Surfing El Gringo – Arica, Chile
I got out of bed about 7:30am because that is when the sun comes up. Chile is two hours ahead of Peru. Do not ask me to work that one out. I walked down the end of the street and caught a bus to La Isla del Alacran. There was nobody out when I went surfing but I bumped into a couple of dudes named Max and Diego who allowed me to tag along when they went for a surf out at El Gringo.
Diego’s First Wave
El Gringo is really scary. It breaks onto rocks. There is no easy way out or in. You have to jump off the rocks and force your way out through the very powerful breaking waves.
Maxi taking the drop
After this wave Maxi lost his boogie board and had to swim in. It was a major struggle with waves breaking all over him and the rip dragging him out again.
Maxi in the barrel
Maxi eventually got in and retrieved his boogie board and then paddled straight out again!
Maxi take off
Maxi hit a bump on the take-off and got launched.
Diego going right
There were some good right-handers coming in as well. Some of them were lining up and tubing massively.
Maxi drop
The wind starting blowing onshore about ten o’clock so the waves were still glassy.
Diego in the tube
Diego made sure that his last wave was a good one. Thank you to Maxi and Diego for the opportunity to take some photos at this famous surf spot. Woot!