Hidden in a relatively unknown beach town on the edge of one of the world’s most infamous borders, we arrive at the spot. It’s still dark out. The winds are offshore blowing the marine layer out to sea. The swell built throughout the night so much so that we could hear the waves crashing in our dreams. We’ve had this day marked on our calendars for weeks, constantly checking for updates in the forecast. Most of us even took work off to spend all day in the water. Still unable to see the waves in the dark, we start putting on our wetsuits.

There’s nothing worse than putting on a damp wetsuit in the dark while the cold air sends all the hairs on your body straight up. To fight the cold, some of us begin to piss in our wetsuits before getting in the water, a process known locally as dry docking (try it before you judge). However for the waves we’re expecting today, being cold and wet is worth it. As last of us finish waxing up our boards, adding an extra layer to accommodate for the overhead waves we’re hoping to score, we head down an unmarked dirt path that descends the steep cliffs towards the beach. Everyone is silent in anticipation of scoring the best waves of our lives. Pictures of fat slabs with fast sections and spitting barrels race through our minds. In what felt like an eternity but was really just a few seconds, we reach the end of the trail and step onto the cold sand. Just then the first light of day creeps up behind us and reveals what we’ve all been waiting for. Knee to waist high waves with occasional head high sets and mostly close-outs. Not a bad day of surf in PB.