The World’s First Legally Protected Wave
If you never thought that things such as waves could possibly be protected by state law, you are about to be very surprised. The Chicama wave, which occurs in Puerto Malabrigo beach in Peru, is a very special one. This is the world’s longest wave and it breaks along a gorgeous beach all the way to a pier. The Chicama has been legally protected and nothing can be built within one mile of this inlet to avoid ruining its shape.
Called “Malpaso”, “Keys”, “The Point”, “El Hombre” and “Chicama”, the waves in this area are a big success with surfers. The best part of the wave, according to locals, is “The Point”. This wave is well-shaped, fast and even moderately hollow. While not a genuine tube, nor very powerful, the wave breaks over soft sand and its main point holds at least 10 feet in the Hawaiian scale. However, notoriously inconsistent, this wave tends to speed up and down alternately, which makes it difficult to ride all the way along its length.
If you plan on going surfing in the area, keep in mind that days above head high are very rare. Wave sizes at “The Point” are about half the size of open ocean swell charts, and they tend to be quite weak and slow. While on a good day a ride could be 3 km long, this is quite rare. Generally, the best time for surfing Chicama is from Easter Week to the end of winter. However, bear in mind that the water in Puerto Malabrigo is cold. For this reason, it is recommended that all surfers wear a 2-3 mm wetsuit and booties for walking on the beach.