A Beautiful Night In San Sebastián

This week we’ve been rolling with Natxo Gonzalez and the PUKAS crew, Tom Caroll, Kepa Acero, Matt Fucking Hoy, Mikey Wright, Michael February, Aritz Aranburu and the Quik crew, kicking off the run with a evening in San Sebastian at PUKAS’ iconic store in Old Town.

After a comically crowded day at Mundaka, and a beautiful drive north through rain-soaked mountain roads, craning our necks at every turn in the coast, we rolled into San Sebastián just as the clouds began to part. Mikey Wright screened his new clip; Kepa Acero shared two of his lovely new films, and talked about his near-death experience at Mundaka last year; and the heartbreakingly lovely crowd squeezed in for a look at what the Basque Country’s Young Prince, Natxo Gonzalez, found in the desert. 

Copious amounts of vino, a surprise appearance from our man in France, Brendan Buckley, Surfing‘s (RIP) Zander Morton (and the patient, lovely ladies who keep the ex-pats in line), a hundred missed cues as to which side of the caramel-colored cheek these Basque dames prefer being pecked on first, and suddenly we were watching the sun rise over the Bay of Biscay.

Special thanks to Adur, Tala, and the entire Letamendia family, as well as Hodei Collazo and the PUKAS crew for their hospitality; and to Aitor Molina for capturing the scene and generally existing.