Bocas del Toro surfing is a tough thing to describe… With so many aspects, so many different waves, so many different swell directions, and such an eclectic group of people riding, Bocas del Toro surf can be downright unfair. Unfair for those who have to surf overcrowded waves, unfair to the thousands of people in midland countries who crave waves and can’t get them, unfair to the longboarders in California or Florida who have to wait tirelessly for good surf. Basically, surfing Bocas del toro can be an epic experience under the right circumstances.
It is early in Bocas Del Toro, the sun has just barely started peaking its head out of the East. We wake up early and the Bocas del Toro hostel we are staying at is dead, everyone partying the night before, only three of us have made the alarm clock and still had enough intestinal fortitude to go for an epic all day Bocas del Toro surf trip. We go down to the restaurant, eat a couple of pieces of fried bread called holadra and head down to the marina to leave. The boat we are riding in is small, but perfect for the three of us. We strap down our boards and even take along Marty the trusty Bocas del Tor surf dog as a companion. Leaving the marina, I knew we were all wondering what the surf in Bocas del Toro had in store for us; little did we know that we would be surfing our pants off in no time.
After a 45 minute drive to Playa Larga, we have finally reached our destination in Bocas del Toro. This is really when surfing in Bocas del Toro can shine. As we pull up to the wave and no one is around I feel that the wind is almost not existent. Better yet, offshore. We anchor the boat, strap on leashes and off we go. Heading towards the break at a paddle’s speed, I say to myself, “Hola ola”. This is what Bocas del Toro surfing is all about.
We get to the lineup, and the glassy gnarly set we see on the horizon looks promising. This is the moment when your adrenaline begins to pump…slowly, but then as the swell gets closer and closer your adrenaline begins surging through your veins as if you had a floating IV setup sitting next to you. The wave finally gets close, beginning to form and take peak, curling and heaving like the freak of nature that it is, and putting an ear to ear smile on all three of our faces.
We surfed until our arms would no longer work. As we finished, we sat in the boat eating avocado talking about how lucky we were to surf Bocas del Toro. Great waves, small crowds, palm tree lining, and even some pretty tasty avocados. You are going to try hard to get it better than that.
