A Surf Day to Remember at La Lancha Surf Break, in Punta De Mita México!

A Surf Day to Remember at La Lancha Surf Break, in Punta De Mita México.

I set down my surfboard on the loose sand, and caught my breath after jogging two miles along the shoreline with my surfboard to get to La Lancha, a world class surf break in Punta De Mita, Mexico. I stared out at the local longboarders gliding down the line and walking the nose on some of the biggest waves I had ever seen. It was time to paddle out, and catch some monsters!

Surfing La Lancha, Wednesday. 

La Lancha

One of the best known, and most consistent surf breaks in Nayarit, Mexico is La Launcha.

The La Lancha surf break is a short bus ride away from where we are staying in the Punta De Mita Adventures Campground, but I prefer the forty minute beach walk. The walk is a lot easier at low tide, but if you're willing to rock scramble a bit doable at any time.

All week my family and I had been waiting for Tuesday and Wednesday, because the swell was going to be picking up, and we would have a go at surfing some bigger waves.

My family had arrived in Punta De Mita, Mexico, a calm and friendly town in the state of Nayarit, Mexico two months prior, and we have been having a blast surfing every afternoon since.

We tend to avoid the beach between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m, in order to enjoy the best sun hours, so I had started helping out Valentina, and her mother, two kind Mexican ladies. At a small smoothie, and juice stand across the street from 6:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

 

That afternoon after I helped pack up the tables, chairs, and supplies, I grabbed my 8 foot longboard surfboard. It was Tuesday, and my family and I were stoked for another afternoon surf session — this time with the promise of some decent waves. 

I walked out the gate of the Punta De Mita Adventures Campground, and down the street to Stinky's Beach. My family (Mom, Dad, Zev(8), Cove(12), and I (15) were meeting up with the dad of another traveling family we had met surfing here in Punta De Mita. In the short time we have known Matt, Erica, and their daughter Shanti(4). We have had a blast going out for street tacos, and exploring all Punta de Mita has to offer. 

Cove, my dad, and Matt started on their way, hiking the shoreline to La Lancha. Matt has an amazing talent for filming videos for their YouTube channel @theirhappytrails, and always carries a camera with him to take amazing photos. 

Photo taken by Matt, @their Happy trails! 

Zevy saw some great waves at Stinky’s surf break, and wanted to catch a few rides so my mom and I paddled out with him. 

As soon as I paddled out I began catching great rides. I would drop in out near the reef, first go down the line right, and then turn around and speed down the face left. The wave would then start to die going through a deeper section of water. I dropped down onto my stomach and paddle to stay on it, then I got another fun drop in, and a steep section of wave before having to abort mission before I ran into the rocks. 

Stinky's Beach

The Punta de Mita Adventures Campground is located right off Stinky's Beach. But don’t let the name deter you, because Stinky's Beach is one of our favorite surf spots. The vibe is always awesome, everyone is super friendly, and every wave is a “party wave” (meaning multiple people drop in on the same wave). Stinky’s usually has smaller waves, but it is an amazing spot to have a lot of fun. 

On my way out I watched my mom on one of the best set waves, and then a couple seconds later Zevy dropped in too! 

Zevy Surfing Stinky surf break.

After catching another couple big set waves, I decided that if I was getting steap fast rides at Stinky’s, La Lancha must be going off. I had to find out…

I grabbed my board under one arm. It was 5:00 p.m, and if I wanted to get some good surfing in at La Lancha as well, I was going to have to hurry. All hyped up from catching rides at Stinky’s, I began jogging down the beach slowing only at the rocky sections. 

30 minutes later I arrived at La Lancha tired, and sweaty. The water felt so refreshing as I paddled out through the surf. La Lancha has three different spots with different types of waves. most people paddle out at a far left spot with lots of reef and steep longer waves (That is where Matt was surfing) The next spot is a shore break that has steep fast short rides (that is where my brother cove was surfing) 

But I chose to paddle out at the advanced spot far right, where most of the advanced local surfers catch big long rides. 

Today there was only a handful of other surfers out at the advanced break, and more than enough waves to go around

 At first I was intimidated by the waves, to me they looked like moving mountains of water. But after watching a few longboarders drop in smoothly, and walk the nose as they seemed to fly across the water. the wave then steapnd out and collapsed in torrents of white water behind them

I was glad I brought my longboard, even though my moms fish is a lot easier to hike with. 

It was time to go all in. I paddled outside as I saw something massive on the horizon, I paddled out farther, faster, my board gliding across the surface of the water. I turned around, and paddled with long strokes. I saw the other surfers farther in turtle their boards. I didn’t look back until I felt myself begin to drop in. 

I quickly popped up into my usual wide squat stance, which my mom, and brothers always tease me about. The board slid down the the wave, and I almost lost my balance as it became steaper behind me. I began angeling in,  going down the line as it began breaking behind me. I turned around and rode the white water untill it reformed. I walked the nose to stay on the wave and rode it all the way into shore. 

What a thrill that drop in air was addictive! 

                                                     Video Taken Wednesday by my mom.

I began trying to paddle out through the surf. That day I was a little to eager and learned an important lesson. I should have waited untill the set was over to try and paddle back out. 

On my way out I thought I could get over one of the bigger waves, and failed. The wave collapsed on top of me as I spun through the water losing all of my progress, and almost my pants.

Thank goodness for my leash which caught my shorts, or else I would have had an ambarrassing walk home.

After a couple more rides to remember my dad called me in. It was time to walk back to the Campground before dark. 

On the walk back to Punta De Mita. I thought about all the unique experiences, and surf knowledge I had gained in our three months of catching waves in Punta De Mita Mexico. 

Spanish Surfing Terms: 

Ola- On one of my first days surfing in Punta De Mita I learned that “ola” means wave. For example “¡Mira una ola grande!” would be “Look a big wave!”

Piedras or Rocos- The surfing here is mostly reef breaks, so everyone is constantly looking out for the rocks. For example “Cuidado aquí tiene muchas piedras.” would mean “Careful, there are many rocks here.”

 

Nadar- The Mexican surfers here use the word “nadar” to say paddle, for example “Nada rapido.” would mean “Paddle fast.”

Mar- The Spanish word for ocean.

Dale Dale- Pronounced dah lay. “dale dale” is the Spanish phrase for “go go.” The Mexican surfers will often shout “¡dale dale!” when you are paddling for a wave.

Don’t forget to check out the YouTube video about our friends Matt, Erica, and Shanti’s time in Punta De Mita, Mexico: 

https://youtube.com/shorts/GpT0qbpV4Mw?feature=share

Check out the Punta De Mita Adventures Campground,

Website: https://puntademitaadventures.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/puntademitaadventures/?hl=en