“You have to tow me in, Delgado,” I said.
He shook his head. “No, man, these are too big. I don’t want to be the one who drags you to your death.”
“I can surf these,” I yelled.
“Remember, I was the one who patched you up yesterday? And those were tiny waves.”
I glanced over at where I had last seen Kevin. He must have missed the wave, because he was still waiting his turn. “It had nothing to do with the waves,” I said, “and everything to do with someone cutting me off.”
“Luca, Esme.” I looked up to find Alana riding up on a Jet Ski.
“Alana,” I said, turning away from Delgado. “Do you have a tow rope?”
She pulled a length of rope out of the seat compartment. “Sure do. I came out to see these waves. They’re huge.”
I paddled over. “Have you ever towed anyone into a wave?”
“A couple of times. I’ve towed a lot of wakeboards though.”
“Perfect,” I said. “Tow me into that, please.”
“Really?” she said.
“They are too big, man!” Delgado said.
I was worried he was going to suddenly move his Jet Ski in front of us.
“Our friend is out there. He’s about to take a wave. I have to talk to him,” I said.
“And what if he catches the wave first?” Delgado asked.
I looked up to see Kevin barreling toward the top of the wave. “Then I will too,” I said, grabbing the rope. “Go!”
We shot past three other Jet Skis. I wanted to grab the same wave as Kevin, but we got there too late. He was already shooting across the top, waiting to let go of the rope and drop in. Alana looked back at me.
“The next one,” I yelled. “Take the next one.”
The waves were fairly close together. They were also relentless. The sets kept coming with only the briefest of breaks between them. Alana shouted at other surfers, apologizing for cutting in line. And suddenly I was cruising across the top of a fifty-foot rolling, heaving mass of water that seemed to suck up everything in front of it. Alana looked over her shoulder. I gave her a thumbs-up, and when she cut to the back of the wave, I let go.
It was like falling off the side of a building. The board skipped beneath me. I flew off bumps in the wave, taking air and landing. I was glad I had a board with footholds. My instinct was to cut to the right. But I knew Kevin had gone the other way. There was no telling how close I was to the rocks or the reef surrounding them.
The wave was collapsing on itself as I shot forward. I carved to the left, and looked for a spot to cut out of the wake.
I pushed farther along the face and ducked as the wave collapsed and shot me out the end of the barrel across the shallow reef. The big black rocks were only fifteen or twenty feet away. I cut as hard as I could and weaved over the reef into deeper water.
I couldn’t see Kevin anywhere. Behind me, surfers bobbed on the waves and watched the monsters rolling in. It was definitely calmer on this side of the reef. I scanned the beach, straining to see if Kevin was there or the Jet Ski Jose had been driving. But both Kevin and Jose had disappeared.
I heard the whine of Jet Skis coming to life, and watched as, in the distance, another giant wave rolled in. The surfers on this side of the reef paddled over to their Jet Skis. Moments later they were being towed out toward the break.
I tried to find Kevin in the crowd, but the next big wave was coming. I had to get off the reef quickly.
I paddled into the oncoming wave. I knew I would be knocked back when it came in, but I needed to put some distance between myself and the rocks, or I’d be crushed against them.
The first wave came in, and I caught only the foamy remains of it. But the next one was pushing in closer to shore, breaking later. These waves weren’t breaking in the same spot. They collapsed eventually, but I couldn’t tell where it would be. The second wave was strong and would break well past where the first one had. I was going to be right in the middle of the break.
I paddled hard. There was no way I would make it up the wall of water, but what choice did I have? I couldn’t get to shore. And I couldn’t hop on the wave and ride it either. I was going to be smashed into the rocks.
I spotted a couple of surfers catching the wave, cutting long lines down its face. I paddled harder, pulling myself through the water.
“Luca!” I looked up to find Alana on her Jet Ski. She threw a rope at me. “Hurry, before we get destroyed out here.”
I grabbed the rope, jumped up and jammed my feet into the straps on my surfboard. “Go!” I yelled.
Alana gunned the engine and shot off.
Right into the approaching wave.