Transcript Liz & Laura_Peru

Global Surf Project: Chile
By Elizabeth Kilcourse & Laura Markey
Surfing in Chile
Chile has quality wave breaks.
There is over 2700 miles of
coastline.
The beaches are uncroweded,
and multiple types of surf
breaks can be found.
The water is cold all year.
Chile can be divided into three zones:
North, Central, and Southern.
Northern Chile Surf
Zone
There is an abundance of reef, rock, and point breaks in
Northern Chile.
The best time of year to surf here is from SeptemberNovember, because of consistent south swells.
During the summer months there are consistent swells from
the North, causing stronger and harsher waves.
The North is the warmest of the three regions.
El Gringo
Located in Tarapaca,
Chile.
El Gringo is an expert
spot in the Northern
zone of Chile.
Also known as the
Chilean pipeline.
Surfing El Gringo
Video
Central Chile Surf Zone
This region has the capitol city of Santiago which has a population
of about 10 million.
Because of that, this zone has the largest surf population in Chile.
The surf is very consistent here.
The water temperature is cooler than that of the Northern region.
Pichilemu is considered Chile’s Surf City, which contains many
surf shops and other surf related things.
Punta De Los Lobos
Known as the crown jewel among the central region. Located in Santiago.
There are exposed reefs
and point breaks.
It is best to surf during
the winter here.
Ideal winds are from the
east and south east
Clean groundswells, and
southwest swell angles.
This area can get busy in the water. Surfers must be aware of urchins, rips,
and rocks
Punta De Los Lobos
Video 2
Southern Chile Surf Zone
Long empty beaches with big waves, ideal for the pioneer surfer.
Most remote region of all Chile. Waves are enourmous here compared to the other
regions
The snowcapped Andes are always visible here while surfing.
The population is very small and spread out among ancient fishing villages and pastoral
ranches.
The water is cold here, ranging from 55 to 61 degrees farenheit.
Consistent southerly winds, winds shift to the north during their winter months of May to
July
Far from tourist areas, won’t be able to find modern surf shops.
El Puerto Maguillines
Best surf spot in the Southern Region
Located in Atacama, Chile
waves range from 4-10 feet on
average
there is an ideal swell for surfers
96% of the time
It is a left ride with a rock break
Length of ride is about 50-100 meters
El Puerto Maguillines
Video 3
Chile Facts
Frigid waters all year due to the Humbolt current
Location: Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean and South
Pacific Ocean, between Argentina and Peru
Geographic coordinates: 30 00 S, 71 00 W
Coastline: 6,435 km
Terrain: low coastal mountains; fertile central valley; rugged Andes in east
Natural hazards: severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis
The north is characterized by arid and dry conditions. The central region of Chile has
a Mediterranean climate with mild wet winters and long dry summers, and the south
is cold and wet with prevailing winds of gale intensity.
Rainfall increases from almost nothing in the Atacama Desert in the north to 5,080
mm (200 inches) in the south.
Animal Life
Animal migration is restricted by the Andes
mountains being a barrier to them, and the
northern desert being an obstacle to the
southward migration of tropical Andean fauna.
The most abundant animal are the rodents.
Some include- chinchilla, the dengu, the
mountain viscacha (those 3 farmed for their
furs), the monito de monte, and the nutria, or
coyupu ( a water rodent common in streams.
There are an abundance of deer, llamas,
alpacas and vicuña (used for their high-quality
wool).
There are few carnivores- Pumas, Andean
Wolves, Long-tailed Fox.
Animal Life
Some exotic birds like parrots and
flamingos appear over northern and
central Chile during migration periods.
The Condor lives throughout the Chilean
Andes, a large scavenger. In Patagonia
the carancha is a bird that attacks
lambs.
There are many amphibians, the most
known being the Darwin’s frog,
discovered by Charles Darwin in south
central Chile.
Chile’s geographic isolation accounts
for the absence of poisonous reptiles
and spiders.
Travel Information
A roundtrip plane ticket to Santiago, is about
$1300-1500 for a week in November
You will need a 4/3mm wetsuit
with booties and a hood, and
how ever many surfboards you
would like to bring
If you’re on a budget a hostel
would be your best place to stay, there are many
offered for surfers.
Chile Culture
Currency: Chilean peso (CLP)
People in Chile speak spanish.
Dance and music are very important
to this culture.
Pickpocketing and mugging are
on the increase and travelers
should take care of their
belongings, especially around
tourist areas and bus stations.
Also, avoid walking alone late
at night.
Chile is known to have a land mine problem
Sources
http://www.wannasurf.com/spot/South_America/Chile/Tarapaca/el_gri
ngo/
http://www.thesurfingsite.com/Surf-Spots-Chile.html
• http://ns.surfertoday.com/bodyboarding/5556-el-gringo-waits-for-the-
best-pro-bodyboarders
• http://www.surfingatlas.com/spot/2232
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7F1IXoAjtE&feature=player_emb
edded#!
• http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/111326/Chile/24682/Plant
-and-animal-life
Sources Continued
http://www.surf-forecast.com/breaks/Puntade-Lobos
• http://magicseaweed.com/Chile-South-Surf-Forecast/34/
• http://www.wannasurf.com/spot/South_America/Chile/
• http://www.globalsurfers.com/country_details.cfm?land=Chile
• http://traveltips.usatoday.com/surfing-chile-18186.html
• http://www.surf-forecast.com/breaks/El-
Puerto/reliability_by_month
• http://www.globalsurfers.com/spot.cfm?land=Chile&surfing=4138&