Stormrider Guide to surfing Northern Ecuador

Ecuador, SOUTH AMERICA

Mompiche, Paul Kennedy

Summary

+ North and south swell exposure	- Short north swell season
+ Exploration potential	- Flat spells
+ Less crowds than southern Ecuador	- Hard to reach Mompiche
+ Beautiful natural area	- Rainy surf season

Ecuador starts off with unpromising, NW-facing hard-packed beaches and silted bocanas (rivermouths), but quickly improves south of the city of Esmereldas where the perfect left point set-up in Mompiche has attracted the more adventurous to the lush tropical rainforests, aided and abetted by a pickÕnÕmix of reefs, rivermouths and beachbreaks in a variety of swells, although the wait for a decent swell can be long.

When to Go

Ecuador is exposed to 2-10ft NW swells that slowly decay over the 8-10 days they take to reach the Equator, arriving during the wet surf season when glassy N-NE or light onshore conditions prevail. SW swells in the austral winter are more consistent but unfavourable exposure and trade winds mess up the surf and bring colder temps. S-SW winds dominate up to 90% of the time. Puerto de Bahia Caraquez tides reach 3.2m, mainly affecting the reef and pointbreaks.

Surf Spots

Atacames is a massive tourist resort with lively beach bars, while the beachbreak ranks highly on the fun scale with barrels at low tide and long rides at high tide. It needs a NW or strong W swell to function. SamŽ is an elite resort where the beachbreaks are short and often close-out, but Casa Blanca may hold up if the swell is from the SW. Solitude-seekers may feel better in the fishing village of Tonchigue, but the local left pointbreak is usually quite sectiony. Punta Galera is like a slow copy of Suspiro and Mompiche. ItÕs usually worth checking in the mornings when a NW or strong W swell shows up. The tedious access keeps the crowd levels down. Estero del Pl‡tano has a good high tide reef peak that works on any W swell and regularly barrels in the morning offshores. One of EcuadorÕs best waves, Mompiche is all about long tubular rides in perfect scenery. This left pointbreak starts with a steep barrelling first section over a sharp rock ledge, before winding into the bay where it is well protected from the S dry season winds. NW and W swells work best, but it has been surfed on strong SW swells. Gets packed with locals when itÕs on, so be respectful. A few clicks south, Punta Suspiro is an underrated wave needing the same conditions and is used as a crowd escape from Mompiche. ItÕs another left pointbreak with shorter, but classy rides. Portete is a powerful righthander just on the other side of Suspiro, that breaks with any swell direction but gets blown-out easily. ThereÕs a rivermouth and beachbreak peaks to the south. Dangerous at low tide and now overshadowed by a massive resort. ThereÕs no surf right in Cojimies, the first stop in Manab’ Province, but with the help of a boat, hardcore explorers will reach the outer sandbanks (a couple of km offshore) where a bunch of beachbreaks can prove worth the effort. On the way down to Perdernales are more beachbreaks that sometimes get epic. NW or W swells, morning offshores and a 4WD to access the beach are vital. Predominantly a major hub for the shrimp industry, Pedernales also has a stretch of fun beachbreaks, which occasionally get heavy and square. Over the Equator, the long rides of Punta Ballena would be a longboard paradise if it wasnÕt so fickle. Sometimes the lines do connect for long rides, other times it gets crumbly, un-makeable sections. It needs NW, W swells and wind can be an issue. Cabo Pasado is a way offshore reefbreak only accessible by boat from Canoa. With NW to W swells it can provide perfect, crystal water barrels, provided the wind is down. 16kms of beach stretch south of Canoa; the beachbreaks are top quality, with long walls or tubes depending on what the tide is doing. Conversely they can be junky and mushy and perfect for beginners. Again, NW and W swells are best and individual spot names include The Bridge, The Lab and Brice–o. ThereÕs some jetty surf on the exposed side of Bah’a de Car‡quez and the fickle pointbreak lefts of Punta Bellaca will fire occasionally. When on (with good SW-W swells), a bunch of locals will be there to enjoy powerful waves around the low tide. If the swell comes from the NW itÕs best to go down to La Mesita, a remote left pointbreak offering long rides away from any crowd.

Statistics

dominant swell

NW -NW

NW -SW

NW -NW

swell size (ft)

2-3

consistency (%)

dominant wind

S -SW

average force

F2-F3

F3-F4

consistency (%)

water temp (C)

wetsuit

boardshorts

springsuit

Travel Information

Weather
Esmeraldas is the wettest coastal province. The surf season matches the rainy season, between Jan and March. Days typically awaken to bright sunshine before tropical showers start pouring in the afternoon and continue at night. Temperatures are stable year-round from 23-27¡C (74-80¡F). Boardies up north.

Lodging and Food
Budget hotels from $9 a night. Same, Atacames and Esmeraldas have high-end resorts. Mompiche beachÕs Casablanca resort fr $75/d; Try Sancocho Esmeralde–oÕ (fish soup) and Ômariscos encocadaÕ, seafood in a coconut sauce.

Nature and Culture
Check out the Manglares Mataje/Cayapas Ecological Reserve. Wild partying in AtacamesÕ beach bars and discos. Sua and Muisne island have a quieter, relaxed atmosphere.