March 14th, 2023

Somewhere in Nicaragua

Went out to shoot around when it was coming over and past the peak high tide. Still quite a few heads out as you can see here.

Like yesterdays late afternoon report, you can see (but with way better conditions this morning) there is some really nice swell out there in the water.

If nice big open wave faces are your thing. . . then you’ll definitely want to surf this spot if you ever come down. Breaks pretty much all year long and when it’s pumping, and I mean like really big, this place get’s HUGE, bigger than everywhere along this stretch of beach (and always 2-3 times bigger than Colorados) just make sure to bring the thickest leash rope you can find and have a few extra backups, because for one 1. Snapped leashes here are a regular occurrence. And 2. It’s a really NOT-SO-FUN swim in if your leash or board breaks. You will find yourself swimming and taking massive sets on the head all the way in. Just as a little friendly & precautious heads up! 🙂

Like, this shot here. Imagine when it hits those double digit days.

I’ve swam out here on some of the big days and it is maybe one of the hardest places to shoot from the water.

The French connection was out in full force today. Elise whom you will always see out in anything from the small to XL surf on her giant long boards, charging or cross-step-dancing with her fancy footwork or pulling into cavern barrels down at the beachie. Either way, she’ll always put on a good show for ya!

Surfing legend and buddy of mine from my days living in HB’s, Peter Townend (aka P.T.) coined the ever so famous “Three to the beach” from as far back as I can remember in pro surfing all the way from the NSSA’s up to what is now known as the WSL.

Shoot’s there have been so many names (ie acronyms used for the JR’s and more even more so for the Pro’s over the years, it’s hard to keep track of how many times the names changed over the years.

But one thing that I will always remember or never forget is P.T.’s classic, “Three to the Beach” tactic to winning a contest, which still lives on even today! This unknown dude, taking the living legends mantra and putting it to good use on this wave….. take it all the way to the beach P.T!!!!

Looks like the ol’ gal is starting to wake up!!!! Wahoooooo!!!!!

I had no idea TLC was even into surfing way back then, but their 1994 classic hit still works well enough to make a good comment for one of my shots from today in 2023; which is “Don’t go chasing waterfalls!” Haahahaa

7 days a week here and on any given day of the week, unless it’s completely un-surfable (which is really not very many days out of the year here, but you can always count on seeing some of the best surf stoked people out in the lineups. I had to give you the zoomed in frame from his sequence just so you can see what I’m sayin’!

Back tot the French connection, Birdy out there, hands free, backside on a well overhead right screaming around that super unpredictable section that always hits the reef every time.

But local knowledge is key and Birdy has a big set of keys to the joint!

There’s a flat spot where a lot of people will just kick out, but if you can connect to that inside section, there’s a whole lot of more wave to shred up. Birdy actually proned out, back on his belly, paddled is Arse off and make that dead season and caught the reform and here he is riding out the rest of the wave! Keys baby, KEYS!!!!

So the French connection I’m referring to today doesn’t mean everyone is connected family wise (unless you consider it a surfing family – which by way of a sort of tribe, then yes we’re all family) but Elise and Birdy are not related on land, but they both come from the most romanticized country of the work (I think) but it’s good to have Elise and Birdy and his wonderful family always here doing their thing out there on the waves…..

You guys ready for a GREAT season or what????

Like I said, small or XL, Elise dancing on water!

Ya, that there is a closeout. But if you see waves like this walking down this path, that’s a really really good sign whichever way you go after you get past that wall and fence! After that the choice is YOURS!  See ya’ll again mañana ~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