-
Portugal waits patiently for Brigid to arrive. Photo: Jose Pinto
-
Onlookers watch the mayhem as Brigid begins to make herself known. Photo: Jose Pinto
-
Brigid throwing her fast fastball. Photo: Jose Pinto
-
The inside at Nazaré is not a place to get stuck. Photo: Jose Pinto
-
The North Canyon tripped deep water swells as they approached the coast. Photo: Jose Pinto
-
The town watches as Brigid does her best to knock down the doors. Photo: Jose Pinto
-
A spectator up on the cliff. Photo: Jose Pinto
-
The view from the lighthouse. Photo: Jose Pinto
-
Massive corduroy. Photo: Jose Pinto
-
Charging down the face of a Nazaré beast. Photo: Jose Pinto
-
Pulling into a messy, massive peak. Photo: Jose Pinto
-
Winter storm Brigid didn't produce the cleanest swell, but Nazaré rarely gets that anyway. Photo: Jose Pinto
-
Spectators watch the entire ocean folding over on itself. Photo: Jose Pinto
-
That is a lot of water chasing him. Photo: Jose Pinto
-
Spectators lining the cliffs. Photo: Jose Pinto
-
Brigid produced a show. Photo: Jose Pinto
-
Enormous sets stretch back to the horizon. Photo: Jose Pinto
-
Pulled back from the cliffs. Photo: Jose Pinto
-
The cliffs above Nazaré have seen some incredible storms. Photo: Jose Pinto
-
The town. Photo: Jose Pinto
-
Nazaré is a different kind of wave: more slope, and more height give it a distinctly mountain-ish feel. Photo: Jose Pinto
A few days ago, a deep low-pressure system began forming in the middle of the North Atlantic. Named Winter Storm Brigid, the system moved east towards England, Wales, and Ireland, who all issued weather warnings. A few of the world’s best big wave surfers descended on Nazaré.
Although conditions weren’t the cleanest, the size was definitely there and Andrew Cotton, Garrett McNamara, Hugo Vau, and a host of others tried their luck.
