Pavones Surf Guide

Pavones Surf Guide

Pavones has been called the longest left pointbreak in the world, and though Chicama in Peru probably has usurped that distinction, rides of three minutes are possible on a solid S swell -- and that's three minutes of full-on, down-the-line, zero-cutback surfing. It's the kind of wave that will expand your whole scope of riding waves -- especially if you're used to surfing beachbreaks. Your bottom turns are extended 30 yards, and top turns can last longer than some commercials.

The top of the point is west of the rivermouth and acts as the main takeoff zone; as such, it's competitive. If you're lucky enough to get a wave from here, you get three or four semi-bowly sections where you can do a few carves. As you approach the rivermouth the wave speeds up and (depending on the tide) can get super-hollow, so you need to start tucking and pumping and going as fast as your surfboard will carry you. After you pass the rivermouth, the wave slows down again for a bit before tapering perfectly into the bay, as your legs give out (you've surfed almost a mile already). Then you step out onto the sand and slog back up the point for more. But it's fickle as all hell. You could sweat out a month in the middle of primo S swell season and not see a head-high wave, as the spot is tucked pretty far inside the Golfo Dulce.