The Enchanted One
Issue 3 / Tue 7th Mar, 2017
Stéphane Iralour heads off in search of The Enchanted One, a mystical wave in Tenerife named after a fabled island that comes and goes with the ages…
San Borondon is the eighth “mythical” island of the Canaries, the fable of a wandering Island that appeared and disappeared every few hundred years started in Medieval times when a couple of cartographers recorded it on their maps of the region. It’s fitting then that San Borondon is also the moniker awarded to a legendary big wave spot on the Island of Tenerife…
San Borondon, it is on!
It’s Wednesday night when I decide to go to Tenerife for the big swell. When I book my ticket I am quite sceptical. My friend Alex Zirke, a big wave rider from the Canary Islands, was at my house a few weeks earlier. We both went for a session at Belharra and thenon to the La Vaca XXL event in Santander. The whole time he is over he had been harassing me about making a trip to Tenerife where he lives. Alex has a hunger for huge waves that knows no bounds, and even if I don’t have the Canaries Islands in mind as a destination for big waves, he is so insistent that I end up agreeing to get on a plane.
We watch the charts in the Atlantic looking for those tell tale depressions that will deliver the enerhy to bring San Borondon to life. Like its namesake it doesn’t appear everyday, and it needs a big swell to really show it’s teeth. As soon as we see a promising system headed towards the Islands we start planning in earnest… I pack my boardbagand head to Bilbao Airport ready to board a flight to Tenerife, the vibrant heart of the Canaries.
Three hours later, I discover an island very different from the others. Most of the Canary Islands are dominated by the typically barren volcanic landscape, Tenerife however is a world apart. The island is home to Spains only lush green rainforest! It’s also home for El Tiede, the volcano that boasts the hihghest peak of any landmass in the Atlantic Ocean and the third largest volcano on earth when measured from it’s base in the ocean depths.
At 3,718m above sea level and 7,500m in total it’s an impressive piece of geology that dominates the Island! All this greenery and the huge mountains and cliffs falling into the sea remind me of Hawaii or Tahiti. This certainly isn’t the moonscape I had previously come to expect from visits to some of the other islands!The locals are very welcoming. They have such a respectful attitude towards other riders who like them like to push the limits in big waves!
Having arrived on the Thursday and with the swell I had flown over for was due to peak on Saturday, I a few days to settle in and explore. I used the time wisely to acclimatise to the conditions, paddling and surfing while waiting for the big day. The more I hear about San Borondon from the locals, the more I feel under pressure.
Is it because they are not use to the kind of big waves I usually ride, or is it because I’m underestimating the potential of their home spot? Either way, with a nervous anticipation I am looking forward to it!
Saturday morning arrives and we head off in search of the beast, with the swell forecast coming good we should be on for a classic day! When we get to the spot I have a welcome surprise; the peak is less than 100m from the shore. The idea of not having to paddle too much is pretty great. However, the downside is that there is no beach at all…
The wave peaks on an underwater lava reef and then smashes into the rocky cliffs and outcrops that are now below my feet. This means that if you lose your board, you better saying goodbye to it forever. The huge walls of white water which are breaking on to the rocks remind me of the shore break at Jaws. This isn’t a place to get caught on the inside, and there isn’t much of an escape route if you do get unlucky.
To get in the water, the locals have one simple rule: aim in between the sets, and paddle HARD. You need to have critical timing to throw yourself off the rocks and quickly get to a ‘safe zone’. As there is no exit afforded by the lava cliffs, at the end of your session you need to aim for a little harbour about 1km away. Anyway you get the picture, this place requires your full commitment!
On the first day, the swell is too big and windy for SUPing. So I decide to paddle with a 9’6’, which happens to be too short. The conditions are huge, the 8m high waves are barrelling and there is a thunderous roar accompanying the oceans majesty. The spot is incredible even if it is hard to get dialled in as a first timer here.
I take my first wave but end up going over the falls and the sheer force of water snaps my leash. It’s my first offering to San Borondon, I liked that gun, we had shared some beasts together!Very soon, one of the three other riders with us ends up the rocks. Thankfully the jet skimanages to get in close to the razor sharp lava and saves him. Luckily for me, the locals are kind enough to lend me another gun, which allows me to stay out and catch a couple of bombs.
In the afternoon, we go to another spot because of the tide. A long right-hander, over 6m high thunders down a500m point break. With my 9’ SUPgun I am in HEAVEN! Once again the unforgiving lava rock formations make getting out tricky and the relentless wind hampers mypaddling back towards the line up, the rides though, are amazing! It’s a moment of pure pleasure and I am starting to see why Alex loves this place so much!
We are shattered after a hard day on the water, many waves were caught, boards were lost and broken, but we all survived. We enjoy the Canary Island way of life, sat around a table with a stunning view of the sunset and some good wine to extend the current euphoria. Reliving some of the tales we share with one another we are mindful not to go too crazy as San Borondon is once again going to rise up from the ocean depths tomorrow.
In the morning, as predicted, the 5-6m high waves are crashing over the reef, creating huge walls of perfect blue water. This time, I really want to go SUPing even if an offshore wind is blowing. Getting in the water with the board and paddle is trickier than just jumping off the rocks with a surfboard, but I manage.
I underestimated the wind a little which holds me back when I am paddling at the top of the wave, so my first effort givesanother offering to San Borondon. I drop down the face to the murky depths below and the power of the wave snaps my board like a toothpick! After a couple of big wave hold downs and another set on the head my feet touch the lava…
I clamber up the rocks and check myself over, nothing broken, no permanent damage to myself I grab my other board and head back out to see if I can finally slay the mythical beast. This time on my first wave I am ready for the wind at the top, dropping my head and shoulders I put in the power strokes and manage to navigate the drop and stick the bottom turn too. Finally I get to score a point against San Borondon!
After two hours hours on the water the final score is 3-1 to me as I claim 3 huge waves including one absolute bomb! San Borondon took my board, but luckily I was prepared with another one and managed to not only even up the score but take the match despite the tricky conditions! I get out of the water with the satisfying feeling only a surfer knows. When you are riding big waves like this it is all about picking the right moment, 3 waves might not seem like a lot for a trip like this, but I’ll let the photos do the talking!
Sadly my time here has come to an end, it was only a short trip to discover Alex’s home spot, and we succeeded on so many levels. The forecast paid off, San Borondon put on an impressive show and we have the evidence to prove it. I had never though of the Canaries as a big wave spot, but after this brief education from the masters it is now firmly on my map. I’ll be coming back very soon!
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By Stephane Iralour
