May 18th, 2021

Somewhere in Nicaragua

It all started out with a call from a good friend early in the AM who said they were going to paddle out at the reef because it was massive and going off!. So here’s my buddy Big Bear-Dog getting his surfing version of caffeine getting his juices flowing for his wake up method!

The swell is still pumping… like there were some sets that were so legit, I saw some people who tried to paddle out but just got swatted like a fly meeting up with a giant fly swatter, and unfortunately couldn’t make it out. BUT , I got a give em props for tryin’ at least!

The roundhouse cut backs were today were more like around the block size roundhouse cutbacks.

Dr. Dull finding himself in a non-dole moment speed bending around this heaving lip that’s trying to guillotine him, but he knows this wave and he made a few more sick turns after this section and was stoked to be out enjoying some surf time with his “vecinos”, aka neighbors from back home in Oxnard.

Joe (pictured here) would be that buddy and amigo de Dr. Rob & Barry too. Joe’s taking off super late and way waaaaay far out the back, because he’s got that extra advantage being on his SUP. But before any of you even try to make a judgment call on that (if you were to) This dude’s seriously up there like in the Laird and Jeff Clark category of surfing. He’s no joke, and he surfs incredibly amazing….. oh ya…. did I mention he’s 62? Sh!t man, dude’s got some serious juevos and he’s proving it every day I see him out there charging this stuff like its Disneyland! Ya buddy…! Charging as if you were a credit card! Except you’d be that super hard to get VIP “Back” Amex one… yo know the one that only people with the real deal status get! hahaha!

It’s one thing to even find or get a barrel at PD’s. Joe’s got that magic connection with the ocean, so he was rewarded with both. Great waves and some throaty hollow heaving barrels at an otherwise normally mush burger of a wave. Looks like a solid right down at the river mouth at PC’s dude!

Here’s an example of that GIANT flyswater…. however, Joe aint no fly, well he’s pretty fly for a white guy! LOL

After watching the three of them (that was it too) they had that entire lineup all to themselves for a few hours this morning. Once they had their fill, I decided to maybe move on down to Colorados where I saw plenty of enough heads (more like tiny little black dots) bobbing and weaving around in what looked like from afar, a maxing out beach break. I figured I’d try and go get a few extra bonus shots! Remember it’s my Friday, so I wanted to give you all a special report today!

The tide was dropping out quickly and the size of this swell was definitely maxing or I should say flexing its muscle power with how little water was covering the super mega shallow beach break. Kevin playing with fire while being surrounded by a lot of water.

There are times where if you don’t paddle hard enough you’re for sure not going to make it. However, this is one of the exceptions where pulling out was the smartest thing to do in this predicament.

I told you it was mutantville out there today!

Almost so intriguing and beautiful at the same time to watch from the safety of the shoreline, but believe me, that right there is breaking in just a few feet of water and the sand isn’t all soft and cuddly. It’s as hard as pavement and that lip traveled all the way across the southern Pacific with one thing in mind…. to smash anything that get’s in its way…. but it’s still purdy, tho ain’t it??? 😉

This unkown saffa, came here for waves and he passed his COVID test, flew (lord knows how many miles) and made a solid decision to come to Nicaragua for this wave all whilst making a very lengthy process in doing so…..

Here’s just one of his many many waves and the HUGE payoff and reward in doing so!

AND just in case you’re wondering, No, I didn’t go back to Pangas.

Did you know Colorados has an outer reef??? Well, its more like a very well and much appreciated indicator for the really big days, and it just so happens that it will actually break like you see here, when its BIG… REALLY BIG, like today!

Same wave, A LOT bigger than it looks, un-makable, but darn it to all hell… if you ever want to get a Puerto Escondido type water shot, this is the place…. you just have to find the fotog willing to put himself in that exact spot (which I’ve done before and vowed never to do that again) because when its this big, it’s no joke and you’ll more than likely end up braking your board (for one), and (two) the photog will not be very happy dogging the closeouts; but I promise, it’s put plenty of pro’s on cover shots in the past. SO GO GET SOME!!!! jajaja

Meanwhile over on the other side of the more mellow half brother of crazy out there. You can still see the “indicator” out the back just pulsing with another really big clean up set. This guy’s charging with a super late drop in, but he made it ok and was lucky not to get blown off the back.

Kai on a complete MACKER!!!! Kai’s very well known here for pulling into many a mackers out there, but today was maxing out, so you had to be really really selective with how well you choose your macker! If you look close or zoom in, you can see his extra teathered mini board on a leash that’s carrying his balls! LOL

It’s better, or I should say, its more safe to wait out the back and try and get the bigger sets. This is how it looks and (he being the surfer) knows how it feels to meet up with the sand bar which is just a few frames after this. We’re talking about sand in places you didn’t even know could even go in your body.

Wipeouts…. Yup, they always come with the bigger surf. Here’s a nice little montage I put together so you guys and gals can see the reality of todays whoopings and beatdowns these water soldiers got for their efforts at trying their hand in the good and really juicy stuff!

I’m not even sure what’s going on here? But he may need some chiropractic work done after this wipeout!

Donuts and nothing worse than going down inside down while looking back up the wave knowing the lip is not only going to smash you to the bottom, but you’ll probably more than likely get the extra bonus rag doll rinse cycle and or pulled back up and over the falls for round two of your epic beatdown. Good times!

Then there’s the straight up jump and try and penetrate as deep as you can so you don’t have happen to you what I explained in he last photos description. Only it’s just a few feet deep here, so not sure if Kai came out ok out the back on this one. Just looking at it. I’m more impressed his board didn’t even break on this one!!!!

The safest and only get out of jail free card of wipeouts, that is unless there isn’t an even bigger set behind this one, that’s gonna detonate on this poor guy’s head because now he’s pretty much just about in the impact zone.

Ok, that’s enough carnage to give you all a pretty good example of what happens when you play or paddle out and tamper with one of mother natures more beautiful YET dangerous cookie jar’s of life for us surfers. So I’ll leave you all with one of the best sequences of the day by your’s truly Mr. Carlos de Colorados himself!

Maybe about 15 to 20 frames in-between this shot and the one before this of being completely covered up, but the point it well noted wit how perfectly well he is here getting spit out of this mean green machine!

He’s so good, he even ends his waves usually with a giant cutback, air or lip bash combo floater, it all just depends on what the wave has to offer Mr. Carlos. Needless to say this was his last wave in and what a way to finish your session and then get on with the rest of your day after such an amazing wave!

Like I said…. it’s my Friday, so I really hope you enjoyed my pre-weekend (for me) as I will have the next two days off from shooting the surf report, BUT who there’s waves, and as photographers, we really don’t have days off when the waves are good. Especially this good! So I will more than likely see YOU (the ones staying here right now) tomorrow. Be sure to still check in with Baldo’s Wed report as I heard the waves will still be pumping and his photos and commentary is always something exciting to see and read n check out! So be sure come come on back again mañana for more surfing action from Nica-Land! Saludos as always Bri! ~Remember, even if you didn’t make the highlights you can always look at the link here for all theDaily Surf Shotsfrom each day, there might be a good chance you’re in there! AND don’t forget to follow us and always check out our current happenings on our daily Instagram stories hereNSRor my photography hereNica Surf Shots