The Blueline Paddlesurf Team out of Santa Barbara, California was back this summer enjoying the surf and whales of Nuqui in the Pacific coast of Colombia. This is their second trip to Colombia.
*** Local Cartagena kitesurfer getting massive air during a storm that brought winds and massive waves (mar de leva effect)***
Colombia has a grand variety of magical spots to go kiteboarding. From thousands of miles on the Caribbean, the opportunities for a kite adventure are unlimited. In the Caribbean, the whole Colombian coastline can be kitesurfed….in other words from Capurgana, to Isla Fuerte, to Barranquilla, to Cartagena, to Playa Blanca, to Islas del Rosario, to Riohacha, to Cabo de la Vela to Punta Gallinas.
The best time to go for most of the Caribbean coast is from November to April when the Caribbean trade winds are in effect.
However, Cabo de la Vela and Punta Gallinas in the Guajira desert (northern peninsula of Colombia) are a different story.
The whole Guajira Peninsula is a kitesurfing paradise getting year-round winds, due to the thermal effect caused by the desert climate.
During the winter months some good waves will also form as storms in the Caribbean push waves towards the Colombian coastline.
If you are in the city of Cali (the largest city in the Pacific region) make a trip to Lake Calima, which gets world class winds year around.
For further information about kitesurfing in Colombia, contact the guys at ColombiaKite, who can help you organize transportation, lodging, food, kitesurf rentals & lessons, and even professional photography and video.
Here is video produced by ColombiaKite of their yearly competition in Lago Calima and Cabo de la Vela.
Here are some amazing photos of local Cartagena kitesurfers during a Caribbean storm that brought winds and massive waves.
Playa V is a popular beach in Cartagena for windsurfing wavesailing. Here are some pictures at Playa V during the Annual Cartagena Windsurfing Competition organized by Colombian professional windsurfer Camilo Galeano, and which has been attended by Austrian Professional PWA windsurfer Michael Rossmeier.
For more pictures of the event check out Michael Rossmeier's Photogallery
Michael Rossmeier throwing a shove-it in Cartagena
Jose "Gollito" Estredo and Diony Guadagnino Nautica Velero hosted the Festiplaya 2010 Colombian National Windsurfing event in Puerto Velero, holding slalom and freestyle events.
Jose “Gollito” Estredo (2010 PWA World Freestyle Champion from Venezuela) and Diony Guadagnino (respected PWA windsurfer) were invited guests to the competition.
Nautica Velero is a windsurf and kitesurfing center in Puerto Velero near Barranquilla, Colombia.
Puerto Velero has a flat water bay that is excellent for freestyle and slalom.
There is also a wave spot 100 meters walk from the lagoon.
Nautica Velero have the proper staff to provide kitesurfing and windsurfing lessons, as well as equipment rentals. In addition, they also rent Kayaks and Lasers.
For those needing lodging, just 10 minutes from the school they have two air-conditioned rooms equipped with Digital TV. Transportation from and to the school can also be provided.
For more information, check out the Nautica Velero website.
The winter months (Nov to April) are the prime-time for the windsurfing season in Colombia. The Caribbean trade winds are in full effect and waves get pushed towards the coast of Colombia.
In November 2010 a cold front that passed through Cartagena, Colombia generated some excellent waves and wind which were enjoyed by Colombian surfers, bodyboarders and windsurfers.
Check out the beautiful Cartagena wave in this video:
Playa Render is a beach about 35 to 40 minutes from downtown Cartagena. Here is a video by the Mokana Club guys during a session in January.
Finally, the guys from Hot Sails Maui Colombia just put together a short clip from some windsurfing days in Playa Salgar near Barranquilla. Video features Carlos Heilbron, Carlos Dahmen, Javier Lazaro, Andres Dahmen, "Monkey" Matamoros, Ruben Ohlgisser, and Omar Castro.
On January 8,9, and 10th of 2011, the MOKANA Club in Cartagena, Colombia held the 1st Extreme Sports (surfing, windsurfing, kitesurfing) Festival with sponsorship from Rip Curl, Hotel Las Americas and Orco Ltda.
Here is a video of the surfing portion of the festival:
Bahia Solano (Solano Bay) is a small Colombian holiday ecological vacation area in the Pacific ocean popular for it's nearby beaches, whale watching, deep sea fishing, scuba diving and surfing.
There is smaller neighboring town of El Valle which can be reached via a road to the south. El Valle has excellent beaches such as PlayaEl Almejal and La Bocana, which are great for surfing.
Coco Loco Surf Camping is a lodge / hostel that is strategically located in between the 2 surfing beach breaks of El Almejal and La Bocana. These are fast lefts and rights that can reach up to 6meters height during the winter season, and medium size waves for the rest of the year that are ideal for learning and enjoying surfing. El Valle has the potential to have excellent surfable waves almost all year-found in high or low tides. The second semester of the year has the best wind conditions to create world class waves.
Here are some pictures of the waves taken 20 meteres from the Coco Loco Surf Camping's Lodge.
Diony Guadagnino throws a back-loop in Puerto Velero, Colombia
A nice wave in "Castillo Grande" in Cartagena. Coverage in: Revista Don Juan
WINDSURFING / KITESURFING / SURFING GUIDE TO COLOMBIA
WINDSURFING CARIBBEAN COAST of COLOMBIA
On the Caribbean coast, a good jump off point for windsurfing, kitesurfing, and other watersports for most people visiting Colombia will be the beautiful city of Cartagena.
The city gets consistent wind in the winter months when the trade winds start (Dec to April), and there can even waves for surfing when the ”mar de leva”effect hits.
You may have seen my previous posts that Austrian professional windsurfer Michael Rossmeier likes to train in Cartagena during the Austrian winter months.
From Cartagena, it is possibly to do road trips to anywhere in the Caribbean coast to windy places such as Puerto Velero and Cabo de la Vela. Cabo de la Vela really is a windsurfing and kitesurfing paradise, getting consistent wind 360 days a year due to the desert's thermal effect.
This video is a good summary of the windsurfing possible in Colombia:
Get in contact with the guys at the MOKANA Club for rentals and lessons. In addition to windsurf rentals, they also rent Stand Up Paddle boards, surfboards and Kayaks.
Address: Carrera 1a #1a-80 in the Laguito neighborhood of Cartagena
The guys at MOKANA Club also organize water sport (windsurf, kitesurf, surfing, snorkeling, diving, SUP, etc.) adventure trips all over the Caribbean coast through MOKANA VENTURA. Check out their blog to see some videos of previous trips.
Here are some suggestions for adventure trips to 1) Cabo de La Vela, 2)Islas del Rosario, 3) Tayrona National Park, 4) Isla Fuerte
Here is a video produced by the Mokana Club:
WINDSURFING IN ISLAS DEL ROSARIO Islas del Rosario are a bunch of islands 45 minutes by boat ride from Cartagena. There are many boats that take tourists to the islands every day, and there are even some hotels on the islands. You will have to take your own equipment as there are no rentals on the islands.
WINDSURFING IN CABO DE LA VELA, COLOMBIA Cabo de La Vela is a small fishing village on the most northeast tip or peninsula of Colombia. The area is part of the Guajira desert.
Because of the desert climate, the Guajira area gets thermal winds all year-round, providing it with over 360 days of sailable wind. These are some of the same winds that hit Aruba, Curacao and Isla Margarita.
For this reason, the Guajira peninsula is probably the best place in Colombia to do windsurfing and kitesurfing. MOKANA VENTURA can help you organize the trip.
For Lodging Options you can also check out this very good website: 1) Posadas Turisticas de Colombia WINDSURFING PUERTO VELERO, COLOMBIA
Puerto Velero is 25 minutes from Barranquilla and it gets consistent strong trade winds from December to April. There is a lagoon on the inside for freestyle, as well as beach for wave-sailing 100 meters walk from the lagoon.
Puerto Velero has been windsurfed by international windsurfing superstars Gollito Estredo, Diony Guadagnino, Michael Rossmeier and Phyl Soltysiak.
Contact Nautica Velero for windsurfing rentals.
Gollito Estredo throwing a back-loop in Puerto Velero
Michael Rossmeier doing freestyle in the lagoon
WINDSURFING IN CALI, COLOMBIA
Near Cali, Colombia is Lago Calima. The lake is surrounded by mountains, which causes wind to get funneled down to the lake by a thermal effect, much like Lake Arenal in Costa Rica.
Lago Calima is windy 365 days per year, and has even been the site of the South American windsurfing Championships.For windsurfing and kitesurfing rentals / lessons, contact:
Here is a video of the 2008 Colombian Windsurfing Championship held in Lago Calima :
Slalom Race - 2008 Colombia National Games from FelipeJazz on Vimeo. WINDSURFING NEAR BOGOTA, COLOMBIA
Embalse del Sisga is a man-made lake 1 hour from Bogota in the middle of lush green mountains that is good for windsurfing. German born Etto Martin per his company EOLETTO organizes lessons and has windsurfing equipment. Check it out here
Hilton: This wave is in front of the Hilton Hotel in Cartagena
Castillo Grande:
To view more pictures of Cartagena waves and surfers, go to Hamlet Hernandez's Surf Photographer Blog. Hamlet is a Colombian surf photographer.
SURFING NEAR SANTA MARTA & TAYRONA NATIONAL PARK Costeño Surf is tour company, surf camp and now Ecolodge run by 2 Canadian brothers. As of of December 2010 they purchased land and are building an Ecolodge in Guachaca, Colombia which is next to Tayrona National Park.
Costeño Surf provides surfing expeditions in the Caribbean coast to breaks in Tayrona, Rio Mendihuaca, Casa Grande, Naranjos, Buritaca, etc.
They also have travel packages to Santa Marta, Cascadas de Valencia, and Volcan de Totumo.
ARRECIFES
Fly to Santa Marta airport from any major Colombian city. From there, drive about 40mins until you get to the entrance to the Parque Nacional Tayrona. You will have to pay to get in but it isnt very much. Leave your taxi or car behind at Canaveral and walk for about 40 mins until ou get to a sort of encampment. Hire out a hammock, 13,000 pesos a night, about $5 and get surfing! You will be amazed!
BURITACA
From Santa Marta take a bus from plaza "El Mercado" which takes you directly to the entrance of the town of Buritaca for about $4.50. From there you can decide whether to take a taxi ($1500 pesos) to the beach, a moto taxi ($1000 pesos) or walk for 20 minutes (the road is safe and a straight shot, so it is difficult to get lost). Once in the town you pass the Buritaca river walking or using canoes ($1000 pesos) and then you'll be at the beautiful beach with nice waves and friendly people.
For lodging options check out the Playa Koralia Lodge. They can also organize the transportation for you.
NARANJOS
From Santa Marta keep heading north. Drive about 40 min. until you get to Tayrona Natural Park. 2 km past the entrance to Cañaveral there is little restaurant where you can park your car(make sure you arrange with somebody to keep an eye on it...and settle a fee). Across the restaurant there is hidden path. Walk your way through the jungle, pass the shallow river, keep walking(beautiful walk)....cross the same river when it curves at the end and there you are! Sometime the river is very dry and you can just follow it downriver until you find the beach.
There are two main breaks: 1) river-mouth: very nice and powerful barrel sometimes really close to the shore but makeable. Sand bottom.The bigger the better! Easy paddle out with the river's current. 2) Point-break: this is to the north side of the beach. Breaks with small swells and holds big ones too. This is where the fault rocks are. The waves get really good and powerful here.
The view here is incredible with green mountain-tops reaching the clouds, Caribbean pristine waters and in the morning when the sky is clear you can see the snow cap of La Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta from the ocean...not a comon sight around the globe!
Be warned there is nothing in this beach except sand, mosquitoes(can get very bad),sunshine...so bring everything you need. Hamaca, tent, water,wax, ding repair, etc. This spot won't get crowded and when we think it is crowded is because there are 10 guys out, but they all know each other and will be very happy to see a traveler surfer there.
Around the area there are a lot of beach-breaks like La Caracola, Arrecifes, and Cañaveral among others. If you are unlucky and find it flat(not too often but it does happen) you can walk to other empty beaches, climb the cliffs, snorkle. For foreign surfers it is recommended you go there without somebody that knows the area and even though the people of the area are very friendly, it's always better to go with somebody that knows the area.
MENDIHUACA
Go to Hotel Mendihuaca after Tayrona National Park. The break is right there.
CASA GRANDE
SURFING CARIBBEAN AND PACIFIC COASTS COLOMBIA
Aqua Salvaje provides surf trips to the best breaks in the Pacific and Caribbean coasts of Colombia. Surf guide Andrés Higuera has many years experience traveling, surfing and exploring to find the best breaks in Colombia.
Email: candesh75@hotmail.com
Phone: 57-314-648-8297 "We have thoroughly studied the logistics of travel and the best seasons of the year to provide you with a range of fantastic options to travel and surf in the best surf spots in this beautiful country. We will take you to exotic places, with intense adventure, for those that like to live the nature of surfing in its most pure and wild essence." Surf breaks in the Caribbean include: in 1) La Punta del Ingles in Isla Fuerte. Click here for previous post on Isla Fuerte
PUNTA ROCASFrom Barranquilla take the main road to the beach as if going to Sabanilla Beaches. Right before the Country Club entrance there is a dirt road. Take it all the way to the cliffs and make a right until you get to the main break. During low tides the is a tiny stretch of sand. Paddle in from there. Check out these perfect tubes:
PRADOMAR: Take the bus or car to Puerto Colombia / Pradomar. EL BOLSILLO:
Take the coastal road as if you were going to Pradomar. Turn right when you get to a sign that says "Castillo Salgar". Head 1km, turning right just as you reach the ocean. Go straight. Once you get there, park along the beach at one of the cabañitas. This costs a few pesos (10.000 or so) but your stuff will be secure, and you'll have a place in the shade.
This is a much softer wave the El Bolsillo, but there's also no one on it. During the trade winds season Salgar is always much cleaner than it's more popular neighbor to the west. Expect long-boardable waves here +250 days out of the year. In general it's not the best wave, but it sure beats banging boards with everyone and their mom over at El Bolsillo. The beach (and inside) can get crowded with beach-goers on the weekends and holidays.
To view more pictures of Colombian Caribbean waves and surfers, go to the Surfing Colombia Blog, which is put together by a team of Barranquilla surfers.
SURFING PACIFIC COAST
NUQUI, COLOMBIA
Memo Gomez has been a pioneer in surfing the Pacific coast of Colombia. Memo is the owner of EL CANTIL Ecolodge in Nuqui, and he has been living and exploring the remote Colombian Pacific coast for over 15 years.
Memo has also been instrumental in bringing professional surfers from abroad to surf in Colombia.
He took Peter Mendia, Kalle Carranza, Otto Flores, Magnum Martinez and photographer Seth Stafford to our most famous surf breaks like Pico de Loro and El Chorro. This surf trip got coverage in American surfing magazine Transworld SURF. (view story here)
He also helped organize the SURF the JUNGLE South American surfing contest in 2008 held at the Pico de Loro break and attended by several Professional surfers. (view story here)
In 2010 he was also instrumental in bringing Stand Up Paddlesurfing to the Pacific coast of Colombia for the first time when the Blueline Paddlesurf team from Santa Barbara, California visited. (view story here)
Visit EL CANTIL's website for more information on their surfing tours, surfing lessons, whale watching, diving, snorkeling and fishing services.
As far as the surf breaks here is short list:
Pico de Loro - excellent surfing a short boat ride from Nuqui.
Juan Tornillo - a short boat ride south from Nuqui, just before Cabo Corrientes, Juan Tornillo is isolated and beautiful.
Terco - 20km boat trip from Nuqui.
Termales - rivermouth surfing 25km south of Nuqui, or an hours walk from Terquito. There are hot springs nearby.Juanchaco - a one hour boatride from Buenaventura is relatively undeveloped and is good for experienced surfers.
Waves are from the south west between April and December and from the north or northeast in January and February. The southwest waves are bigger, except when they occasionally come from the north of the Pacific in January an February
Here is a photo of Memo Gomez on a nice Colombian wave:
SURFING EL VALLE (BAHIA SOLANO), COLOMBIABahia Solano (Solano Bay) is a small Colombian holiday ecolodgical vacation area popular for it's nearby beaches, whale watching, deep sea fishing, scuba diving and surfing. Most tourist choose to stay in nearby beaches to Bahia Solano, which have the better beaches. Playa Huina, Playa Potes and Playa de la Paridera are nearby beaches and all have accommodation options.
In addition there is the smaller neighboring town of El Valle which can be reached via a road to the south. El Valle has excellent beaches such as Playa El Almejal and La Bocana, which are great for surfing and rainforest nature walks nearby.
San Andrés is the largest of the island group in the Colombian Department of the Archipelago of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina. San Andrés Island is 750 km from the Colombian mainland and 230km off the coast of Nicaragua. There are several flights to the island from most cities in mainland Colombia.
There isn't much of a surfing culture in San Andres, so there are plenty of uncrowded waves with great potential. Surf board rentals will be hard to come by...as a last resort you can buy a board at one of the local surf shops. Season works best in the winter months (Dec to April) when trade winds in the Caribbean push water towards the mainlands. It is also possible between July to October during hurricane season.
PUNTA SUR REEF:
Punta Sur is on the south side of the island near el "Hoyo Soplador" which is a small geyser hole that sometimes spews water depending on the wind and waves. You can catch a cab to Punta Sur and then paddle out to the reef from the beach.
Here are 2 pictures of Punta Sur: KITESURFING COLOMBIA
KITESURFING IN CABO DE LA VELA
ColombiaKite can help you organize a kitesurfing lessons and kite expedition to Cabo de la Vela, and other parts of Colombia.
Near Cali, Colombia is Lago Calima. The lake is surrounded by mountains, which causes wind to get funneled down to the lake by a thermal effect, much like Lake Arenal in Costa Rica.
Lago Calima is windy 365 days per year. For kitesurfing rentals / lessons, contact:
KITESURFING IN SAN ANDRES / PROVIDENCIA, COLOMBIA)
San Andrés is the largest of the island group in the Colombian Department of the Archipelago of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina. San Andrés Island is 750 km from the Colombian mainland and 230km off the coast of Nicaragua. There are several flights to the island from most cities in mainland Colombia.
San Andres is a turquoise water Caribbean paridise. Kitesurfing is possible all over the island. Here is a short video:
