Day 3 (Part One): The Apocalypse Cometh

Thursday, 22 October 2009 00:00

Words Tim Fisher, photos and video Roger Sharp

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Imagine for a minute you are a Portuguese contractor, hired to build a contest site on the beach. The eyes of the surf world will rest on your handiwork for the most important two weeks of surfing to go down in Portugal for well over a decade. Your little empire on the sand gradually comes together over the months until, with gleaming coffee machines, double-storey portable offices for the judges, secure media rooms and a comfy and expansive lounge for the surfers, it is complete.

Then imagine you're woken at 4am by a phone call from an event staffer who is on the beach in the dark, just one day into the waiting period. They describe the sound of metal being twisted by whitewater, and eco-loos floating out to sea.

First call today was at the backup site, Lagido, north of Supertubes and Peniche, and marginally more sheltered than the main contest site. Even before we got there, were were hearing the destruction was of Katrina-esque proportions. While I had to be at Lagido for first call in case we ran, Sharpy knew what time it was. It was time to storm the ramparts and document the destruction. The first text message was at 7.20am.

Sharpy: "Gang of security waiting in the dark. Can't get down to the site."

Me: "Fuck that, go the back way. We can't allow this to be covered up. Get them shots."

Sharpy: "Dane Sharp (Rippy media manager) not even allowed! Will see if I can backdoor anyhow."

10 minutes later: "I'm in."

10 more minutes: "Am thinking the music from Platoon edited to clips and stills."

Check the follow-up blog for the shots we've got of Mick Fanning and Taylor Knox towing 10' standup barrels, but before you click through, spare a thought for that Portuguese contractor.

The two defence lines of sand morphed over night into one big ramp to send waves into the site...

Speakers, coffee machines, monitors and more all smashed into a million pieces.

The media room now has a delightful, authentic 'beach' theme going on.

Plenty of cans of drink all mixed with an upturned shitter (top left). Yummo!

The previously much applauded coffee bar. The sea literally smashed the doors in.