Puerto Escondido is a wave by which other waves are measured. When it’s big, it’s one of the most difficult waves in the world to surf — one of the most difficult waves in the world just to paddle out to, in fact. Huge, steep, and shifting, the barrels there are identifiable to even a person who only watches surfing every now and then. It’s home to some of the best rides we’ve ever seen, from Mark Healey’s to Greg Long’s. And it’s been going off recently.
When summer hits, Puerto surfers wait for those big swells that will inevitably turn the stretch of sand into a place where terrifying barrels can be found. As long as the wind holds up, there’s no place like it. Everything lined up recently for one of those special days at Playa Zicatela.
