Even though the Makai and Finn Castle got Barra de la Cruz at 3-4 feet, it was still better than anything they were likely to find amid a painfully bleak summer in Southern California.
The two brothers from Huntington Beach trekked south of the border in July right after they each won a NSSA national title. Finn won Open Boys (under 14) and Makai won Open Juniors (under 16). Not a bad prize purse from the fam.
If their small-wave savvy doesn’t jump out on the screen, their credentials do. Makai, age 15, is a four-time NSSA West Coast winner and a two-time national champion and has a spot on the USA Jr. National Team. Finn, age 13, is a USA Surfing National Champ, a six-time NSSA West Coast winner and a five-time national champion.
For about three weeks before they got there the waves were cooking, 8-12 feet unloading on the sandbar. But the waves dropped when they got there, but so did the crowd. Their parents, Kevin and Melissa, dutifully stood in the scorching sun filming the kids rip. Parents really are the real heroes.