| Discovering the best waves of Peru |
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| Thursday, 23 December 2010 10:31 |
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Peru has over 1400 miles of coastline, where the surf breaks year round and with all types of wave's can be found. The points, reefs and beach breaks receive their swells from storms in the South Pacific and also from major storms in the North Pacific. In the summer (our Winter) the surf averages 4 to 10 feet with some days easily reaching 20 feet. In the winter (our Summer) the surf averages 8 to 15 feet with days in the 20-foot plus size very common. Peru has an extremely large swell window and it can receive swells from the South, Southwest, West and Northwest. Northern Coast: Talara and Mancora Tropical beaches and year round sunny weather make the perfect setting for excellent waves. Many point breaks offer fast, hollow tubes; namely: El Hueco, Cabo Blanco, Organos, Mancora and Bayovar. The surf is pumping all year round. But besides surfing this area is also renowned for many other activities, amongst others; Deep Sea fishing for tuna, Marlin or other big game fish and spear diving. This ‘Easy-Going’ region also offers the most superb sea food in the country. A spring wetsuit is recommendable for Talara and just a Lycra for Mancora. Central Coast: Centinela, Huanchaco, Chicama and Pacasmayo This Area is a little warmer than Lima Region, nearly all waves are lefts and most of them are very long, this is the case of Chicama ( the longest left on earth and Pacasmayo that seams like buses chasing you in water). This is the area of the Mochica people, ancient Peruvians that dominated this area 3,000 years ago, so we can find many arqueological sites around this area. This People are known to be the first surfers on earth, using their ancestral "Caballitos de Totora" (these are fishing boats made from the totora cane, similar in shape to surfboards). Temperatures here vary between 14ºC to 30 ºC, but the sea water temperature is colder the most of the times, is necessary a full wetsuit (3/2 mm). Lima Region Punta Hermosa, just South of Lima is famous for being Peru's big wave location. This area of headlands, reefs and coves tends to focus the swell energy creating ideal surfing conditions. The largest wave's in South America can be found at Pico Alto. Wind conditions in Peru are often very light and this in turn creates glassy waves year round. Because most of the surf spots in Peru are reef point breaks, paddling out when it's big is not a problem. Water temperatures are comfortable. In the summer you can wear just baggies or a spring suit. In the winter either a spring or full suit depending on conditions.
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