One of the world's surfing capitals, Mar del Plata, did not surf for 105 days. An incredible series of swells, one of the best autumns in recent years, broke all along the coast and it had to be seen from the outside.

There was clandestine surfing in less crowded and sheltered spots, yes, but the general feeling of those who went into the water was appalling. Sources told DUKE that they felt like criminals, stopping their car on the sly and carrying their boards around, looking around to see if a patrol car appeared.

Then, in the water, looking at the shore permanently and then getting out, repeat the procedure with the cold of a session above and the fear of being caught.

Last Friday, all that ended, and people could go surfing without any restrictions… Several very emotional expressions reached the DUKE editorial team… Martín Passeri took charge of DUKE’s Instagram and in an internal message: “Today I almost started crying.” The president of the ISA, Fernando Aguerre, filmed himself, actually surfing. The director of Ridersmedia and crack surfer from Mar del Plata, Martín Bellusci, said: “Those who surf know how to feel the salt water.”

Below are his reflections:

Martín Passeri: “I went through a lot of moments”

It was a huge thrill, I saw the sea with the possibility of surfing, on top of that it gave us an amazing day, it was like saying, ready. Everything was lined up.

Today I could have gone to surf other waves, but I preferred to stay in places with fewer people, calm, so I could enjoy it. I surfed Biology, which I saw every day for 100 days and nothing, it's like walking down from my house to the place I want to surf and that makes me very excited.

In the morning when I went down to look at the sea, knowing that I could surf, I kind of realized what was happening. It was a very strange situation, I went through a lot of moments, from the emotional to the organizational, so to speak. I tried to always maintain a rhythm, a discipline, but at times I was overcome by not being able to have an objective, not knowing when, training for the sake of training to kill time. I think that today I was able to really enjoy the water.

Fernando Aguerre: “Let's hope we find a way to live with this health situation in the world, without ceasing to be human beings."

This is the best reflection, a photo. The fata, the face of joy, in English they call it stoke, here it is the hydro-joy, the joy of being in the water. Really after 105 days that seemed endless. The first day, the first in, the first stop. I had not gone in for eight months because of the accident, I surfed lying down for three weeks, but I could never stop.

When I stood on the first wave and surfed some incredible waves, I realized how much good surfing does to people who go to the sea, how good the sea does, how good it is to glide in the energy of nature, because that is what a wave is, a wave is nothing more than that, the wind and the tides that combine, an energy comes out and we grab the last bit of that energy and surf it to the beach. I surfed six or seven waves, with friends and family.

Let's hope that we find a way to live with this health situation in the world, without ceasing to be human beings. Logically, there are times when quarantine and isolation is the only solution, but we are going to have to learn that living with this does not seem to have a solution in the near future. We have to change a little how we live, but the sea was there waiting for us. I am very happy that we were able to return to the sea. I thank all the Argentines who were working hard, from the private, the public, in groups, individually, to make this happen, it was an effort by many.

"When you are happy, your body feels better, and when your body feels better, it is stronger to repel and fight viruses, bacteria, and all the bad things that happen in life."

It's nice to see that despite being an individual sport, this pandemic has brought us together like never before, with the logical differences that sometimes arise, but we are here, we are here again, with our bodies and souls in salt water. We are happier and happier, and when you are happy, your body feels better, and when your body feels better, it is stronger to repel and fight viruses, bacteria, and all the bad things that happen in life.

Martín Bellusci: “Those who surf know that feeling of salt water is amazing”

As I was saying, I was freezing cold, but I caught some waves, it was really good. I went to Faro Bay, by Honu, the sea was really nice, there were waves everywhere, there were waves here in the center, in Playa Grande, in La Perla, in the south, in La Paloma, in Chapa, it was nice everywhere and full of people everywhere. The same with other sports, there were people who went out to run, ride bikes, the truth is that it was nice, they took advantage of the lifting of the ban.

The first thing is the feeling of salt water, those who surf know, that feeling is great and on the other hand, the lack of fitness, look, I trained at home for these hundred and something days, I was at my father-in-law's place who has a gym.

I continued training at home, I have some weights, I have weight plates, I continued training quite a bit, but nothing to do with it. Going into the water, I was out of shape. Yesterday and today, when I was in the water for two hours and there were waves, you saw that you need aerobic fitness, cardio, I feel like I'm out of breath and look how out of shape I've been. Being in the water is not the same as training outside, more or less everyone has told me that they feel the same way, lack of fitness to row, you get to the waves, but then when you get back in I'm out of breath and I don't smoke, I don't drink, I'm really healthy.

If I had to say something it would be that, the joy of returning to the water, of feeling the salt water again, but on the other hand also, the lack of aerobic fitness, of recovery, that's what I felt the most, more so with the suit, 5/4/3 with a hood, gloves, boots, the water is freezing, you feel it more, but obviously well, then when you ride a wave you forget everything, I caught some nice, fun waves, left ones, there were rights, some little hills, the truth is that it was enjoyable, It's a pleasure to freeze like this.