Pororoca or surfing in the Amazon
1) RIVER SURFING:
We start with the Urumea, in San Sebastian , where, despite having a rough sea and a beach (the Zurriola beach) perfect for catching waves, a couple of times a year the river fills with surfers (Basques and foreigners too, believe it or not) . The practice depends a lot on the storms, but the waves can reach up to six or seven meters. They form when they enter the mouth of the river and break against the walls, normally taking shape at the height of the María Cristina. The best modality to get the most out of it is stand up, that is, standing up and with an oar and you can surf up to the middle of the river, passing under the bridges of the 19th century.
Also the Germans, so methodical and practical, have known how to take advantage of the currents of their rivers. We are talking specifically about the one created under one of the bridges that cross the Eisbach, an artificial river in the heart of Munich that runs through the Englischer Garten (or English Garden). There isn't a day that dozens of intrepid people don't congregate there, waiting for their turn whether it rains, hails, freezes or shines. The wave isn't very big or wally, but every effort to surf is comforting and helps keep you in shape for when you hit a real wave (and you're grateful when you can finally take off your wetsuit on some warm beach).
Surfing in the middle of Munich
The queen of the queens of the river waves is, without a doubt, that of the Amazon River , that even It has its own name: pororoca, because of the noise it makes from afar . It is practiced at the mouth, when the tide rises suddenly and strongly sweeps the river crossing, causing waves that are not too high, but very long, which can intertwine for more than half an hour. In fact, it was here that the Brazilian Picuruta Salazar broke the world record by dancing a wave over 10 kilometers for 36 minutes. There are no sharks, but watch out for the piranhas and the trees that the river drags.
Amazonas waves are characterized by their length
Finally we end with the one known as Seven Ghost, on the Kampar River, East Sumatra , in Indonesia . The fame of being one of the best shaped waves in the world with amazing tubes, of spectacular beauty and that guarantees great fun was given, in part, by the Rip Curl Research team, made up of great of the greats who were fascinated with the experience. Its only problem is that it only breaks a few times a year, and the dangers that it can hide under its waters are unknown.
2) GLACIAL SURFING:
We came in a controversial section: surfing in the waves caused by the melting of glaciers , and, indirectly, get a playful benefit to global warming . Not to mention those that cause landslides artificially to get the currents. We have seen it in Perito Moreno and in Alaska . The pros and cons of these waves – sportingly speaking – are that, although the water moves a lot, it is solid and has more force. Also, the shape is not constant and the temperature is very low. The first to do so were Garrett McNamara and Kealii Mamala on a board and a jetski on the Alaska's Child's Glacier . As an experience it must have been memorable: they spent three weeks camped waiting for the collapse that would form the ideal wave (with its consequent roar, which is now only enough to run away), and above all they were very scared. So much so that at some point they saw their lives in images, as they themselves admit. Take a look at the video below: it is priceless.
3)SAND SURFING
Or put another way, dry surfing. It is made in the dunes and deserts. It consists of sliding with a board through the sand and doing all kinds of stunts according to the skill of each one. It was invented by surfers when they got bored on days when there were no good waves. Specifically in **Florianópolis (Brazil) ** Good places to do it? Florianópolis and Jericocoara, in Brazil , the Australian desert in the state of Victoria, in the Great Dune of Peru or in the Atacama desert.
Surfing in the Atacama desert
4) POOL SURFING
The last of our options is the most urban of all , but it is well worth it for a surfer “christening” or to spend afternoon siestas training in Mallorca. In Magaluf , in the south of the island, a part of the island that has long ceased to interest the Spanish, Meliá hotels International is doing a facelift and renovating its facilities. One of the first bets has been the hotel Sol Wave House , with two wave pools: one is the first Flow Barrel where you can surf three meter waves ad infinitum and the other one Flow Rider , to take the first steps. Always accompanied by music, often with a live DJ.
Surfing at the Sol Wave House hotel