Puerto Rico surf for newbs

[vanfossenator]

hey,
I was wondering if there is any good places to surf in puerto rico that are beach breaks and good for a newb like myself?...may have a trip out there comin up!!!

[Ged]

hey,
I was wondering if there is any good places to surf in puerto rico that are beach breaks and good for a newb like myself?...may have a trip out there comin up!!!

There are. If your in Metropilitain San Juan Theres a beach break called Pine Grove in Isla Verde Right next to the airport. This kicks off with a northerly or northwesterly swell. If Its really big on some of the reef breaks It'll get crowded. There are reefs all around which take some of the energy from the swell and damp it down a bit there.

I would however head to Rincon. There are lots of beachbreaks and nice reefs not too big a paddle out. Personally I'd head straight to Marias or Pistons. You get people teaching novices on these reefs but they are both NICE with a long long wave breaking right under good conditions. The Puertoricans never hit the water till after 12.00 pm so if your up early youll have it to yourself.............Good luck.

[Ged]

Actually any beach on the North Coast. The South is for hurricane season. If you see locals ask them they are genuinely a friendly bunch and like to practice their english for the most part.

[Ged]

Theres also quite a nice break in Condado in San Juan. Its a short wave and mostly used by bodyboarders.

Palmas del Mar on the east coast gets good waves sometimes.

[Ged]

Hey just go and have fun..

[Ged]

Seriously:: before you go to any beach out there except the specific ones I mentioned ask the locals. they are genuinely helpful. The whole north coast is basically a beach but a few meters out its razor sharp reef. So just be reasonably wary about what you are doing. And try to never touch the reef. Mainly for conservation reasons.

[sarahhenty]

when do you think would be a good time to go surfing in Puerto Rico?

[Ged]

Pretty much the whole winter, Oct to May. I think ideally it should be round christmas. I dont actually know much about the weather systems that generate the swell for the atlantic in that region. I just know that me mates would tell me there is a swell coming and they were usually right. also if you have transport and a decent map, you can drive round till you find a wave. So if its pretty flat you can generally find something to surf. Rincon gets fairly persistent atlantic swell most of the winter and sometimes it really kicks off. Here a 3-4 ft base swell is pretty much a certainty in winter and this generates nice surfable waves and is pretty comfortable to paddle through. Take lots of sunblock even if its overcast. Isabella is also a good place to go or even the Isle of Culebra which is really nice, but the reefs are a long, long paddle. Iv never surfed it but crashboat at Aguadilla is a beach break that seems quite poular.

[Ged]

Heres a vid of some big PR swell:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=3NuUCvtZ5 ... re=related

[Ged]

Heres some PR tubes.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=c8HseylFF5M

[Ged]

22

[Ged]

Theres even a surfschool at Pine Grove. Its not very good there though unless its really kicking elsewhere. There are surfschools in Rincon too. You get these guys who go there for the winter from the US too who generally teach surfing. Rincon generally welcomes surfurs with open arms since the economy there seems to be entirely centered around surfing.

When you get to PR the first thing is to get a car. The drivers are totally mental and spend ages obstructing each other. If you are staying in San Juan head for Isla Verde near the airport. Also try to get hold of a decent map. Actually good maps dont exist there, but there are some which are reasonably helpful. Find avenue Isla Verde which goes behind a row of huge hotels which cover the waterfront. Drive down it towards Ocean Park and you'll come to a fork in the road eventually. Here is the first surfshop. You can ask for directions here. There is also a surfshop in Condado heading towards Ocean Park, and one just outside Old San Juan near a reef called La Ocho. If you ask just anyone in San Juan about surfing they wont know what the hell your talking about. They may phone up a relative or something but trust me it wont be much use. If you speak spanish it helps though. The main problem is obtaining directions from word of mouth because the routes to find things are incredibly complicated.

In Rincon Just ask anyone and they'll be fairly helpful and knowledgeable about surfing.

[Ged]

23

[IDynamite]

Hey guys, haven't posted in a while but I'm actually booked for a trip to Rincon in a few weeks----SO STOKED. Anyway, I'm not a kook, but I haven't been to PR before. Anyone have some favorite spots I should definitely check out? I'll hopefully be all around aguadilla. Any pieces of advice would be greatly appreciate!

Gnar!

[Ged]

There are lots of obvious suggestions. Will you have a car?? But Crashboat is the first obvious suggestion and its easy to find. Then there is in Rincon which has loads of breaks. There are some websites I can find for you later if you want. Im at work now.

[IDynamite]

Yes I will have a car. Give me any/all "obvious" advice and websites. Anything would be appreciated.

[Ged]

This is pretty comprehensive

http://www.wannasurf.com/spot/Central_A ... erto_Rico/

There is a list of breaks if you click on them youll find a map in most cases with information. When it says expirienced surfers on most of the breaks I'v seen people going out who cant paddle at all at alot of these breaks. So dont worry too much if your not that expirienced. The crowds are generally pretty friendly. The usual rules apply if someone is on a wave dont jump in on them and get out of the way of people on waves. There may be fairly inexpirienced people out there so look out for them. The locals are a nice bunch but remember its their country.

Rincon is a fantastic place...........have fun. The other thing is that at some of these breaks there is a very specific way in to avoid the reef. Walking on the reef is not practical because its sharp and covered in sea urchins which hurt alot. If you see someone going in or out ask them the best way in.

[Ged]

So for example at wilderness there is only one way in or out and there are strong currents if its big. So if you cant back to the way in then its drift or paddle five miles down the coast to the next spot. Thats why you should ask and get as much information as you can from locals who are generally pretty friendly and helpful. It would also be particularly useful if you had a surfur girlfriend to ask the questions because then this would appeal to the chivalorous nature of PR men and they would almost certainly be very helpful. Other places to ask are the local surfshops. There are a couple in Aguadilla near to surfurs beach. And there is at least one in Rincon. I think pretty much everyone in rincon will be fairly knowledgable about surfing.

Personally I would head to Marias, pistons, indicators or domes in ricon. Sandy beach has a couple of nice waves too. Go-have fun!!

[Ged]

Generally people in PR will be very helpful if they know you are foreign. I have a lot of expirience of this.

[IDynamite]

Hey Ged thanks for the advice brah, I appreciate it!