Photo: @leandrofuque
Uruguay isn’t high on many surfers’ to-visit lists. With its unique location tucked at the southern border of Brazil, and Argentina to the east, the small South American nation doesn’t have much coastline to call its own. That doesn’t mean that locals don’t have incredible waves in their backyard — it’s just a place much of the surf world doesn’t talk about.
Sebastián Olarte knows world class waves though, having seen plenty of them all over the world. He also knows when, how, and where to find a gem when ideal conditions pop up in his home.
Photo: @leandrofuque
Earlier this month, a powerful swell pounded the coastline with a stiff offshore breeze that lit Seb’s home waves up like a Christmas tree. Waking up at 4 a.m., with the crew, Sebastián took a team of chargers to Rocha. They had a hint that one spot might be working and when they arrived, the wind was blowing offshore and a rocky, barreling slab was waiting for them.
“Juan, one of Sebastián’s close friends, managed to catch a couple of waves before it was his turn. The ski driver, Gastón, spotted a mountainous swell marching towards the lineup,” Andy Higgins told The Inertia, offering a play-by-play. “Sebastián launched onto it with determination, focusing on finding the perfect line to descend the wave without getting caught by the wind-induced bumps. After navigating his way onto the shoulder of the wave, he headed back to the channel, where he was met with cheers from his friends.”
Sebastián called it the wave of the day.
“We attempted to catch a few more waves, but the wind grew stronger, so we headed to the beachbreak, which was also on fire,” he said. “None of us could believe that such a wave had materialized in Uruguay – it was a moment of both delight and disbelief,” he added after seeing the footage.
Photo: @leandrofuque
