HUANCHACO
Peru
OVERVIEW
Huanchaco is known as a destination in Peru for its consistent, clean surf and ancient pre-Colombian history as a seafaring town. Huanchaco boasts a talented local surf scene that feasts on the consistent lefts that peel year-round. The classic sand bottom left hand point break that sits in the center of town is a regional classic. Most consistent from April to October, Huanchaco works on swells from 1 to 3 meters. An exceptional performance wave on most days, conditions can get more critical when a strong south swell fills in at the point.
- Approved January 2013
- Dedicated October 26, 2013
- 5th World Surfing Reserve
Why Huanchaco?
Huanchaco is known as a destination in Peru for its consistent, clean surf and ancient pre-Colombian history as a seafaring town. The strong ocean culture of Huanchaco is also credited with being the birthplace of Peru’s “caballito de totora” – one of humanity’s earliest known surf crafts used to ply the waves for both work and pleasure.
“I am excited and very pleased that Huanchaco has achieved World Surfing Reserve status. Huanchaco has a wave-riding tradition that dates back thousands of years. I commend World Surfing Reserves and all Peruvians for moving to preserve and protect this unique and historical beach,” said Felipe Pomar, the 1965 World Surfing Champion, who continues to be a prominent ambassador and elder statesman for Peruvian surfing culture.
In addition to its significant cultural heritage, the hardworking fishermen of Huanchaco and the strong local and national community support also add to its qualifications as a World Surfing Reserve. Diverse committees of local, national and international surf clubs and NGOs are working together with individual community leaders here to guarantee the successful management of the Huanchaco World Surfing Reserve.
Attributes of a World Surfing Reserve
Huanchaco is known as a destination in Peru for its consistent, clean surf and ancient pre-Colombian history as a seafaring town. Huanchaco boasts a talented local surf scene that feasts on the consistent lefts that peel year-round. The classic sand bottom left hand point break that sits in the center of town is a regional classic. Most consistent from April to October, Huanchaco works on swells from 1 to 3 meters. An exceptional performance wave on most days, conditions can get more critical when a strong south swell fills in at the point.
There is no other surf community like Huanchaco, Peru. It is a small coastal city that straddles three millennia. A place where thrusters and air-reverses regularly share the lineup with pre-Columbian fishing boats. Huanchaco is considered one of the places the sport of surfing was first practiced by fisherman over 2,500 years ago. The strong ocean culture of Huanchaco is also credited with being the birthplace of Peru’s “caballito de totora” – one of humanity’s earliest known surf crafts – and the artisanal fishing community can still be seen using these crafts to ply the waves for both work and pleasure.
In August of 2014, the Huanchaco World Surfing Reserve and Save The Waves Coalition hosted the inaugural Huanchaco Surf Cup. The highlight of the contest was the surfing of the “Caballistas” who demonstrated the functionality and performance of these ancient crafts in shoulder to head high surf.
RESOURCES
Local Stewardship COuncil
President: Ramon Castro
Ambassador: Felipe Pomar Rospigliosi
Reserve Manager: Fernando Luis Ganoza Romero
Fernando Bazán Pinillos
Juan Carlos Ferrer Calderón
Alfredo Gamero Jacobs
Bernardo Alva Pérez
Saara Velander-Ccora
Fernando Rodríguez Taboada
Javier Fernandez Urbina
Alonso Venegas Espejo
Carlos Antonio Ferrer
Surfonomics Study
Huanchaco WSR News
Representatives from All 12 World Surfing Reserves Convene at Coalition Summit
The Coalition Summit held in Santa Cruz on June 7 through June 9 was a historic event for Save The Waves and the protection of surf ecosystems more broadly. It was the first time in the history of the World Surfing Reserves program that we brought the entire network together with all 12 WSR’s represented
Save the Waves Coalition Visits Huanchaco World Surfing Reserve and Chicama
Save The Waves visited the World Surfing Reserve in Huanchaco, Peru in a delegation that explored the place, waves and ancient culture, while strategizing the World Surfing Reserve’s next steps, progress and needs. Written by Carlos Antonio Ferrer.
Federal Protection Granted for Huanchaco World Surfing Reserve
After years of effort by the Save The Waves and the Huanchaco World Surfing Reserve, the Peruvian Navy has officially decreed that the coastline and surfing waves of Huanchaco are now legally and permanently protected federal law. The “Ley de Rompientes” – or Law of the Breakers, effectively protects Huanchaco’s waves and 4,000 year-old historic
World Surfing Reserve Cultural Exchange
Ambassadors from the Huanchaco, Peru World Surfing Reserve, including Carlos “Huevito” Ucanan, were invited by the Gold Coast WSR to come and demonstrate the construction and use of the accent Caballito de Totora.