As Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc this week in the southeastern United States, Hurricane John did the same in southwestern Mexico.
But in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane John on Friday morning, the wind began to subside and massive waves generated by the storm began to clean up, tempting surfers at Puerto Escondido to test their skills.
"The weather continues to give no respite and the storm waves do not stop," photographer Edwin Morales stated via Instagram. "Although the short period is not ideal for Playa Zicatela, the gladiators continue trying and looking for the wave of their dreams."
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A post shared by Edwin Morales (@moralesedwin)
Morales' footage, shown above and below, shows why Zicatela Beach, just south of Puerto Escondido in the state of Oaxaca, is referred to as the Mexican Pipeline.
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A post shared by Edwin Morales (@moralesedwin)
While Morales' videos do not show the notoriously hollow beach break at its largest or cleanest, his footage does reveal the spot's potential as one of the world's premier big-wave surfing destinations.