Great video......I no longer surf.....at 68, the mind and body doesn't work like it use to.....but I have surfed Pavones in 1990....it wasn't epic long....but other than our group, there was maybe 3 or 4 other people out with waves to 8+'........a great memory. Keep the videos coming....as I can still daydream!!!
@@helloitsmehb , One other story about our Pavones visit in June 1990. We stay at a local hut on the beach about a mile south of the break. it was owned by Eric Steinworth....or similar last name of German decent. He had bought his original parcel of property, an acre with direct ocean front for some low price some years earlier and built the two story structure, rustic, with the ground floor open and rustic rooms on the second floor. He said he bought his final addition to his property, on the hill side of his property, another acre or so......for a used motorcycle that he had. Now that was a good deal!
Surfed Pavones in '95 on an off season swell. First 2 days were double overhead plus with only 10 guys out max. 3rd day was couple feet overhead with 20 guys out. 4th day was chest high and literally 50 plus people. Wave is very very long, but from the top of the point to about 1/4 way through the wave bends and making that section is 4 out of 10. After that section it's a total leg burner of never ending top turns, floaters and cutbacks. Haven't been back since so I can't tell you what the crowds like these days. There is another point further down the gulf that is also super long and world class that is rarely crowded.
Was fortunate enough to get pavones on two separate budget trips. Both times it just a little too fast to do turns, held a really nice shape and offered some long 100-200 yard rides, but the whole time just keeping up with the wave, no shredding. Second time I went Surfline duped me into believing there was 10ft of swell in the water when in fact it was less than alf that size. . . Got the place to myself for an hour at sunrise with a light misty rain and on no sleep... Spent a lot of time dry on that trip but still have a few memories from my surf that I won't be forgetting anytime soon
Great job mate. Well done on the dialogue to timing of clips. Solid content as well. Can tell you have surfed. Thanks from a ole dude from San Clemente, CA Trestles.....trapped in Spokane, WA.. The channel and shows are appreciated. Rrrreeee.......
Medewi was always known it's just that 20/30 years ago theres was no point riding an average wave in Indo because all the good ones weren't that crowded yet
noosa, back in the day, before they moved the river mouth 500 meters west, the non-beach was a rock wall, during a cyclone swell i surfed a wave from out past the pot to halfway down the main beach and dragged, myself out of the water in front of our house there, and then would have to time the scramble up over the rock wall in between waves crashing on it, hairy scary stuff. when too dangerous, we had to let ourselves drift with the heavy westerly sweep down to the river mouth and find a way in there. all on a short-board, 6'4, none of this long-board business. it was a high tide, big 10-15 feet breaking on the reef 200 meters north of the Pot, (still waiting to see some thrill seeker get a tow in surf the big right-hander out there,) and rolling in to reform at the pot around 8-12 feet, with an extremely heavy rip tearing past the pot coming from ti-tree bay which was an unrideable washing machine. good times
Still does this once in a decade with a good cyclone, dunno about the reef 200 meter north of the pot tho all sand there now maybe with some coffee rock exposed on occasions! And the bay won’t hold 10-15 foot to shallow, 6-8 max these days! Goodtimes still to be had🤙
@@rob7385 we're talking Aussie 15 feet not Hawaiian 15 feet. if that reefs 10-15 the pot is 8-10, its rare but it does happen. and when i say reef i mean coffee rock with weeds, no rock or coral reefs here. but it could be up to 500 meters off the pot, hard to tell, when paddling hard at the pot you glimpse it paddling over set waves . but this was way back in the 70s early 80s , cyclone zoe for instance in 74 was only 50 km off noosa it was a giant. i lived on Hasting st house it was probably that swell we saw the waves washing under our house, i dont remember any cyclones in last 30 - 40 years coming that close to noosa but when they do come really close to noosa you'll see that righthander out there. its a high tide wave , it'll break out there and white water roll into the pot and reform would depend on the sand i suppose. low tide when real big the whole place becomes pretty much unrideable. before they moved the river mouth, the bay was somewhat deeper, now with all the sand pumping the bay is much shallower, little cove and first point are pretty much destroyed , its made it one big long wave instead of 3 individual breaks. you see big waves breaking all over the bay heading over to north shore. ive only seen that right-hander out north of the pot, a handful of times. no cyclone has come close enough, LATELY, to make it work properly , i seen sunshine 20 foot or so back in the 70s , breaking about a mile off the beach, giant perfect offshore peaks. so you can imagine those swells were also moving into the bay. me and my brother surfed boiling pot 10-12 feet during the middle of a cyclone, no one else out, a couple guys in closer fighting the current, took me over an hour to get off the jump off point, super sketchie. paddle as hard as you like youre moving backwards, get to catch one set wave , go in run back out to the pot and try to get back in, you know the drill. LOL heres a video i took of cyclone Eusi in 2020, you kind see the white water of the reef out past the pot it wasnt working, give you some idea of what i'm talking about, and then look how close zoe got compared to eusi ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-aLv6rtOZi68.html ZOE www.bom.gov.au/cyclone/history/zoe.shtml UESI www.bom.gov.au/cyclone/history/Uesi.shtml
I was a grommet on the first point from 1972-77..beaches were big from memory..lots of sand. i can't remember if the rock walls were there..probably. I remember the cherry venture running aground. i remember the old rivermouth and the campground. We would surf after school for hours...always seemed to be a wave when you a 10 yo. I remember dropping our boards back to the surf club..we were nippers.. long walks up the hill in pitch black with my brothers..try to get Dad's attention in the public bar of the Reef...if we were lucky he was in a shout and would bring us a lemonade and a packet of chips haha..good memories
Great video mate! I am very happy to comment I have surfed a few of this video list! Yewww!! I currently live in the Gold Coast, Australia and do surf the superbank all the time. Yes, it's crowded and all that, but one good wave there will make you want more and more!! I scored Pavones last year in June soooo good!. keep the good content coming! cheers,
Have gone down to pavones around 4 times and that is one of my favorite waves in the world, has barrel sections and perfect walls and air sections all the way down the wave, when over 4 foot it goes for about a 1.5 miles and is truly incredible to surf and watch as it is perfect the whole way down, handles good size too
Cool shots! Can't rule out those California points though! Malibu has some 50 second long rides here and there, but Rincon can be more than a 600-meter long wave, makeable the entire length up to 90 seconds+ on the right day!
Yeah surprised it wasn't on here. Longest left I've ever ridden. Walking back after a ride is looong but at low tide you can 4wd back to the take off spot.
Since I'm living in Costa Rica for around 28 years I have had the opportunity to surf Pavones many times. It's the most crowded point break in all of Costa that's for sure. But if you hang with a local and your cool you can surf the other points in the area. Take a boat over to the other side and it's right point breaks. Let me know if you come down. It's best when the season just starts in May and June the roads still in nice shape and the wind is calm.
Wow those spots. Too far away and too old . Thank you for the views. Pretty cool though. Actually bithchn!! In 1967 I did surf "San Blas Mexico". I was 17. Dad tracked the family car on the beach = .60 of a mile. (six tenths of a mile.) Pretty small yet mushed it around the point. Was a big deal. Yelps from the few fellows out. Ahh the sixties, you can all most smell them. Thank you again.
What got me the worst at Jbay was how fast the wave moves. If you're out when it's triple overhead, on a 6'6", even if you're basically a crowd destroyer who can find the perfect ones within minutes of reaching the peak, we're talking riding a kilometer in under a minute, but then you gotta paddle a kilometer and lemme tell you that does NOT take a minute, and getting caught inside can easily mean being washed down half a kilometer or more in one set. Spending 2 years there I literally paddled my T6-7 down to the bone. Osteoarthritis, no more cusion. Now I've been lifting weights the past few years to build up some bone density , giving endurance sport a backseat for a few years, setting myself up for my 40's
Nice and soon all the Yoga all inclusive Retreat tourists can surf from the top of the point all the way to the huge hotel pool built on top of what was the homes of the fishers...
Pavones is absolutely epic on the right big S Pacific swell. Think Late June-September best window. Take cash, I think they still dont have an ATM there 🤣 ( I went 10 years ago) I saw someone get the best stand up barrel...arms above his head in the pit. Easy 8ft, macking and a total animal. Brilliant wave and crowds were only an issue when small and just before the big swell was due to come in. Hard to get a ride longer than 600m on a shortboard but I did see a guy on a SUP go for about a mile and walk home!
What ever happened to Mantenchen in Nayarit Mexico? Before this global surf hunting occurred we were told this was the longest in the wordl back in the 70's. The 1.25 miles on it's best day. I was there for a week in 1980 and we never caught it braking the the pint to the north did. It was clean
I surfed Pavones back in 89'. I was there for a month before it became a tourist magnet. It's an excellent wave when it's on, and you can really get your fill of surfing from the takeoff to the end. It was a blissful experience.
@@DanHarmon123 been to Pavones x2, both in the last 10 years or so for about a month each stay. It is a fast reeling wave with quite the crowd. If you surf at the top of the point past the river mouth you'll be lucky to connect the section past the river mouth and go the distance, most people sit on the section right at the river mouth on the N side to enjoy that long bit into the bay. Crowd is on when the swell forecast is good, Brazzos come by the truck load and of course bring no respect with them....the locals have the wave dialed and if its good you best be on your 'A' game or you'll be lucky to get a good one. There are other good waves around that don't have the rep, but don't fool yourself, they're plenty crowded too....
I surfed Boca Barranca alone a few times when the configuration of the river mouth and the sand bar gave me a very, very long ride. But things change there and it’s not a constant. Theres also a left at Block Island that rivals Pavones on a big hurricane swell.
Was fortunate enough to catch Boca on a very Big swell, back in the late 90’s. We were in country for a couple weeks and met up with a ex pat who gave us a heads up on the swell! Got there at day break, by 7 a.m. it was so crowded we decided to take a break and get some breakfast. Came back around lunchtime to have it all to ourselves with about three other surfers! I will never forget taking a wave from the top of the river and kicking out about 200 yards from the pier! I tried to surf when I got home, it just wasn’t the same! I’ll never forget that one session at Boca! I’m so thankful I had the opportunity to experience that
Agreed : Appreciate your videos Dan which are inspirational as they are varied. But; as is the case with * Leg-Burner * breaks; here is a challenge for you ... See if can narrate naturally without repeatedly using the highly irritating word LIKE as this detracts from your interesting / informative presentations .... 🙏👍🤟🤙🏄♂️
Hey Dan Great video. Don’t forget g-land! I’m going to Nicaragua this year. Do you have a video for nica? I need recommendations for the trip. Will have a car Thanks
I've been fortunate enough to surf all of the Latin American spots on your list. Also, I'm old enough to have surfed them with very few people. I spent a few weeks at La Libertad during the final years of their civil war. There were only a handful of visiting surfers staying in town, and a small group of surfers from San Salvador that came on weekends. There were many big, beautiful days days with just 2 or 3 of us in the water. The pre internet days certainly had their share of frustrating trips in search of swells that never arrived, but the payoffs were immense when your luck was on.
Have surfed Noosa, but for me Tea Tree, which is the next bay along is preferred. I've certainly has some really great waves there but they don't compare in length to Boiling Pot through First Point.
Pitas point, south of Rincon, twice as long as Rincon, when the sand is right, (which is not often) I've made one all the way thru,I'm talking 20 lff- the-lips,then ur legs go to jelly,& u just go straight cuz ur so tired. Surfed it ,12ft like that in 1984
Got pavones on a solid swell a couple summers back. Great wave but a lot of fast sections that are difficult for even the best surfers to make. You can definitely get a wave over 1 km if the direction is right. Only downside is that there were around 500 people in the water when the swell peaked.
What about Matachen bay, San Blas Mex? Used to be claimed as the longest wave in North America by Guinness book of records, like over a mile, and I can attest that this is true whith a big enough swell from the right direction to make it through all three points, although your fin might be doing a bit of rock bounce over the last one. it is a very easy cruising not very challenging wave for sure, sand bottom that can get a bit racy around the points, but a major leg burner for sure and just a lot of fun. I have heard that Stoner's point, just above, can even connect at times. I have caught it head high to a bit overhead, ending as an ankle bighter at the end. Best when you have a mate that will ferry you back to the top when done. Just be aware of the no-see-ums at dusk for sure! There used to be a hotel at the base of the bay run by Felipe, this pretty wack but well meaning Spanish guy, and boy do I have a ton of crazy shit to tell about this place. We used to say that the pink color of the hotel was derived from all of the Pepto Bismal that visitors tossed about, and twice I had to be hopitalized to get intravenous fluids after eating the wrong things or getting bitten by the wrong bug perhaps. This was quite a bit long ago, so I really don't know what it is like today.
Shipwreck Bay near Ahipara in Northland New Zealand is longer than Raglan on a 6+ meter SW swell. But yeah, Rags is a super long ride on a large, long-period SW swell. Spot X further up the headland from Indicators is pretty long, too.
Do a report on "Convex" (Skeleton / Scorpion / Pavones) vs. "Concave" (Rincon / Anchor Pt. / Barra / Honolua) Points... Pros and cons. Por favor. Note: Convex and concave are two words that describe a line or shape, often in mathematics, science, or in relation to eyeglasses, mirrors and leg-breaking, smoking, pitting, screaming-long, mind-bending surfing points. While convex means to bend or protrude outwards, concave is the opposite and means to bend inwards. Jeffreys Bay, Za. is so huge it´s both! (Kichen Windows to Albatross). One word every 30 years: Maalaea. Is it a point? Is it convex? Is it concave? WGAF!
In the early days of the Superbank they groomed it so well that in the early 2000's there was a session where riders took off at Snapper Rocks and made it all the way to Kirra Surf Club. I met a guy who surfed it, 4 and a half minute long rides, they had shuttle bus service to take riders back out to the Rocks. The Superbank is formed now by dredging the Tweed River and pumping the spoil through pipes to the Superbank side and the could alter the outlets to groom the bank. They don't do that know because it is better to have a few isolated take off peaks along the bay so less anger in the crowd.
As you are a Brit, I'm amazed that you didn't mention "The Pass" at Byron Bay, NSW. On a good day with a NE swell/SW wind the point/sand break right-hander will take you hundreds of metres west along Clarke's Beach the entire way into the township. The downsides: the wave is no secret and you will be frustrated waiting your turn among dozens of others for "your wave" that sometimes never comes ....... and did I mention sharks?
Surfed Pavones many times. Its finicky... and its rare you will connect from the rio claro all the way past where the cantina used to be. Needs some size for sure and then there's the crowd. Also, low tide can be fun but sketchy because of the cobblestone bottom.
I remember the first time seeing pictures of a big day at skeleton Bay I couldn't believe how long the barrels were. I would love to go there once in my life
Great stuff! I live in South Africa and have travelled it pretty extensively in search of surf and I can tell you there are a fair number of spots around the coast that are equal or close in length to J-Bay and can rival it on their day. But I ain't telling where, as every time I surfed them it was 1-2 locals and 2-3 close mates and nobody else out. Crowds kept in check because most of these spots are a mission and a half to get to, are generally cold-ish water (if you not used to Cape Town's Atlantic side cold water) and lots of big men in grey suits. Explore and you shall find. I have also surfed Uluwatu's several times, and the crowd factor actually detracts heavily from a surfer used to having a crowd be 4-5 ppl in the water.
Surfed Pavones many times, but not in the last 10 years. On a good swell it gets really crowded despite the remote location. Best on a large straight south swell. Those wrap around the point best. Also, it has big tide swings, so if you can time your trip with low tide in the morning when the winds are more favorable, that's your best bet. Cheers, and thanks for the videos!
Hi there, I surfed Pavones last year in August. Very remote place, you definitely need a 4x4 or a quad to get to the village. Once you are there it’s really just paradise! Warm water, coconuts, sun. The wave requires a swell of around 5 feet to start working. We had a few days where it just wasn’t on at all.. I recommend going to Punta Banco, just around the corner. Swell is usually way bigger than at Pavones.🤫 The locals can be quite intimidating but if you speak Spanish and/or treat them well, they are usually very friendly. Cheers
Hey! I went down to Costa Rica when I got out of the military, I’ve surfed Pavones before, it’s where I learned how to surf. I’m not a surfer but I totally get the appeal. I managed to grab a short board and shred some turns by the time I left. (I learned on a short board, everyone already knew how to surf and they just sort of “tossed me in the deep end”.) Still snowboard though.
The longest wave I surfed in like 1980 was San Miguel’s before the Jetty got washed out. Glad I caught it before that happened because the Jetty really set up the take off. Also Rincón is a long wave when it sets up correctly. I’ve always wanted to make the trip to Scorpion Bay in Baja. I talked to a guy in the mid 70s that went there before anyone really knew about it. He said it was such a long wave that he’s legs felt all gummy by the time he got out of the water. Kids on MoPeds would drive you back to the line up for .25 cents. I miss the old days.
Waves have been ridden from Tea Tree bay through Boiling Pot, Nationals, Johnson's, little Cove to main beach Noosa. Needs a huge south, wide ground swell, to make Noosa Heads realy Pump & good sand 🏄♂️
Carille, San Juan, Philippines. After a typhoon, its looong, she's a right hander and if you make it to the Coca Cola factory, you're in for a long paddle back. If you know, you know.
@georgescopelitis2194 if you get it right, post typhoon, it's a short board wave, for sure. It gets head high on a big swell. But yeah, longboard on a half decent swell
Used to drive 50 minutes to Raglan to catch Manu Bay before university classes at Waikato University in the late 90s. Such a fun wave and setup. Never seen it breaking across all three point breaks though. Time to do a RU-vid search… 😅
I surfed until becoming a Dr at 56.... I'll be back and the one I loved was paddling out watching the waves that would be mine as soon as I hit the line up, if it came my way it was mine, if I had to got get it, I'd see it first, it was mine. Plan to surf into my oldest days
I heard Buarcos in Figueira da Foz could be the longest wave in Europe on it's best day. As far as I've seen, it doesn't connect and it's just a handful of mid to long sections, but who knows!
spent many a night upstairs the old cantina $5 US a night 35 cent beers $2 meals ,, back in the early 80s it was the wild west but when it was on you could catch waves all the way through just wave at your friends sitting on the wall ,, my buddy Mark lived in Golfito had a sailboat surfed some amazing spots with him ,, won't be going back after my last trip just to many people now used to be a adventure just getting there from the airport in Golfito now its just Waikiki
There is a break when it’s big and working at figuera do foz Portugal, I’m told now it runs for about 4 km right hand point break from out at the light house. Surfed there in 1979 with a guy called Graham Nile, ohh and nick van rup knows it also. No I didn’t make the full length. When you do it you will understand why.
Surfed pavones in 01. Needs a s. Bigger the better. Stay high, skip bottom turn. Just high speed pumps, then at the rivermouth it gets hallow. After that it slows down a bit. Crowded, only got dropped in on once or twice by the same lady. She came close to getting decapitated by someone else.
Pavones is down south in Costa Rica. No where near Puntarenas which is north of Jaco. But there, near the Bay of Tempische, is Boca De Baranca. A super long left when it is on
Thanks Dan, These are all the waves I have dreamt about all of my life and will never get to surf due to the ridiculous crowds that you find there. Having said that, I have thoroughly enjoyed your vid...😉
Honored to have had the pleasure to surf Raglan. Is not always one can surf all the way from indicators to Raglan. I haven't had that pleasure. But just Raglan was awesome.
Great video Dan! On the SA East Coast. J-Bay. From Supers through Impossibles to the beach break after Point. On the West Coast, Elands Bay on a perfect day. As a goofy footer Elands has always been my favorite break. In Cape Town, 365's - scary because it breaks 1km out and is very difficult to line up without distinct land markers. Yellow Sands in my current home city also produces epic rights in the winter months with the right swell direction. Shorter than J-Bay, but more forgiving as it breaks on a sand bar.
@@DanHarmon123 Both 385’s and Yellow Sands are! Yellows is a river mouth break and must be avoided at all cost after heavy rain when the river is brown. Tiger sharks abound.
Snapper does meet up with Kirra sometimes... the banks have to be perfect and the cyclone swell has yo be the perfect direction... making the barrel section threw rainbow Bay is the hardest part.... then it fattens out before the seawall at kirra and then still can run past the second car park. This is rare... but it does happen
@DanHarmon123 the ones that barrel behind the rock aren't usually the ones that let you get threw Greenmount, you kinda have to be on the shoulder and the ones that close out threw the first section, due to the fact they have walled up so hard are the ones bro... but it sure is a long walk from down the beach at kirra all the way back to the rocks... 🤙
I surfed Chicama with just 5 friends, no need to paddle our, you just walk the line and jump into the outside. So long your legs fail, and you just let it go for a few seconds before start maneuvering again.
Yeah I think you pretty much nailed it with that one skeleton Bay at the top of the list. That way it's just crazy and it is a freight train. The other Longest Ride of your life will be getting there. RLTW 3/75
my spot on a swell is easily as long as these 3km spots but its a super mush straight to beach with a few shorts stand up sections otherwise straight mush in. But hey if nothing else that's a long ride. straight mush whitewater ride.
Strange that you pick Raglan over schipwreck bay in new zealand. Schipwreck bay is way longer at 5km of surf and on big days you are easily able to surf it is 2 pieces of 2km each.
Yes very competitive... funnily enough when I had a broken wrist, and was bodyboarding with my right arm in a waterproof cast, several times people GAVE ME WAVES at Manu bay. A miracle, I did consider keeping the cast so I could strap it back on for a few more... btw sat out there in some massive swells but never seen anyone come through from Indies/whale bay. Possibly a myth, or at least "once in 20 years".
Hey mate! Been to all of them apart from Pavones and Skeleton Bay, and yeah to be honest, I'm too scared to surf Outside Corner when it's working haha...
@@DanHarmon123 Great, I'm impressed! I learned to surf on the freezing NE coast of England and have surfed Hawaii, Fiji, Bali, Sumatra, Hong Kong. It's amazing where our passion takes us.
