- The swells at Mundaka
- Best season to surf Mundaka
- How to get in to surf Mundaka
- Best tide to surf Mundaka
- The locals at Mundaka surf spot
- Summary
Remembering my first trip here 26 years ago and surfing Mundaka for the first time was a little
intimidating in the beginning! Although I already had years of experience surfing, I had never
surfed a river mouth wave with so much current and power. Sitting in the lineup out at the
sandbar in Mundaka can be really tricky! ¡Heavy current, fast hollow freight train barrels,
broken boards and locals who charge the place! Once you know where to situate yourself in
the lineup after spending time here you can easily get the tuberide of your life!
Surfing Mundaka – the best swell
First thing to keep in mind when you first arrive to surf Mundaka is that it,s not always perfect
even when the swell is bigger. The swell dirrection is usually best out of the Northwest with at
least a 12 second period or more, and the best winds for Mundaka are light Southwest, South
and Southeast winds. Some surfers love the hard offshore in Mundaka but in my opinion light
offshore wind is best. When the swell is big with a strong current , and the wind is blowing
hard up the face, it can make the drop really difficult.
Surfing Mundaka – the best season
Second thing to remember when surfing Mundaka is the swell season starts oround mid
September and can last through May. Good to have a 3.2 mm wetsuit for Sept through
November and a 4.3 or 5.3 mm wetsuit, booties and a hood when surfing from December up
until the end of April. Also it,s a great idea to have an all around short board like your favorite
6.0 a mid range board around a 6.6 and a 6.8 or 7.0 when the waves get more serious. A pin
tail or rounded pin is usually the go for more powerful hollow waves. But it all depends on
personal preference and what your used to riding.
Surfing Mundaka – how to get in
Third thing before you paddle out to surf Mundaka know where the entrance and exit points
are. The main place where most surfers enter the wáter is from the boat habour. You can
either jump from the Wall into the water where it,s very deep or enter down the stairs.
Another entrance is the lookout where the church is from the Atalaya and there are stairs that
go down into the water, but be careful with the rocks below where you paddle out. You can
cut your feet or break out a fin. Another entrance and exit point in Mundaka is from the beach
at Laidatxu which is normally easy to get in and out. Probably your safest place to get in and
out. However the paddle out to the surf is a Little further.
Surfing Mundaka – the tides
The fourth thing to keep in mind is the tide. Mundaka is typically best on low but can also break
good 2 to 3 hours before the low and 2 to 3 hours on the incoming tide depending on the size
of the swell and the shape of the sandbar. It,s important to understand that when the tide is
going out there is almost always strong currents, so be prepared to paddle non stop! If your
not in good paddle shape or not experienced surfing where there is a strong rip maybe it
would be better to wait for the low tide or incoming tide. Always look at a tide table or ask the
locals.
Surfing Mundaka – the locals
A fith important point to know when paddling out to the peak in Mundaka are surfing with the
locals. When entering the main peak it is best to sit down the line and wait a Little while for a
wave. The lineup can be really packed and with many sufers who are not only are good, but they have
been surfing here for many years. My experience travelling the world has always been give the
local surfers their space, let them catch the sets and when your time comes they normally let you get a few
good ones when they can see you can surf. What not to do is go straight to the peak start
competing for waves especially if you happen to come with a carload of sufers and calling guys. off waves or dropping in. Even when you are respectful there are always one or two locals that
can be idiots no matter what. But generally if you give respect to them you will get it back.
The sixth important point to keep in mind is that surfing Mundaka can also be quite user
friendly on smaller swells higher tide which can offer long walls which are great for doing
manouvers. There are often other sand bars in the bay between Mundaka and Laida Beach
that also can be really fun for beginners and intermediate sufers.
Surfing Mundaka – summary
When planning a trip to Mundaka you can get lucky and score fun waves with no crowd
although it,s not always garanteed. With patience , time and some preparation Mundaka can
be a great surfing experinence for everyone no matter what your surfing level is.
