Rincon, Puerto Rico, is another magical place that has forever changed my life. Known for its incredible surf, Rincon quickly became a must-visit destination for me to capture the best waves with my drone. During my time there, I had the privilege of connecting with Tony Silvagni, owner of Tony Silvagni Surf School and a two-time North American Pro Longboard Champion. Tony, who also holds the title of 2011 ISA World Longboard Champion and ranks number 5 in the WSL for 2023, is from Wilmington, North Carolina, and is one of the most humble people I’ve ever met.
We met at a secret local surf spot in Rincon, and I was sworn to secrecy to protect the location for the locals. Every surfer there knew Tony by name, greeting him with handshakes and conversations. Although I was nervous to meet my first pro surfer, Tony was incredibly supportive. When my drone wouldn’t fly due to proximity to an airport, Tony quickly adapted, pulling out a full camera setup with a tripod so we could still capture footage and collaborate on a post. This collaboration helped me gain more followers and attract future clients interested in Rincon, Puerto Rico surfing.
After my session with Tony, a few locals reached out to me for drone sessions. One of the surfers I worked with was Ali Lebron, another pro surfer. At the time, I didn’t realize she was a professional—I was just excited to have my first client in Rincon. Some of my favorite shots from that session are of Ali paddling out into the white water. In addition to being a professional surfer, Ali supports local and sustainable surf wear through her collaboration with Good Lines Surf Club. Inspired by these sessions, I made cards with some of the images and sold them at local surf and coffee shops.
Surfing Maria’s and Connecting with the Rincon Community
One of the coffee shops we frequented before and after surf sessions at Maria’s—my first reef break experience—was Stoked Rincon. The images I captured at Maria’s were incredible, especially of the sunken boat that is infamous in Rincon. As a surfer, navigating the shallow reef was challenging; you have to lift your feet immediately after falling off your board to avoid contact with the reef.
After building rapport with the staff at Stoked Rincon, I met someone who had lived on Folly Beach for years, and we discovered we had many mutual friends. Rincon started to feel like home during my month-long stay, and Stoked became one of my favorite spots. One day, I nervously brought in my printed cards, unsure of how to sell them. The manager, Dagi Rodriques, took me under her wing and offered invaluable guidance.
Dagi, who majored in marketing, has a talent for turning products into profit. She helped me price my cards, photos, and framed prints when I was hesitant about setting prices. Since I couldn’t fly back with all the printed material, I left everything with Dagi, telling her that if it didn’t sell, a friend could pick it up. She took beautiful photos of my prints for their social media and even suggested I start a YouTube channel featuring my footage. Her idea to play videos of local surfers on the waves they’re about to ride was a game-changer. Thanks to her encouragement, I began to dream big about my potential in Rincon, Puerto Rico surfing.
Not only am I still selling my material at Stoked Surf and Coffee Shop, but Dagi also sent me a huge bag of surf clothing, bathing suits, and other items from the store, all in my favorite color—turquoise. We remain in touch, often laughing about how I still accidentally send prints to Rincon, keeping Puerto Rico connected to my favorite surf destinations.