“I think the majority of surfers were saying it was just a little too W in direction to have those big teepees," says Jamie Mitchell, "but everyone was stoked to be out there and paddling a few, for sure.” All photos: Jorge Leal

G-Mac and Mitchell trade some post-session notes.

"This is only my second time coming to Nazare but for conditions we couldn't have asked for anything better," says Nic Lamb. "I've been very observant of this wave, perhaps obsessed, over the last few years -- having spent hours studying it from the cliff on my last trip because my boards didn't arrive. I'm convinced this wave will produce the biggest paddle-in, and clearly the largest, waves ever ridden for many years to come. People simply cannot sleep on this wave any longer."

The world may have gotten its first look at Nazare as a tow wave, but much like Jaws, the lure of paddling the place is proving too much to resist. Kalani Lattanzi, doing his best not to go down with the ship.

“Nazare, with a deep canyon refracting swell into one common zone, is one big-wave powerhouse that can handle size, and provide ideal shape, as well,” says Surfline forecaster Jonathan Warren. That fact is not lost on G-Mac.

The iconic lighthouse at Nazare, keeping a watchful eye on the chaotic ocean below. "I'm hanging here in Portugal for Christmas I think," says UK pro Tom Lowe. "I got no real plans apart from checking Nazare at dawn tomorrow. The boys are saying it will be triple the size of yesterday, so I'm anxious and scared and excited about what may unfold."

Andrew Cotton, drawing hard off the bottom. "Everyone who showed up in my eyes is a standout," says Nic Lamb. "It takes guts to attempt this."

“Nic Von Rupp [who suffered a hearty beatdown] is so talented and focused,” notes McNamara. “He’ll definitely be back.”

“I think there are some waves that can handle both things happening [paddle and tow]," says Mitchell, "and Garrett was good at directing things and having everyone understand what to do.”

Joining Mitchell and McNamara for this session was none other than Aussie animal Ross Clarke-Jones. “Ross Clarke-Jones, my one and only hero, is getting ready for Wednesday,” says G-Mac, proudly.

“I was on a 10'10", which was probably a touch too big for the day," says Mitchell, "but you definitely don't want to be undergunned out there."

Of course, the guy on the tow board, Sergio Cosme, spread the Christmas cheer by wearing a Santa hat. "A few locals who I don't know the names of were digging in," says Tom Lowe. "Everybody got some."

"The energy out there is like nothing I've ever seen," says Tom Lowe. "Crazy mutant lumps warping all over the shop. It's great fun, a real challenge to pick one off. The good ones that tubed were on the inside, but I was too scared to sit in there. With sets breaking every which way, you'll get cleaned. Beatings out there are intense style, long hold-downs, because way outside the bombs break, rolling into the heavy double-up on the inside, growing in power."

A tale of two Nics: Lamb goes right while Von Rupp takes the left. "A healthy, respectful collective of both tow and paddle," explains Lamb of the day. "We are trying to push the paddle bar further while this spot produces waves man cannot catch with his bare hands, and that's where a ski comes into play."

"Cotty [Andrew Cotton] had a pretty gnarly two-wave hold-down," says Tom Lowe. "Nic Lamb knifed into some beauties, getting barreled on one -- mad skills. Garrett packed some bombs, and Tom Butler and Jamie Mitchell were charging. Nic Von Rupp attempted a beast of a right, so late and real good effort, probably one of the bigger waves of the day. I'm just on the red chargers program. It's my first time here, so I've no idea of the progression with paddle. Most the guys love paddling, so I can see the level being pushed more in that direction. They've all already towed it huge, so maybe they want new challenges."

The downside of unsuccessfully knifing the drop: wearing one on the head as Kalani Lattanzi demonstrates. "After I got washed in, I bailed home with Nic," says Tom Lowe. "He's stoked on the session but sore after his two wipeouts... as am I."

“I just changed my ticket to stay for Wednesday's swell, but I fly out Wednesday night to get home for Christmas,” says Mitchell of his plans. “It's my four-month-old daughter’s first Christmas, so I don't want to miss it.”

RCJ, warming up for Wednesday under the watchful eye of G-Mac.

One of the handful of underground guys making an impact at Nazare, Hugo Vau, gets a piece.