The Wave
Pacasmayo is located in the north of Peru, so when the long distance south swells hit this coast, you know it’s going to have a very high period. The result is waves that are perfectly organized in endless lines, it looks almost unreal. The orientation of El Faro Beach is perfect to get the south swell wrapping around and forming a peeling left. When it’s big, you can catch a wave from the light house and surf half way to the pier, over 500 m! With a foil I think you could be able to connect all the way to the pier.
When I at last got in the water I was so excited. From the first turn I couldn’t believe it. How could it be so glassy?! The inside of the bay near the take-off is protected by the cape. Even when there’s a little breeze it’s still well sheltered. The wave keeps forming perfectly, with some steeper parts and beautiful walls. At some points you have to wait and reposition, then accelerate and go for the section in front. It is just the kind of wave you have been dreaming about all your life!
Every wave lets you do so many turns that you can feel yourself improving. What you do in one day at Pacasmayo could take months or even years to do at home. There is a local boy, William Perez, that only started SUPing a few years ago. He had no watersports background and now he rips the place apart on his windsurf or SUP board; he must be best Peruvian SUP surfers.
