Surfing Santa Catalina

Right Point · Best Apr-Oct · 3-15 ft · Crowd 4/5

S-SW swell, high tide, offshore all day

Santa Catalina is a long right over a rock reef, and the main reason surfers come to this small fishing village. It picks up south and south-west swell well, breaks most days from April to October and has offshore winds all year, which can get very strong in the afternoon.

The peak at La Punta has a big drop both ways. The left is short, while the right runs a long way down the reef with a few hollow sections. High tide is best. At low tide it's shallow, and getting in and out over the rocks is hard.

The crowd sits at the peak and surfs well, so intermediates do better picking up waves further down the line.

Left Reef · Best Apr-Oct · 3-10 ft · Crowd 1/5

S-SW swell, low tide, by boat

Punta Brava is a left in a small rocky bay west of Santa Catalina. It's always bigger than anywhere else nearby and works best at low tide, but there's no channel to paddle out and the bay is full of rocks, so it's much safer to surf from a boat.

Between Santa Catalina and Punta Brava there are several other reefs and beaches that hardly anyone surfs, and Punta Roca, further west, has wedging lefts. With a boat and time, the islands of Sebaco and Coiba have more waves.