Boca da Barra - Long waves
On big wave days of the Bahian winter, Boca da Barra offers some of the longest waves of Brazil: a right that opens in the middle of the ocean to the middle of the long Pontal beach, around 500m…
Connecting to Pontal on the southern corner, at the mouth of the Rio de Contas that separates Pontal from the city of Itacaré, you will find “Boca da Barra”. The waves are easily visible from the center of the city, and is about 5-10 minutes of paddling away from the inn.
To surf Boca de Barra, you will need to be skilled and knowledgeable about surf, because this is a serious break! You’ll surf in the middle of the ocean, with difficult orientation and near-constant strong currents, pushing you past the break, but the rip currents to the open sea can become your biggest obstacle when trying to get back to shore.
Check your equipment before leaving (losing your board can be fatal at Boca da Barra) and never go alone!
Kind of break
Offshore from the mouth of the river
Kind of wave
Full with tubular sessions
Bottom
Sandbanks
Length
100m – 2,000m
Size
1.5m to any size
Swell direction
South + Southeast
Best wind
South
Best tide
Rising tide
Best season
May to September
Consistency
Close to 50 days per year
Experience Level
Advanced
Entry/exit
Use the river as a channell
Dangers
Currents, long distances, lack of references because you’re in the middle of the ocean
Tips
Close to 5-10 minutes paddling to get there from Concha beach, so don’t go alone. Pay attention to the currents. It never gets crowded. The bigger the waves, the better it gets.
