Stormrider Guide to surfing Arica

Chile, SOUTH AMERICA

El Gringo, Alfredo Escobar

Summary

+ Ultra-consistent swell	- Shallow reefs and urchins
+ Powerful reefbreaks	- Board-breaking conditions
+ Magic Alacran peninsula	- Far from international hubs
+ Big wave riding options	- Increasing crowds

Arica The extreme north of Chile showcases a string of gnarly reefbreaks, breaking close to the shore, on the wave-rich Alacran Peninsula. When groups of Peruvian and southern Chilean surfers discovered the potential in the late ‘70s, skills and equipment prevented the pioneers from tackling the reefbreaks, so the surfing scene was focused on the friendlier beachbreaks north of town. Since then, brave locals and visitors have ventured into the shallow, hard-breaking line-ups like El Gringo and have paddled or towed into the outside bombs of El Buey. When the pro circus arrived in 2007, even the world’s best struggled to tame the tubes, so this is definitely not a zone for beginners. It is super-consistent for swell and light winds so late summer may be the ideal time to visit this city of eternal spring in the world’s driest desert, the Atacama. Only 20km (12.5mi) from the Peruvian border, Arica has become a tax-free party town with lot’s of Chilean and international tourists drawn to the city’s beaches and nightlife.

When to Go

S-SW swells from the Antarctic’s lows are super-consistent and send plenty of large swells in winter and a reasonable amount in the summer. It’s advantageous to be located in the north of the country to avoid being pounded by constant storms. Breaking waves vary between 3-15ft (1-5m) year round. Some of the spots will break even better with the occasional summer NW swells between November and March. S-SE wind dominance remains around 65% year round, with more SE, except between Oct-Nov. Annually, 10-12% of the time it is calm. Mornings are typically windless, then light offshores pick up till noon when gentle S sea breezes create a little chop on the wave face. Some spots are really wind sensitive and are only surfed in the morning. Tidal range never exceeds 6ft (2m), but is relevant for the shallow Alacran reefs.

Surf Spots

In the summer of 1983, the first Arica surf championship, maybe the first in the country, was held in playa Las Machas. This long stretch of beach is super-consistent and peaks abound. The waves are usually better around high tide and although the sandbanks shift a lot, it’s usually worth checking the Rio Lluta mouth which marks the end of the beach. Many Ariqueños and tourists will set up their tents here in the summertime. Playa Chinchorro is the natural southerly extension of Las Machas. El Tubo is a right breaking next to the pier, but despite its name is more of a beginner-friendly break. La Puntilla is a rare left breaking at the mouth of the San José river. Due to its location, only the largest swell will produce rideable waves. The rights breaking south of El Puerto (the port) are seldom ridden as most of the action occurs around Alacrán. The Alacrán Peninsula used to be an island before being connected to the land when the port of Arica was built in the ‘60s. El Brazo’s sand-covered reef breaks at the northern tip of the island but requires a large swell and SW winds. When on, it’s a large tubular A-frame. La Isla is one of the most highly regarded breaks around, especially on summer northerly swell days where the lefthander forms a hollow wall with tubing sections. It breaks really close to the rocks and needs a medium-size swell to be at its best. With a larger swell, those willing to spice things up may want to measure themselves by the treacherous El Tojo Viejo, an intense left breaking on the west side of the peninsula. It’s only ridden when over 6ft (2m) with a south swell direction and good days are rare. Sometimes nicknamed the Chilean Pipeline, El Gringo is another tubular A-frame crashing close to the shore with serious power. It’s a fast wave too, pushing surfers to go for broke and score a great barrel or get slammed on the reef. El Buey is a big wave arena, 700m (2100ft) offshore from the modern beach scene of playa El Laucho. Even though it can break both ways, the left remains the better option, as it’s always hollower than the right. The spot can hold 20ft (6m), but is quite wind sensitive. There’s another similar big wave spot called La Capilla, 4km (1.2mi) south of town on the way to which the road passes Playa Brava and Arenillas Negras, two beachbreaks favouring rights.

Statistics

dominant swell

S -SW

swell size (ft)

4-5

5-6

6-7

5-6

4-5

consistency (%)

dominant wind

S -SE

average force

F2-F3

consistency (%)

water temp (C)

wetsuit

springsuit

3/2

Travel Information

Weather
Nicknamed “ciudad de la eterna primavera” (city of eternal spring) Arica sees year-round mild temperatures, plus it benefits from the San Jose river that brings a reliable supply of fresh water to the city. The lows go to 13°C/56°F in winter, which is quite good for Chile. It never, ever rains; the world record of less than 1mm of precipitation per year makes it the driest spot on Earth. The coastal fog, known as “Camanchaca” doesn’t stick around as long as the Peruvian “Garua”.

Lodging and Food
There are many budget hotels in town and $25 will get you a nice double. Try Hostal Chez Charlie ($14/dble), Hotel Lynch ($37/dble) or Hotel San Marcos ($15/dble). $10 gets an excellent seafood meal, which can be accompanied by Chilean wine or Pisco Sour.

Nature and Culture
Arica is the gateway to the Altiplano, check out geoglyphs (pictures drawn on the hillsides) and pukaras (Indian fortresses). El Morro Hill is a national historic monument, offering great panoramic views. The San Marcos de Arica church was designed by Gustav Eiffel. People meet around El Alacrán at night time.