Hippie beach

[home] [trip matrix] [Islas Canarias matrix] [La Gomera] [trips] [links]

Hippie Beach:

When You´ve passed the Garajonay national forest, You reach a deep valley that got it´s name when monarchy still was fashionable. You drive down the winding road. When You reach the parador buildt by Mr. Fantastic César Manrique, take a break. Get in, buy one of the fantastic sandwiches, enter the terasse and enjoy the stunning view over that beautifull valey. And check the small stretch of coast that is allready visible from here. If You can spot swell from here, finish Your meal, get back to Your car, and continue driving down the valley. Hold back Your excitement if You saw those lines on the ocean, because the curvy road needs all your attention. When You reach the coast, You´ll find a fancy little town. There is bars, restaurants, supermarkets, bike rentals, some hotels and plenty of appartements to rent. The perfect base camp and despite the fairly big number of tourist industry buildings, the place has more or less kept it´s charme.

Every evening an astonishing large number of hippies overtakes the beach and starts a never really changing happening. The typical instruments are played, jugglers show their tricks and 3 generations of hippies do what they have to do. They came to this place about 3 decades ago and live their live since.

The coast is dominated by very high and very steep cliffs, which makes a fantastic scenery. That topography is typical for the island but doesn´t leave much room for beaches. The bigger is the value of this area as it has most of the very few accessible beaches and reefs of the island. Naturaly the reefs are gnarly with sharp lava in shallow waters and the beaches have black sand. Due to its westerly orientation the area gets regurarely pounded by solid swells during autumn, winter and spring. This hinders a bit the bathing activities of the standart tourist, but it offers some sweet oprotunities for the adventurous wave searchers.

surfing: close to town there´s three spots, with small swells the beach has a shorebreak wave that sometimes can be surfed at the southern end. When the swell´s bigger, there is nothing but a pounding shorebreak.

The reef just in front of the little headland at the main plaza offers a very nice right and a short but sweet left when the swell is big enough. The only downside is, that the waves break VERY close to the rocky shore. Especially in smaller swells, You really have to knwo what You´re doing if You don´t wand to get a first class pealing on the nasty lava rocks.

The point is just north of the reef. It offers a long and punchy right that regurarely has tubes. Be carefull as the waves usually are much heavier than they look from shore. Time Your paddling out good, as the odd clean up set might try to slam You into those lava rocks.

Both breaks need the experienced and fit surfer!

windsurfing: northeast trades come sideoffshore here. This makes it very tricky to get out. Especially if You use the option to launch at the beach, which has less waves but also almost no wind. The other option is to start at the rocky shore just right of the reef. But this means You need a VERY good timing. Once You pass the headland You´ll get pressure into Your sail and can sail upwind to the reef or the point. Up there You´lle find excellent down the line wavesailling conditions with sideoffshore winds from the right. Just make shure not getting caught inside if You want to avoid shredding Your stuff and Yourself on the rocks. Keep sailing down the line until You reach the safe channel.

If You ride the point, keep in mind that this break can connect with the reef in big swells. This means You´ll eather have to drop out in time for not getting hammered by the closeout or have to set a very well timed aerial to connect with the right of the reef.

The reef can hold enormous swells. the bigger the waves get, the farther out they start to break. And the right keeps an open shoulder in any size of wave.

Attention, the waves are very powerfull and fast and can get very solid. The wind usually comes sideoffshore which means it´s gusty and it can vanish within minutes. This is NOT a place for beginners and intermediates. it´s for experienced wavesailors only. But they can have a hell of a time here!

kiteboarding: if You are in absolute controll of Your kite and have solid experience in serious waves You might want to try it here. Beeing a good swimmer is very helpfull!

other activities: the area is a paradise for mountainbiking and hiking! Diving is also a good option.

Check out more pics about the town, the beach, the reef and the point in the galleries. Sorry that there is not more pics about surfing, windsurfing or kiteboarding action, but I´ve been the only one sailing there and I only saw one boogeyboarder and one surfer going out here during my stay.