes of preparation and coordination,  first team member Reggie Cury dropped into a 20 ft Bombora face.  With no apparent difficulties managing the tight duration swells, the team rode several more 10-20 footers before the ski quit in the impact zone, stranding the team.  The ski pilot in a rather stylized stoic manner stood erect on the ski waved the universal signal for help and dove off the ski just before it went over the falls on a good sized macker, dazzling the cliffside spectators. Both Reggie  and Mike  made it to shore unharmed. Not so fortunate for the ski.  Due to a severe side shore current, the now upside down ski rounded the point and again went over the falls in the chili bowl.  Game over.  The rest of the day was dedicated to retrieving the ski and repairing the other one.

 The next day the swell had dropped to 10ft - to occasional 20ft faces. Although smaller the surf was still in the challenging zone, all precautions were implemented to ensure success.  The other team of Alex Haagen and Kevin Trejo hit the Bombora early as there were tell tale signs of a wind day. Alex Haagen dropped into a wave on the far right side of the island and made it all the way to the Bombora, easily making it the ride of the trip.  After several more quick rides, Kevin Trejo hit the water but the session was all but over due to the approaching wind line.

Tow-in surfing is becoming popular at Punta San Carlos with pros and amateurs alike.  There are a myriad of different conditions in the immediate area and many others within in the range of most jet skis.  Planning and a strict regimen of procedures are key to an epic go-out, avoiding disasters.  If you are considering towing-in, seek the advice of a trained professional and spare no expense on your equipment.  Remember -

"Poor tools require better skills" - Marcel Duchamp

Alex Haagen's bullet ride across the entire backside length of the island Haagen photo sequence from the steady hand and keen eye of Kevin Trejo

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