Steve Fitzpatrick

Recent Projects: Swell of the Century

On March 19th and 20th of 2008 an intense storm off the Canadian Maritimes blew a swell into Puerto Rico the likes of which had not been seen since February 2, 1999. Tres Palmas in Rincon was the place to be, and the locals showed everyone what Puerto Rico is made of.

William was one of the first surfers in Puerto Rico to start surfing with the assistance of a jet ski. His experience and training in Hawaii served him well when the waters of his home island called for them.
   
No one, absolutely no one, charged harder on this swell that Carlos did. On this first day of big waves Carlos was paddle surfing waves that none of the other paddle surfers wanted and taking off on waves that were practically "tow-in only" affairs.
   
Carlos throwing down a stylish bottom turn on a hefty peak at Tres Palmas.
     
  
With the late afternoon light illuminating the surf from behind William throws down a nice turn on the open face of a Tres Palmas wall.
   
By Thursday, March 20, the swell had picked up a notch reaching it's peak size. The bouys were reading 16' at 18 seconds, the kind of size and period that rarely reach our shores. Rincon local Dennis Ritch is no stranger to big waves at Tres Palmas and this morning his tow partner, Craig Prothers, slung him into one of the waves of the day.
   
Without anything to give it scale, you might even think that this wave was just a bit overhead. Think again.
     
  
Dennis was able to return the favor to Craig, who managed to get himself a boatload of big waves during this swell.
   
With the help of Craig Prothers and his boat I was able to reach the lineup with relative ease as opposed to making the 40 minute paddle from shore. Not long after I arrived on the scene visiting Venezuelan, Magnum Martinez, was towed into this monster.
   
Meanwhile, Carlos continued to go where no other paddle surfers dared. One that got away.
     
  
The beauty of this feathering lip belies the power it holds to snuff you out in a second.
   
Towards the middle of the afternoon Carlos was offered a turn on the jet ski by fellow local Otto Flores. This was the second wave into which he had ever been towed and is likely the biggest wave ever photographed being ridden in the history of surfing in Puerto Rico.
   
Carlos' next wave wasn't much smaller. Shortly after capturing this image I, along with all the paddle surfers, was cleaned up by a 35 foot set. I survived that set on my own strength and merit only to be run over thereafter by a recklessly operated jet ski in nearly flat water. It is a minor miracle that I was not knocked unconscious and drowned on the spot. The wounds I sustained required 33 stitches to close and now, five weeks later, I continue to struggle with the very unpleasant symptoms of Post Concussion Syndrome.