How I Became a Big Wave Surfer

The first time I saw a big wave was when I was 13 years old. I had only just started surfing and was a weekend warrior because I lived two hours away from the nearest beach in Guatemala.

One day, my surfer friends and I got together to watch the Billabong XXL awards. I was mesmerized because I didn't know waves that big existed. One of my friends asked if any of us would ever surf waves like that. I was the only one that said yes with conviction.

I said to my friends, if I had the chance to surf one of those waves, I would do it. I didn't care about making it, I would at least try. Everyone laughed at me and didn't take me seriously. But that day, watching those big waves on TV, I had already surfed my first big wave in my mind. I imagined I was there, at the top of a wave, confronted with the decision of going for it, or letting it go. Every time I paddled and I went.

My big wave journey began that day. But, it would take me ten more years to actually surf my first big wave.

That day came in 2015. It was a beautiful winter day and the first big swell of the season had just arrived on the North Shore of Oahu. I woke up very early and did my morning ritual. I could hear the big waves crashing on the sand by my house.

The plan was to surf Waimea Bay. Waimea Bay is one of the most legendary big waves on the planet. I have always loved Waimea Bay, but I knew there were going to be over a hundred surfers that day, all of them hungry for waves.

Waimea is a special and scary wave. It is the only big wave where you are allowed to drop in on people. ‘Dropping in,’means that many surfers can ride the same wave at the same time.

This makes Waimea a dangerous place. There are a lot of surfers with ten-foot boards, taking off very close to each other. There are always obstacles in the way, like broken boards and surfers caught inside. Even just making it past the deadly shorebreak is a feat. To make it even scarier, hundreds of people are watching the spectacle from land. Photographers and videographers film every ride and every wipeout.

All of this makes Waimea Bay a modern-day gladiator arena. I always knew it would either make me or break me.

After watching all morning I finally decided to go surfing. I convinced myself that the waves were not that big by saying, “it’s not that big,” out loud. I said it so many times that the waves didn’t seem that big anymore.

When I arrived at the water's edge, the other surfers, cameras, and the size of the waves didn’t matter anymore. I entered the ocean with one mission, to surf the biggest wave I could possibly get.

I had been starting to get bigger waves at this point in my life, but also I was falling a lot. My mind was ready, but my body would not handle a big drop sometimes. Most of the time, I ended up falling on the face of the wave.

That day, I remember paddling out and making it to the lineup without getting my hair wet. I said to myself, the first challenge has been completed successfully. Then I saw a big set approaching. I started paddling with everything I had. I felt the inertia of the moment and there I was, surfing my first real big wave at Waimea Bay. I'm never going to forget that feeling.

After a long day of surfing, I came back to my house, opened my Facebook, and noticed that the photographers tagged me in all my waves. It all felt like a dream. I saw myself on the big waves I had seen on TV all those years ago.

I couldn't sleep well that night because I had too much adrenaline in my system. I knew I had crossed a personal line. Finally, after all these years, my body listened to me and performed well under stress. That night, I prayed sincerely to God. I asked God to always keep me protected, true to myself, and most importantly humble.

I was about to learn that big wave surfing is not a straight path. It is more like a wave itself with ups and downs. And that part when I wished to stay humble was a lifelong granted wish.

To be continued….(The Wound is Where the Light Enters)