During a Chilean Summer
Jamie usually begins his six months of traveling the southern
hemisphere in April. This year he headed to Tahiti with new found
friend and photographer Tyler Cuddy. After getting tubed in Tahiti for
a few weeks Sterls set his sights on colder waters and taller waves.
In the first week of June the weather maps he religiously monitors
began to show some promise in the southeastern Pacific Ocean. Within a
few days he made the call to head to Chile, and that is when I got
commandeered for my first trip of the 2009 summer. The other fortunate
souls accompanying us on our mission to Chile were Jamie's longtime
friend and favorite traveling partner Rusty Long, and photographer
Tyler Cuddy. Tyler and Sterls had just had a good streak in Tahiti
and figured they would keep the good travels going. Our departure
date was June 17th, 2009 and we all hoped the trip would be a long and
prosperous one.
Click To See The Photos
We flew from Los Angeles, California, to Dallas, Texas, and from Dallas straight to Santiago, Chile. Santiago is by far the largest city in Chile. It is also the capital. Jamie's Chilean friend Fletcher Escobar greeted us at the airport upon our arrival. Sterls had been to Chile four times prior to this trip and he had hung out with Fletcher every time. Fletcher had lived in many different parts of Chile throughout his lifetime, but at the moment he was living right at Punta De Lobos, one of Chiles premier big wave spots. As I stepped outside of the terminal two things struck me. The astonishing view of the snow capped Andes Mountains, and the gray brisk chill of an approaching storm. "The snow will be good after this!" Fletcher commented as we felt the first cold raindrops hit our exposed skin. After putting on a few more layers of cloths we drove out of the city and headed towards the coast. The city of Santiago has one of the most picturesque backdrops of any city in the world. Snow blankets the nearby mountaintops year round, and one only has to travel an hour by car to reach the nearest ski resort. The clean streets, friendly people, and lack of general congestion nearly make up for the painfully obvious dense layer of air pollution hovering over the city. Once we passed the outskirts of Santiago the landscape quickly transformed into a pleasantly green and forested terrain that stretched as far as the eye could see. Small farmhouses were sparsely scattered here and there, and Copec gas stations and the smooth new road we drove on were just about the only man made structures to be seen. What a change from L.A. where all you see are roads, buildings, and billboards. We spent about three hours driving thru the thick pouring rain brought in by the first real storm of Chile's winter, a storm that coincidentally showed up the same time we did.
We arrived at Fletcher's cabin at Punta De Lobos that evening and immediately got situated with rooms and beds. Traveling is hard work, believe it or not, and we all went horizontal shortly after our arrival. Overnight the hard rain dissipated and the storm was all but gone by the time we got up in the morning. The bluest, cloudless sky greeted us along with the thawing warmth of crisp Chilean sunshine. When I sat up from bed and saw beautiful 4 foot offshore waves peeling in front of my sleepy eyes I knew I was in a good place.
Click To See The Photos
We spent the next few days getting acquainted with Punta De Lobos and the surrounding town of Pichilemu, and thru the magic of the Internet watched a big southern-hemisphere storm track across the pacific straight toward us. In different parts of the world other big wave aficionados were also monitoring the same big swell as it approached Chile. Two of these swell chasing maniacs decided to pull the pin and fly over in hopes of scoring huge Punta De Lobos. Some incredible rides have gone down at Lobos, and over the past few years the place has solidified its reputation as one of the best big lefts in the world. The day before the swell the two traveling surfers were added to our ranks. Mark Visser, a dedicated surfer and another one of Jamie's traveling/tow partners, flew in from Australia. Sebastian Steudtner, who must be one of, if not the only surfer from Germany, flew in as well and met up with us at the cabin.
As the storm got closer there was more and more talk around the town that it might be the biggest swell in a long time. Local surfers who know the area, like Chilean legend Ramone Navarro, were telling us to be ready for some serious ocean energy. "If the wind is good, it's going to be good!" Ramone commented as we huddled around his fireplace the evening before the big swell. He continued "You never know until you see it in the morning, so let's be on it early." Like any big wave destination in the world, the size of the swell is only one factor to consider when trying to score large waves. The wind direction, wind strength, swell direction, tide, and as we later learned, fog, were all very important variables in scoring good, big surf in Chile. As we attempted to go to sleep that night the next big storm of Chile's winter made landfall. The wind became so strong and loud that I was having visions of the whole roof being ripped off.
Ramone showed up at our cabin really early the next morning and drove us out to the tip of Punta De Lobos for an up close wave check. It was the windiest and rainiest weather I had seen in a long while. The big waves had certainly showed up as expected, but a 30 knot north wind showed up along with it. Accompanying the north wind was a legitimate 4-6 foot north swell that was really tearing up the big long period SW ground swell. It looked so bad Ramone and other locals made the call not to go out. We waited around the cabin all morning hoping the wind would calm down. At about 2:30 in the afternoon the wind let up just slightly which caused the whole crew to get super excited. The decision was made to go ahead and launch the skis. It turned out the wind calming down was only a temporary thing, and by the time everyone was suited up and the skis put into the water, the wind was back.
Click To See The Photos
Tyler and I shot the action from where we had checked the waves in the morning, out at the very tip of the point. It was by far the coldest video session of my life! With a brisk wind sneaking through any clothing gap possible, and intervals of frosty rain, I couldn't help but keep thinking about how cold I was. The presence of two Jet Skis in the water finally provided Tyler and I with a sense of just how big the waves were. I was calling it solid 15-18ft with a few 20 footers, Hawaiian scale. Now for Jamie Sterling 15-18ft waves aren't all that big to tow into, but with the 6ft north wind swell added into the mix, it made for some fierce conditions for anyone to ride. Sterls towed Mark Visser into the first few waves of the day. Just getting over and thru all the big north chop looked like a major challenge for both Jamie who was driving the ski, and Mark who was trying to ride the waves. Sebastian the German rode the next few waves. Fletchers' local knowledge of Punta De Lobos was very apparent as I watched him whip Sebastian into his first couple of waves. Sebastian charged it, and actually got the largest wave of the session but unfortunately hit a big chop at the bottom and ate it. After just a few challenging bumpy waves Mark Visser decided he had had enough and switched the drivers seat with Jamie. Sterls spent a good hour and a half behind the rope, riding wave after wave and having all kinds of experiences during his first ever tow session at Lobos.
The wave at Lobos breaks right in front of these two giant rocks called The Morros. Some waves break right into the Morros, some break outside of them, and some waves swing wide and into the bay. I could tell everyone was being a bit cautious out there, but there were still some terrifying moments going down. It all culminated when Fletchers ski had a sudden malfunction and could only make left turns. Fortunately it was not Fletcher and the boys' first rodeo and they handled the potentially deadly situation like true experts. Fletcher was somehow able to successfully guide his ski to shore as the other ski followed closely behind. It was a bit of a relief to see everyone safely back on shore after spending those hours watching them tackle the unfriendly storm surf.
During diner that evening the decision was made to change locations in the morning and attempt to surf a different wave. Lobos had been big, but not particularly barreling, and the possibility of scoring another tow wave with long tubes was enough to get the crew packed up and on the road for a two hour drive to a wave with the potential to be as good as any in the world. The storm had passed, again during the night, and Pichilemu had blue skies and light wind as we drove away from the quiet town the next morning. Our road took us inland and it wasn't until the end of the drive, when we once again neared the ocean, that we realized fog had moved in up and down the coast completely whiting out everything.
While attempting to check the waves to no avail, we were approached by a group of local surfers. These guys ended up being super cool and invited us to chill out at their friends' hotel that was right there on the beach next to where we were checking the waves. We ended up being treated to an afternoon of Chilean style BBQ, a much appreciated hot fire to hang out by, and great view of the waves if the fog ever decided to lift its thick veil. It was impossible to tell if the waves were 1 foot or 20 foot, but I sensed it was going off just beyond sight. We spent the afternoon eating great food and enjoying the good life with our Chilean hosts. Life got really good when Fletcher fired up the wood burning Jacuzzis conveniently located 50 feet away from the BBQ area. These hot tubs were awesome with iron wood burning stoves submerged right in the water. With a nice pile of firewood and a few stirs with the large wood paddle life was really good in this part of Chile. Just before dark the fog lifted slightly and allowed us a quick glimpse at the elusive wave. All I can say is if I ever go back to Chile I'm going straight there, staying at that hotel, and living the good life!
Click To See The Photos
The swell diminished significantly by the next morning but the crew still had a great day playing around with the skis in the waters of Pichilemu. Sterls had the opportunity to "practice" step-offs with the help of Ramone Navarro and actually scored some nice solid waves. There are a multitude of sandbars in the waters surrounding Punta De Lobos. The problem is, without the assistance of a jet ski, they are nearly impossible to surf. The amount of water moving along the coastline during a decent swell is overwhelming, even for the most experienced paddle surfers. A person would be lucky to get out on a big day, let alone catch a wave or two. I've always believed that there are only select places and times when a jet ski is necessary, and if there ever was a place and time, it was Chile during a big swell. With Ramones intimate knowledge of the waves Jamie was able to ride 20 or 30 waves in the mater of an hour that day.
It was obvious the sand had been rearrange at Lobos from the big waves the days before, and it was recommended to us by Ramone and Fletcher that we do a bit of road trip exploration and try to score some of the sandbar pointbreaks littering the region. Chile has nearly 4,000 miles of coastline that is constantly being battered by Pacific storms. With such a long coastline, much of which is beach, the potential for great sandbars is endless. Rocky headlands jot out all along the coast, catching and redirecting the sand being pushed around by the big swells and currents. The larger the swell the more the sand moves and collects on these points. With such a vast expanse of coastline the biggest problem is knowing where to go and when.
For our road trip we were blessed with the best guide possible. Ramone introduced us to Fabian "Conejo" Farias. Conejo is the mellowest, easy going Chilean who loves to surf as much as anyone. One of his favorite sayings "Mucho take it easy" became a sort of mantra for our trip. Someone would ask him what the plan was, or what we were going to do next, and Conejo would calmly reply "I don't know, maybe mucho take it easy". It was refreshing to be around someone with such a laidback attitude and lifestyle. It was only later we found out he was one of the best surfers in Chile.
The drive that Conejo took us on was amazing. Over the past few years he had been getting away from his hometown of Pichilemu and taking the time to explore the vast coastline. A major issue when trying to explore Chile is finding access to the ocean. The main roads run a bit inland most of the time and finding a road to take you to the coastline can be quite difficult. That is if you don't know where you are going. Fortunate for us Conejo had it wired! We spent most of the day driving dirt roads that weaved up and down thickly forested hills, and in and out of these vibrantly green valleys with flat floors of pristine pastureland. We checked out all kinds of potential surf spots along the way but did not surf any of them. Conejo ensured us that our final destination would be one of the best waves in the region. That night we slept in a little motel and hit the road again cold and early the next morning.
Click To See The Photos
By midday we reached the wave Conejo had been referring to the day before. As we 4x4'd down the long black sand beach toward a headland we began to be able to see a wave peeling along the point. By the time we parked Sterls, Rusty, Tyler, and I were all frothing out. 3 to 4 foot sunny offshore barreling waves we running along a sandbar built up right next to the rocky headland. And not another surfer in sight! Sterls was bouncing up and down, Rusty was hurriedly stretching, and Tyler and I both had our camera gear out. Conejo was the only one who was not overly excited. "What do you think Conejo?" I inquired. "Maybe take it easy, and later, low tide, it will be good." he said with a mellow confidence.
We trusted his judgment and took the time to look into a possible place to stay in the area. Fletcher's longtime friend Ramondo, or Mondo for short, had built himself a cabin years back right next to one of his favorite waves. That wave was the same wave we were looking at. We had not been able to get a hold of him before hand since the cell reception was virtually non-existent in this part of the country. While on the beach we finally found a cell signal and made contact with Mondo. Mondo had met Sterls on one of Jamie's prior trips to Chile and gave us the OK to stay in his cabin even though he would not be there. He gave us directions to his cabin, and let us know he would meet up with us in about a week. After a short drive around the headland we turned down a steep 4x4 road. When the forest broke we viewed our new base camp. Mondo had chosen a special spot in the world to build his cabin. The quaint structure was nestled halfway down the steep side of a hill shaped like half a bowl, or half a stadium would be a better comparison.
This secluded cove had its own private beach cradled by massive rock pilings that protruded into the water on either side of the beach. The wave we had been watching was so near by that we had the option of either taking a 2-minute drive, a 5-7 minute walk, or a 10-minute paddle from the beach in front of the cabin. We were all astounded at our tremendously good fortune.
After unpacking the car and organizing ourselves into the cabin, the boys went for their first surf in days. Like the drive, Conejo had the wave completely wired. Throughout the session he took the time to orientate Rusty and Sterls with the different ways to paddle out and places to catch the wave. The three of them surfed for a few solitary hours that afternoon in dreamlike offshore point break surf. What a place!
What was truly amazing about this part of the world was the animal life flourishing everywhere. The skies were littered with endless varieties of birds. These flocks ranged in size from just a few birds, to what at times seemed like the entire sky full, thousands and thousands of birds moving together as one giant storm of winged life. The surface of the ocean was also teeming with bird life. Sea gulls, Pelicans, and a few other birds I had seen before were commonplace. There were birds diving from the sky into the water and resurfacing a short time later with fish. Huge schools of Sardines and other small baitfish were abundant and apparently attracted the multitude of birds and other sea animals. I was fascinated by one particular species of bird that would hang out on the surface of the water just inside of where the waves would break. As the white water from the waves approached they would not fly away like other birds. Instead they would literally duck dive under the wave. Sometimes the birds would stay under a long while as multiple waves passed over them. I soon came to the realization that they were fishing while swimming beneath the waves!
The animal that had the greatest presence in the water throughout all of Chile was the Sea Lion or "Lobos" as the Chileans called them. Although generally passive when human surfers were invading their territory, these bulky yet fast moving pinnipeds we not scared of us at all. They would come right up to you and stare you down face to face, and I mean close. Each of us had our own blood-pumping story about our encounters with the Lobos.
We spent the week surfing the left and checking a few other nearby spots, none of which held a flame to the wave near Mondo's house. When the swell finally diminished Conejo headed back to his life in Pichilemu leaving us at the cabin. Mondo showed up a few days later bringing with him a fresh stoke and word of another approaching swell. We had two more weeks in Chile and with Mondo as our new guide we were able to take our Chilean adventure to a whole new level. Mondo was slightly older, wiser, and even more surf stoked than Conejo! He had been surfing in Chile for more than 25 years! Needless to say Mondo showed us waves and places we would never have been able to experience without him. He drove us around in the perfect vehicle for the region, a school bus yellow Toyota Land cruiser from the 1980's. Reliable and able to go anywhere!
By the last week everyone was thoroughly surfed out and the decision was made to head to the city to do a bit of sight seeing and socializing for the last days of our trip. I think I forgot to mention Mondo is the man! This guy has it wired. He spends part of his time working and hanging out with his family in Santiago, and snowboarding when the snow is good. The rest of the time he spends either at his cabin on the coast, or on the road exploring Chile's endless surf. When it came time to go to the city not only did he drive us the 6 + hours to Santiago, but he also put us up at his apartment right in the heart of the city. From there we were able to really experience what living in Santiago would be like. As I sat on the plane about to depart Chile I reflected on the trip and on the last days spent in Santiago. Watching the Andes slowly disappear from sight I came to one final conclusion about the trip...Chile is where I want to live. But not yet!
Click To See The Photos
We flew from Los Angeles, California, to Dallas, Texas, and from Dallas straight to Santiago, Chile. Santiago is by far the largest city in Chile. It is also the capital. Jamie's Chilean friend Fletcher Escobar greeted us at the airport upon our arrival. Sterls had been to Chile four times prior to this trip and he had hung out with Fletcher every time. Fletcher had lived in many different parts of Chile throughout his lifetime, but at the moment he was living right at Punta De Lobos, one of Chiles premier big wave spots. As I stepped outside of the terminal two things struck me. The astonishing view of the snow capped Andes Mountains, and the gray brisk chill of an approaching storm. "The snow will be good after this!" Fletcher commented as we felt the first cold raindrops hit our exposed skin. After putting on a few more layers of cloths we drove out of the city and headed towards the coast. The city of Santiago has one of the most picturesque backdrops of any city in the world. Snow blankets the nearby mountaintops year round, and one only has to travel an hour by car to reach the nearest ski resort. The clean streets, friendly people, and lack of general congestion nearly make up for the painfully obvious dense layer of air pollution hovering over the city. Once we passed the outskirts of Santiago the landscape quickly transformed into a pleasantly green and forested terrain that stretched as far as the eye could see. Small farmhouses were sparsely scattered here and there, and Copec gas stations and the smooth new road we drove on were just about the only man made structures to be seen. What a change from L.A. where all you see are roads, buildings, and billboards. We spent about three hours driving thru the thick pouring rain brought in by the first real storm of Chile's winter, a storm that coincidentally showed up the same time we did.
We arrived at Fletcher's cabin at Punta De Lobos that evening and immediately got situated with rooms and beds. Traveling is hard work, believe it or not, and we all went horizontal shortly after our arrival. Overnight the hard rain dissipated and the storm was all but gone by the time we got up in the morning. The bluest, cloudless sky greeted us along with the thawing warmth of crisp Chilean sunshine. When I sat up from bed and saw beautiful 4 foot offshore waves peeling in front of my sleepy eyes I knew I was in a good place.
Click To See The Photos
We spent the next few days getting acquainted with Punta De Lobos and the surrounding town of Pichilemu, and thru the magic of the Internet watched a big southern-hemisphere storm track across the pacific straight toward us. In different parts of the world other big wave aficionados were also monitoring the same big swell as it approached Chile. Two of these swell chasing maniacs decided to pull the pin and fly over in hopes of scoring huge Punta De Lobos. Some incredible rides have gone down at Lobos, and over the past few years the place has solidified its reputation as one of the best big lefts in the world. The day before the swell the two traveling surfers were added to our ranks. Mark Visser, a dedicated surfer and another one of Jamie's traveling/tow partners, flew in from Australia. Sebastian Steudtner, who must be one of, if not the only surfer from Germany, flew in as well and met up with us at the cabin.
As the storm got closer there was more and more talk around the town that it might be the biggest swell in a long time. Local surfers who know the area, like Chilean legend Ramone Navarro, were telling us to be ready for some serious ocean energy. "If the wind is good, it's going to be good!" Ramone commented as we huddled around his fireplace the evening before the big swell. He continued "You never know until you see it in the morning, so let's be on it early." Like any big wave destination in the world, the size of the swell is only one factor to consider when trying to score large waves. The wind direction, wind strength, swell direction, tide, and as we later learned, fog, were all very important variables in scoring good, big surf in Chile. As we attempted to go to sleep that night the next big storm of Chile's winter made landfall. The wind became so strong and loud that I was having visions of the whole roof being ripped off.
Ramone showed up at our cabin really early the next morning and drove us out to the tip of Punta De Lobos for an up close wave check. It was the windiest and rainiest weather I had seen in a long while. The big waves had certainly showed up as expected, but a 30 knot north wind showed up along with it. Accompanying the north wind was a legitimate 4-6 foot north swell that was really tearing up the big long period SW ground swell. It looked so bad Ramone and other locals made the call not to go out. We waited around the cabin all morning hoping the wind would calm down. At about 2:30 in the afternoon the wind let up just slightly which caused the whole crew to get super excited. The decision was made to go ahead and launch the skis. It turned out the wind calming down was only a temporary thing, and by the time everyone was suited up and the skis put into the water, the wind was back.
Click To See The Photos
Tyler and I shot the action from where we had checked the waves in the morning, out at the very tip of the point. It was by far the coldest video session of my life! With a brisk wind sneaking through any clothing gap possible, and intervals of frosty rain, I couldn't help but keep thinking about how cold I was. The presence of two Jet Skis in the water finally provided Tyler and I with a sense of just how big the waves were. I was calling it solid 15-18ft with a few 20 footers, Hawaiian scale. Now for Jamie Sterling 15-18ft waves aren't all that big to tow into, but with the 6ft north wind swell added into the mix, it made for some fierce conditions for anyone to ride. Sterls towed Mark Visser into the first few waves of the day. Just getting over and thru all the big north chop looked like a major challenge for both Jamie who was driving the ski, and Mark who was trying to ride the waves. Sebastian the German rode the next few waves. Fletchers' local knowledge of Punta De Lobos was very apparent as I watched him whip Sebastian into his first couple of waves. Sebastian charged it, and actually got the largest wave of the session but unfortunately hit a big chop at the bottom and ate it. After just a few challenging bumpy waves Mark Visser decided he had had enough and switched the drivers seat with Jamie. Sterls spent a good hour and a half behind the rope, riding wave after wave and having all kinds of experiences during his first ever tow session at Lobos.
The wave at Lobos breaks right in front of these two giant rocks called The Morros. Some waves break right into the Morros, some break outside of them, and some waves swing wide and into the bay. I could tell everyone was being a bit cautious out there, but there were still some terrifying moments going down. It all culminated when Fletchers ski had a sudden malfunction and could only make left turns. Fortunately it was not Fletcher and the boys' first rodeo and they handled the potentially deadly situation like true experts. Fletcher was somehow able to successfully guide his ski to shore as the other ski followed closely behind. It was a bit of a relief to see everyone safely back on shore after spending those hours watching them tackle the unfriendly storm surf.
During diner that evening the decision was made to change locations in the morning and attempt to surf a different wave. Lobos had been big, but not particularly barreling, and the possibility of scoring another tow wave with long tubes was enough to get the crew packed up and on the road for a two hour drive to a wave with the potential to be as good as any in the world. The storm had passed, again during the night, and Pichilemu had blue skies and light wind as we drove away from the quiet town the next morning. Our road took us inland and it wasn't until the end of the drive, when we once again neared the ocean, that we realized fog had moved in up and down the coast completely whiting out everything.
While attempting to check the waves to no avail, we were approached by a group of local surfers. These guys ended up being super cool and invited us to chill out at their friends' hotel that was right there on the beach next to where we were checking the waves. We ended up being treated to an afternoon of Chilean style BBQ, a much appreciated hot fire to hang out by, and great view of the waves if the fog ever decided to lift its thick veil. It was impossible to tell if the waves were 1 foot or 20 foot, but I sensed it was going off just beyond sight. We spent the afternoon eating great food and enjoying the good life with our Chilean hosts. Life got really good when Fletcher fired up the wood burning Jacuzzis conveniently located 50 feet away from the BBQ area. These hot tubs were awesome with iron wood burning stoves submerged right in the water. With a nice pile of firewood and a few stirs with the large wood paddle life was really good in this part of Chile. Just before dark the fog lifted slightly and allowed us a quick glimpse at the elusive wave. All I can say is if I ever go back to Chile I'm going straight there, staying at that hotel, and living the good life!
Click To See The Photos
The swell diminished significantly by the next morning but the crew still had a great day playing around with the skis in the waters of Pichilemu. Sterls had the opportunity to "practice" step-offs with the help of Ramone Navarro and actually scored some nice solid waves. There are a multitude of sandbars in the waters surrounding Punta De Lobos. The problem is, without the assistance of a jet ski, they are nearly impossible to surf. The amount of water moving along the coastline during a decent swell is overwhelming, even for the most experienced paddle surfers. A person would be lucky to get out on a big day, let alone catch a wave or two. I've always believed that there are only select places and times when a jet ski is necessary, and if there ever was a place and time, it was Chile during a big swell. With Ramones intimate knowledge of the waves Jamie was able to ride 20 or 30 waves in the mater of an hour that day.
It was obvious the sand had been rearrange at Lobos from the big waves the days before, and it was recommended to us by Ramone and Fletcher that we do a bit of road trip exploration and try to score some of the sandbar pointbreaks littering the region. Chile has nearly 4,000 miles of coastline that is constantly being battered by Pacific storms. With such a long coastline, much of which is beach, the potential for great sandbars is endless. Rocky headlands jot out all along the coast, catching and redirecting the sand being pushed around by the big swells and currents. The larger the swell the more the sand moves and collects on these points. With such a vast expanse of coastline the biggest problem is knowing where to go and when.
For our road trip we were blessed with the best guide possible. Ramone introduced us to Fabian "Conejo" Farias. Conejo is the mellowest, easy going Chilean who loves to surf as much as anyone. One of his favorite sayings "Mucho take it easy" became a sort of mantra for our trip. Someone would ask him what the plan was, or what we were going to do next, and Conejo would calmly reply "I don't know, maybe mucho take it easy". It was refreshing to be around someone with such a laidback attitude and lifestyle. It was only later we found out he was one of the best surfers in Chile.
The drive that Conejo took us on was amazing. Over the past few years he had been getting away from his hometown of Pichilemu and taking the time to explore the vast coastline. A major issue when trying to explore Chile is finding access to the ocean. The main roads run a bit inland most of the time and finding a road to take you to the coastline can be quite difficult. That is if you don't know where you are going. Fortunate for us Conejo had it wired! We spent most of the day driving dirt roads that weaved up and down thickly forested hills, and in and out of these vibrantly green valleys with flat floors of pristine pastureland. We checked out all kinds of potential surf spots along the way but did not surf any of them. Conejo ensured us that our final destination would be one of the best waves in the region. That night we slept in a little motel and hit the road again cold and early the next morning.
Click To See The Photos
By midday we reached the wave Conejo had been referring to the day before. As we 4x4'd down the long black sand beach toward a headland we began to be able to see a wave peeling along the point. By the time we parked Sterls, Rusty, Tyler, and I were all frothing out. 3 to 4 foot sunny offshore barreling waves we running along a sandbar built up right next to the rocky headland. And not another surfer in sight! Sterls was bouncing up and down, Rusty was hurriedly stretching, and Tyler and I both had our camera gear out. Conejo was the only one who was not overly excited. "What do you think Conejo?" I inquired. "Maybe take it easy, and later, low tide, it will be good." he said with a mellow confidence.
We trusted his judgment and took the time to look into a possible place to stay in the area. Fletcher's longtime friend Ramondo, or Mondo for short, had built himself a cabin years back right next to one of his favorite waves. That wave was the same wave we were looking at. We had not been able to get a hold of him before hand since the cell reception was virtually non-existent in this part of the country. While on the beach we finally found a cell signal and made contact with Mondo. Mondo had met Sterls on one of Jamie's prior trips to Chile and gave us the OK to stay in his cabin even though he would not be there. He gave us directions to his cabin, and let us know he would meet up with us in about a week. After a short drive around the headland we turned down a steep 4x4 road. When the forest broke we viewed our new base camp. Mondo had chosen a special spot in the world to build his cabin. The quaint structure was nestled halfway down the steep side of a hill shaped like half a bowl, or half a stadium would be a better comparison.
This secluded cove had its own private beach cradled by massive rock pilings that protruded into the water on either side of the beach. The wave we had been watching was so near by that we had the option of either taking a 2-minute drive, a 5-7 minute walk, or a 10-minute paddle from the beach in front of the cabin. We were all astounded at our tremendously good fortune.
After unpacking the car and organizing ourselves into the cabin, the boys went for their first surf in days. Like the drive, Conejo had the wave completely wired. Throughout the session he took the time to orientate Rusty and Sterls with the different ways to paddle out and places to catch the wave. The three of them surfed for a few solitary hours that afternoon in dreamlike offshore point break surf. What a place!
What was truly amazing about this part of the world was the animal life flourishing everywhere. The skies were littered with endless varieties of birds. These flocks ranged in size from just a few birds, to what at times seemed like the entire sky full, thousands and thousands of birds moving together as one giant storm of winged life. The surface of the ocean was also teeming with bird life. Sea gulls, Pelicans, and a few other birds I had seen before were commonplace. There were birds diving from the sky into the water and resurfacing a short time later with fish. Huge schools of Sardines and other small baitfish were abundant and apparently attracted the multitude of birds and other sea animals. I was fascinated by one particular species of bird that would hang out on the surface of the water just inside of where the waves would break. As the white water from the waves approached they would not fly away like other birds. Instead they would literally duck dive under the wave. Sometimes the birds would stay under a long while as multiple waves passed over them. I soon came to the realization that they were fishing while swimming beneath the waves!
The animal that had the greatest presence in the water throughout all of Chile was the Sea Lion or "Lobos" as the Chileans called them. Although generally passive when human surfers were invading their territory, these bulky yet fast moving pinnipeds we not scared of us at all. They would come right up to you and stare you down face to face, and I mean close. Each of us had our own blood-pumping story about our encounters with the Lobos.
We spent the week surfing the left and checking a few other nearby spots, none of which held a flame to the wave near Mondo's house. When the swell finally diminished Conejo headed back to his life in Pichilemu leaving us at the cabin. Mondo showed up a few days later bringing with him a fresh stoke and word of another approaching swell. We had two more weeks in Chile and with Mondo as our new guide we were able to take our Chilean adventure to a whole new level. Mondo was slightly older, wiser, and even more surf stoked than Conejo! He had been surfing in Chile for more than 25 years! Needless to say Mondo showed us waves and places we would never have been able to experience without him. He drove us around in the perfect vehicle for the region, a school bus yellow Toyota Land cruiser from the 1980's. Reliable and able to go anywhere!
By the last week everyone was thoroughly surfed out and the decision was made to head to the city to do a bit of sight seeing and socializing for the last days of our trip. I think I forgot to mention Mondo is the man! This guy has it wired. He spends part of his time working and hanging out with his family in Santiago, and snowboarding when the snow is good. The rest of the time he spends either at his cabin on the coast, or on the road exploring Chile's endless surf. When it came time to go to the city not only did he drive us the 6 + hours to Santiago, but he also put us up at his apartment right in the heart of the city. From there we were able to really experience what living in Santiago would be like. As I sat on the plane about to depart Chile I reflected on the trip and on the last days spent in Santiago. Watching the Andes slowly disappear from sight I came to one final conclusion about the trip...Chile is where I want to live. But not yet!
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is anybody NOT testing this? cool site.
Why so many tests?
hi, great
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TEEEST
I shall also be testing this.
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